In 2019, Houston Methodist celebrated 100 years of service to patients, providing high quality and cost-effective care, and driving the future of medicine with innovation in education and research. When we look back on our history of firsts in cardiovascular and transplant medicine, we see a legacy of global leadership in research that was the direct result of our mission to provide the best care to our patients. We recommitted to this mission in 2004 with the opening of the Houston Methodist Research Institute and Education Institute. Our 2019 annual report tells the stories that grew from this investment, the stories of the people and programs that have developed next generation technologies and educational programs across the continuum of care.

2019 also marks the final year of a five-year academic strategic plan and a $200 million investment in precision medicine, biotherapeutics and regenerative medicine, innovative education and outcomes research. The impact is clear: Our faculty are the hub of a global network of academic collaborations, with more than $63 million in annual extramural funding and publishing more than 1,200 research articles every year.

None of this work would be possible without the dedication and support of our visionary Houston Methodist Academic Institute board members, generous funders and expert faculty. Our work together has established Houston Methodist as a leading academic medical center, and I am honored to be a part of this journey to the future of medicine.