Cutler Family gifts $15 million to University Hospitals to transform men's health care

CLEVELAND, Nov. 1, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Health care statistics for men are bleak: less than 50 percent have a primary care provider, their life expectancy is seven years less than women, fewer than half the men suffering from depression seek treatment and men have higher death rates than women in 14 of the top 15 leading causes of death.

University Hospitals, with a generous $15 million gift from Alexander "Sandy" and Sally Cutler, plans to revolutionize the way men seek and address their health care needs. In honor of the gift, UH will establish the new Cutler Center for Men's Comprehensive Care.

"We will address the huge number of men not engaged with health care and redefine what men's health care will look like," said Lee Ponsky, MD, Chair and Professor of Urology at UH Cleveland Medical Center, who will also be the Executive Director of the new Cutler Center.  "In Greater Cleveland, 250,000 less men than women saw a doctor in the last year. We want to find out why, evaluate social determinants of health care, develop a model that engages men and bring that number down.

"We will bring together primary care and specialists in heart disease, urology, digestive health, mental health, orthopedics and other key specialties to motivate men to receive comprehensive care throughout their lifetime, with the goal of enhancing their quality and longevity of life," said Dr. Ponsky who is also Director of the UH Urology Institute and holder of the Leo and Charlotte Goldberg Chair of Advanced Surgical Therapies and Master Clinician in Urologic Oncology.

"The Cutler Center will significantly impact men in Northeast Ohio through a combination of proactive care and personalized treatments," said Thomas F. Zenty III, UH Chief Executive Officer. "Sandy and Sally recognized the need and are true partners in helping bring about vital change. Their family legacy is clearly one of innovation, generosity and compassion for our community."

"We will also have health navigators to remind men of appointments and guide them for seamless care sensitive to each patient's needs. We will take advantage of our vast primary care network and offer certification in men's health to primary care physicians to better identify specific needs," said Dr. Ponsky. He also emphasized that the new center will measure effectiveness to determine if "we are making a difference. We want to improve men's health, period, then make the model available to other medical centers around the world."

As part of the center's development, the UH Ventures innovation team will use 'human-centered design' to incorporate the use of apps, telehealth and other ways to make it easier for men to get the health care they need.

The new Cutler Center will have its initial locations at UH Ahuja Medical Center in Beachwood, Ohio, and at the UH Otis Moss Health Center in the Fairfax neighborhood of Cleveland. Other locations will follow.  

The gift also includes an endowed chair in men's health to help in the recruitment, retention and research efforts of a renowned physician-scientist in this field.

In 2016, Sandy and Sally were shocked to learn that Sandy was suffering from bladder cancer despite excellent overall health. "My physician team was outstanding over the course of treatment. They were accessible to me and Sally, at times answering our calls in the evenings or on vacation, to ensure my needs as a patient were being met," said Sandy, former chairman and chief executive officer of Eaton Corporation LLC. "UH's patient-centered model of care, plus their research into how to effectively change men's behavior around health care, inspired us to make this gift."

The Cutlers will be recognized among an elite group of UH's most generous donors, known as UH Visionaries, for their extraordinary commitment to transforming the health of the community and hospital's mission.

For more information about UH men's health services, see https://www.uhhospitals.org/menscomprehensivecare or to make an appointment, call 866-585-8313

SOURCE University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center

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