Letter to the Editor
Kristin,
I received treatment for my prostate cancer in 2009 at the UF Health Proton Therapy Institute. My experience was very positive. It dawned on me that I may have something that you might find useful as you celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Institute.
I was stepping down as Provost of the University of Maryland Baltimore County when we discovered I had prostate cancer. During my sabbatical, I spent about 8–10 weeks in Jacksonville. I was returning to my faculty position in political science and was hoping to produce something during my sabbatical. My stay at UFHPTI was perfect. During my time at UFHPTI, I researched and produced a nine-page article describing the development of UFHPTI as an “early adopter of an emerging technology.” It was published in Medical Innovation and Business (Spring, 2010) pp. 16-25. Dr. Mendenhall was very helpful in suggesting who I might interview and so was UFHPTI’s Executive Director at the time. Unfortunately, that journal no longer is in production.
I have attached a copy of the article. Feel free to use it as you see appropriate during your anniversary celebration or otherwise. I hope that you might add it to your archives, if it is not already there.
My best wishes for continued success,
Arthur T. Johnson
Provost Emeritus, University of Maryland Baltimore County
Excerpts from the article:
New Medical Technology, Entrepreneurship, and Health Care: The Case of The University of Florida Proton Therapy Institute
By Arthur T. Johnson, PhD
“In late 1998, she (Dr. Nancy Mendenhall) proposed the development of such a center (proton center) to the dean of the College of Medicine. She described proton therapy as the next significant advancement within the field of radiation oncology.”
“The UFPTI’s leadership decided that the new institute should be located in Jacksonville… The city was much more accessible than Gainesville if the Institute was to serve a regional market.”
“In August 2002, the Jacksonville City Council approved the project by a vote of 18-1.”
“This case provides insights into various aspects of organizational creation and entrepreneurial behavior within a public-(quasi-)private partnership. From the perspective of organization theory, we see the importance of champions (Drs. Tisher and Mendenhall) whose persistence drives a new venture to its operational stage…”