Workshop Brings
Together Subject Matter Experts and Leading Thinkers to Explore the Advancement
of Southwestern Medical District as the Center of North Central Texas’ Premier
Health Institutions and an Innovative Economic Catalyst District for Dallas.
Media availability
will be Wednesday, January 31 from 1:30
p.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Latino Culture Center 2600 Live
Oak St, Dallas, TX 75204 in the auditorium lobby.
Dallas,
TX, USA – The City of Dallas, in partnership with Toyota and 100 Resilient
Cities - Pioneered by the Rockefeller Foundation (100RC), has convened a
group of leading experts to explore solutions for advancing mobility to and
within the Southwestern Medical District (SWMD) as a cornerstone of the city’s
resilience strategy. The masterclass runs January 30 to 31 at the Latino
Culture Center 2600 Live Oak St, Dallas, TX 75204.
The
healthcare industry is a key asset to the North Central Texas economy that
generates more than $52 billion annually and employs nearly 600,000 individuals
throughout the region. Located just 3 miles from Downtown Dallas and ranking
among the top academic medical centers in the world, the Southwestern Medical
District is the heart of the city’s regional healthcare network. Leaders within
the District have identified issues such as technological advancements in
mobility, infrastructure constraints, environmental sustainability, energy, and
public health disparities as significant opportunities for participants to ideate
on innovate solutions.
“The
Southwestern Medical District sits at the intersection of several key social
and economic opportunities for Dallas,” said Theresa O’Donnell, Dallas’ Chief
Resilience Officer. “Nevertheless, constrained mobility options for residents,
their lack of access to routine healthcare, and aging, insufficient infrastructure
could possibly leave the District ill-equipped to support the future growth and
development we desire. We see this masterclass as an exciting way to generate new
and unexpected solutions to elevate individual and community resilience.”
The
City of Dallas’ Office of Resilience has partnered with the Southwestern Medical
District; Toyota; Vizient, Inc.; Texas Trees Foundation; and 100 Resilient
Cities to convene this workshop, which will explore how Dallas can advance the Southwestern
Medical District as the premier HEALTH[Y] and innovative economic catalyst for
North Central Texas, and enable the District to flourish as a world-wide
destination for patients, staff, and residents.
“Our
aim through this convening is to help inform and inspire new ways to help
people move more effectively to, from and throughout the Southwestern Medical
District,” said Ryan Klem who leads mobility programs for the Social Innovation
team at Toyota Motor North America. “Together we can drive forward new
solutions that can help connect patients to the healthcare services they need,
allow physicians quicker access to different hospitals and clinics to help them
serve more patients, and provide healthcare employees new ways to move to and
from work. The initiative further builds up on our efforts throughout North
America to help create a more inclusive society through mobility.”
As
Dallas continues its resilience journey, the Southwestern Medical District
remains an important stakeholder and partner. This workshop is a critical step
toward identifying opportunities and solving the challenging issues that
currently constrain one of Dallas’ prominent employment hubs.
“Cities
are on the front line of dealing with acute shocks and chronic stress. Dallas
is part of a group of cities leading the way on resilience to better prepare
for, withstand, and recover more effectively when disruption hits,” said 100
Resilient Cities President Michael Berkowitz. “By holding this masterclass,
Dallas and the Southwestern Medical District are taking the preemptive step of
approaching complex urban systems through a resilience lens. This type of
ideation and planning will better prepare the city for the unexpected, in
healthcare delivery and beyond.”
Findings
from the workshop will be referenced in the forthcoming Resilient Dallas strategy to be released publicly in the first
quarter of 2018. The masterclass will also inform the design for Southwestern
Medical District Urban Streetscape Master Plan being implemented by the Texas
Trees Foundation and SWMD. With $14.5M currently committed from the City of
Dallas and North Central Texas Council of Governments, this public-private
partnership is one of the largest projects currently under way in the city.
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