Alec Rosenberg, UC Newsroom
The University of California Board of Regents adopted amendments today (Nov. 19) that streamline oversight of UC Health to promote the continued growth of UC’s academic medical centers.
Regents modified the Committee on Health Services to give it more autonomy. The committee will reduce its number of voting regents and add the expertise of new non-voting members. The committee also will have expanded authority to approve certain health care transactions to help improve efficiency in decision-making.
“I believe that this allows us to protect the health system – to protect the jewels that we have – and to move forward into the modern world. But it also allows us to keep the proper amount of oversight, so that we are really maintaining our responsibility,” said UC Regent Sherry Lansing, chair of the Committee on Health Services.
UC’s five academic medical centers — Davis, Irvine, Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco — face increasing financial pressure amid health care reform.
UC Health has taken steps to increase coordination and stay ahead of the curve, such as systemwide initiatives to reduce costs and improve quality at UC medical centers. Still, UC Health leaders have been concerned that additional efforts might be needed. In March, regents contracted with RAND Health to help evaluate options that could ensure UC Health remains nimble enough to stay competitive in the health care marketplace while maintaining continued excellence in patient care, research and education.
Regents discussed the report in July and September, providing input that shaped the final proposal.
“We think this not only addresses the comments but makes it a stronger proposal and provides the governance that I know you all want in a rapidly changing and challenging health care environment,” said Dr. John Stobo, UC Health executive vice president, at the regents’ meeting.
Under the approved proposal, regents’ governance of UC Health will continue through the modified Committee on Health Services, with seven voting regents and eight non-voting members.
Voting members include:
- the governor of California
- the UC president
- representatives of the committees on compensation, finance, and grounds and building
- the committee’s current chair, Regent Sherry Lansing, who will be reappointed to that role with an initial three-year term
- the committee’s current vice chair, Regent Richard Sherman, who also will be reappointed
Non-voting members include:
- the UC Health executive vice president
- one Academic Senate member with a clinical appointment at a UC medical school
- two chancellors from UC campuses with academic health systems
- four external advisory members with expertise related to health care, academic health systems, mergers and acquisitions, and related fields
The regents’ student observer also may participate in committee meetings.
The committee will have primary responsibility for strategic plans and budgets for UC’s clinical enterprise; patient care, quality, cost and access; certain health care transactions; compensation for certain UC Health senior leaders; and various systemwide UC Health initiatives.
The Committee on Grounds and Buildings will retain primary jurisdiction for capital projects requiring regents or committee approval. For UC Health capital projects, the project will go first to the Committee on Health Services and, if that committee recommends moving forward, it will be considered by the Committee on Grounds and Buildings for action.
