Checkup

Vital Signs

Coming of Age

Dear Readers,

2006 will mark a milestone for Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville: our 20th anniversary. Beginning in January, we'll commemorate key components of Mayo's core values every month, culminating in a birthday celebration in October. We hope that those of you who visit our campus during the coming months will join us in these celebrations.

As the father of a 20-year-old son, I've noticed a few parallels between the aspirations we have for the development of Mayo Jacksonville and the aspirations many of us have as parents.

For instance, we hope that our offspring will be productive members of society, giving back more than they receive. That is surely our goal at Mayo Clinic. In addition to "healing the sick," we are dedicated to "advancing the science" (a paraphrase of the charge given to us by Dr. Charles Mayo many decades ago). Our researchers are committed to prudently using funds received from grants and philanthropy to make discoveries that will improve the quality and quantity of life for patients now and in the future. Furthermore, we are dedicated to educating physicians and allied health personnel to ensure that new knowledge is applied appropriately to the care of patients.

When our children are young, their future is unknown but their potential seems limitless. Over time, however, talents and opportunities emerge and converge, giving direction to the choice of roads one can travel. The same is true for an academic medical center, which cannot be "all things to all people." Here in Jacksonville, for example, we have elected to focus almost entirely on the practice of adult medicine rather than pediatrics. Additionally, although we have research and education programs in a wide spectrum of specialties, our basic science laboratories currently are devoted to the study of cancer and neurodegenerative disorders. We hope to expand our research programs in the future as resources permit.

I've often told my children that my role as a parent is not necessarily to teach them what to think, but rather to teach them how to think — as independent, responsible adults. That requires continuous learning. We at Mayo Clinic recognize the benefits that can be gained from enhanced coordination between our various sites in Florida, Arizona, and the upper Midwest.

For instance, we are developing better ways to quickly disseminate "best practices" or research discoveries that improve patient care: what we learn in, say, Arizona ought to be shared before the sun goes down with colleagues in Florida, Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. Such integration is the essence of "One Mayo Clinic," an initiative about which you'll hear more in the months ahead.

While "One Mayo Clinic" implies a single, nationwide organization, we expect each Mayo Clinic entity to be independent and self-sufficient, much as we'd like our children to fly free from the nest while retaining close family ties. I have had the privilege of practicing at each of the three major Mayo sites in Rochester, Scottsdale, and Jacksonville; each medical center has its own personality, but we share identical DNA. At 20 years of age, Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville is mature yet youthful, seasoned but energetic. Thanks to your partnership, our future together is bright.

Sincerely,

George B. Bartley, M.D.
Chief Executive Officer