Strategic Alliances The Building and Sustaining of a Health Care Partnership: The Meharry–Vanderbilt Alliance

The ability of academic health centers (AHCs) to maintain their financial viability and mission in the face of revolutionary changes was broadly discussed during the last decade. Among the suggestions for protecting the future of AHCs was to form strategic alliances to further the missions of education, research, and service. Although the evidence indicates that 55 % of strategic alliances fall apart after three years, the Meharry–Vanderbilt Alliance is now beginning its fifth year, and it appears to be growing stronger. This article presents a brief overview o