Some of the money being withheld from the state's budget would have gone to pay for the MU School of Medicine class expansion and Springfield clinical campus.
Governor Jay Nixon announced the spending restrictions and budget withholdings this week. A CoxHealth news release states that the healthcare system "respects the state's budgetary challenges and the governor's duty to maintain financial wellbeing of the state." But the health system says it remains committed to supporting efforts to see the campus become a reality. According to CoxHealth, "developing a Springfield medical school clinical campus to capture the brightest young medical minds in Missouri is critical for the future of health care in our community and state."
According to Cox, the Mizzou Medical School expansion was projected to potentially add more than $390 million annually to Missouri's economy and create 3500 new jobs.
CoxHealth president and CEO Steve Edwards says he hopes that politics are put aside and that the matter is resolved in a way that favors our community and state.
The Missouri Hospital Association released a report this week on access to primary care in Missouri. It found that the future demand for primary care providers will surpass the supply, limiting access to primary care in the state, and the outlook for rural communities is even worse. CoxHealth officials say our state medical school needs to grow.
