Transforming Medicine Campaign
Arriving at one goal is the starting point to another.
—Fyodor Dostoevsky
The why and how
By Barbra Alan
The Transforming Medicine Campaign for Dartmouth Medical School and Dartmouth- Hitchcock Medical Center is the largest campaign ever for both organizations.Why is such an ambitious effort necessary?
While DMS and DHMC consistently rank among the nation's finest such institutions, this does not protect them from economic, political, and social pressures that threaten all academic medical centers. Profound changes are jeopardizing the funding Dartmouth can expect to receive from government and private payors.
"We simply can't keep doing more of the same," says Dr. Thomas Colacchio, president of the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Clinic."We will find ways to operate ever more effectively and efficiently. . . . We are also working to stop further cutbacks in reimbursements, and to work constructively with policy-makers to address problems in the nation's health-care system."
Another key step is letting the communities served by DHMC and DMS know that their help is needed now more than ever, says Brian Lally, vice president for development. "Philanthropy plays a critically important role," Lally explains. "In looking for ways to continue developing our excellent services and medical education programs,we examined what it might take to sustain our healthy trajectory. It became very clear very quickly that bringing our community into the equation was necessary and hugely beneficial for us all."
"The rationale behind our campaign is not simply growth," says Dr. Stephen Spielberg, dean of DMS."The support we seek is for people, ideas, programs, and the associated facilities needed for us to continuously improve our service to those in need . . . based on the deep conviction that DMS and DHMC have responsibility for, and, in fact, have already begun, the process of transforming medicine."
As of mid-August 2005, commitments to the campaign had topped $106 million."This is an extraordinary response," Lally says."We have already exceeded totals we've raised in any previous campaign. Our community is with us, and for that we are very grateful." But, he notes, of the $250-million goal, $152 million is earmarked for endowment and capital projects." Historically, institutional funders have been DHMC's and DMS's primary benefactors. But to develop the level of funding we need for this campaign, we need a strong commitment from individuals as well," says Lally.
Endowment
Assets that are invested for the
long term are known as endowment.
Only the income
can be spent, leaving the principal
to grow and ensure the
institution's future stability. Endowment
gifts support research
initiatives; fund endowed chairs;
and enhance the clinical academic
environment.
Continuing contributions to the endowment from alumni, grateful patients, community members, and other friends are vital to sustaining DMS and DHMC's excellence for many years to come.
Capital
Robust and growing research
and educational programs; atcapacity
patient-care buildings;
and aging labs, classrooms, and
offices on the Hanover campus
all drive the need to renovate
and build facilities.
To meet these capital needs, Transforming Medicine is generating funding for a variety of projects, including new DMS facilities on the DHMC campus that will connect to the Borwell Research Building. The plans include a new home for Dartmouth's famous Center for the Evaluative Clinical Sciences (CECS), to enhance its educational programs and its effort to improve health-care delivery, and a new Translational Research Building (TRB), to house labs dedicated to interdisciplinary research in neuroscience, cardiovascular disease, immunology, infectious disease, and pulmonary disease.The new CECS and TRB will be connected to Borwell by the LeBaron Commons, a place where scientists and physicians can meet and share ideas.A $5- million leadership gift from Dean LeBaron will fund the Commons, which will be named in memory of LeBaron's father, Dr. Francis E. LeBaron.
While these projects have yet to break ground, other capital projects are up and running. A four-story expansion of the Rubin Building at DHMC was completed in 2003, nearly doubling the building's size. And Norris Cotton Cancer Center-North in St. Johnsbury, Vt., a collaborative effort by DHMC and seven other hospitals to bring advanced cancer care to the North Country, has just opened.
More than merely bricks and mortar, these buildings are the physical embodiment of the Dartmouth medical enterprise's extraordinary work and vision: to transform medicine and the lives of those patients we serve.
Annual giving
With all the talk of milliondollar
gifts, it's easy to wonder
where the smaller donor—who
faithfully writes out a modest
yearly check—fits in. Last fiscal
year was among the most successful
for both the Fund for
Dartmouth Medical School,
which raised $435,545, and the
Dartmouth-Hitchcock Annual
Fund, which raised $722,543.
While these two annual funds
represent relatively small portions
of the academic medical
center's overall budget, the
monies they raise are crucial,
according to Annual Fund Director
Amy Schrom.That's because,
unlike endowment, they
provide current-use funds.
Annual fund growth is especially important during a campaign, says Schrom, since it's the base of support for the future. Schrom hopes to see the annual funds reach $2 million a year by the campaign's end."This community is extremely generous and believes in our mission," she says."As we better communicate the value of annual fund gifts, more people will be inspired to give annually."
The future
"This campaign is about building
on our strengths and accelerating
our accomplishments to
provide better care, more effective
treatments, and more targeted
therapies for our patients
and our community," says Alfred
Griggs, chair of the
DHMC and MHMH Trustees.
"Only with philanthropic dollars
can we fulfill the extraordinary
promise and potential of
these great institutions."
"This is a time of real opportunity and real challenge," concludes Brian Lally."Part of being successful in any campaign is, first and foremost, people have to believe in it . . . believe in the institution, the mission, and want to be part of it.And that is happening. It's wonderful to see the Medical School, the Hospital, the Clinic, the College, and our community so united in this effort."
Raising the bar
The financial goal of the Transforming
Medicine Campaign for
Dartmouth Medical School and
Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical
Center is to raise $250 million
by 2009. Even more far-reaching
is its goal of "raising the bar"
in medicine. Of questioning
assumptions—respecting tradition
but not following it blindly.
Of erasing boundaries—translating
science from the lab bench
to the bedside by connecting researchers
with clinicians. Of creating
solutions to the nation's
most critical health-care issues.
Of transforming medicine.
Anatomy of a goal
Gifts to the Transforming Medicine
Campaign are building endowment
reserves, enhancing
programs and services, supporting
learning and teaching in
clinical settings, advancing medical
education, and stimulating a
stronger annual giving program,
as well as advancing the work of
the Children's Hospital at Dartmouth
and Norris Cotton Cancer
Center. Here is a breakdown
of the $250-million goal:
- $98 million for clinical research programs and unrestricted support.
- $85 million for faculty and clinical academic endowment.
- $67 million to build and enhance research, academic, and patient-care facilities.
As of mid-August, the Transforming Medicine Campaign had raised over $106 million in cash gifts and pledges—more than 42% of the total goal.
Learning more
For more about the Transforming Medicine Campaign, visit http://transmed.dartmouth.edu
Barbra Alan is assistant director of development communications for the Medical School and Medical Center.
If you'd like to offer feedback about this article, we'd welcome getting your comments at DartMed@Dartmouth.edu.
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