The University of Pennsylvania’s Academic

Health SystemBy William N. Kelley

Introduction As the first CEO of the University of

Pennsylvania Health System, Dr. William N. Kelley spearheaded a number of developments that made it a national leader in patient care. He is now a professor of medicine at the university. The insights of Dr. William N. Kelley into academic based fully integrated health systems and health care reform have been published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation.

About the Academic Health System

The academic health system (AHS) is a unique health care model that links teaching hospitals, medical schools, and ambulatory care centers. These institutions are often connected to local primary care and specialty offices by ownership or by contract, and they gain financially from the creation of a streamlined system of care. The AHS’s financial model also allows member institutions to provide care to uninsured individuals. This benefit has to do with the system's inherent commitment to care, and its ability to source independent financial coverage and write off uncollected debt

Conclusion Among the earliest examples of these innovative networks

in the United States, the University of Pennsylvania Health System has produced measurable results since its inception in 1993. Both the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania (HUP) and the University's Perelman School of Medicine have earned high rankings in the U.S. News and World Report. In addition, the Perelman School is the third largest recipient of National Institutes of Health (NIH) research grants nationwide

The University of Pennsylvania Health System runs under the auspices of Penn Medicine, which is dedicated to providing safe, affordable, high-quality care to patients.