UCSD Health System recently expanded its facilities to the Coachella Valley and Palm Springs areas in order to extend its influence as well as enhance healthcare for patients in the region.
UCSD settled a hospital management deal with El Centro Regional Medical System and is currently in talks with Eisenhower Medical Center in Rancho Mirage. While the plans are not set in stone, UCSD Health System CEO Paul Viviano foresees the revamping of programs in El Centro as well as an extension of clinical trials and an overall increase in ratings.
ECRMC Interim CEO Tomas Virgen discussed the overall goals for the expansion in a recent press release and hopes the outcome is an increase in patient care.
“In addition to providing important operational and clinical support, our relationship with UC San Diego Health System will help local patients gain greater access to a comprehensive continuum of care in El Centro and San Diego, including an array of specialized medical and surgical services,” Virgen said. “Additionally, our employees will have direct access to the best practices and expertise of the region’s top-ranked health system.”
Currently, the UCSD Health System supports Imperial Valley hospitals by providing specialized care for specific areas, including cardiovascular diseases, angioplasty, stroke consultations and more. These areas will soon expand to include support in endocrinology, allergy and immunology, cardiology, rheumatology and nephrology.
According to Viviano, the health system plans to expand beyond the two deals already mentioned. Further expansions, however, will not include the university purchasing facilities, as the plan is strictly to supplement existing policies and resources with UCSD’s own resources and expertise.
Viviano explained that the long-term goal is to work with external programs to broaden the reach of the health system.
“We think we can collaborate with Rady and Scripps and Sharp and Kaiser and with hospitals and doctors outside San Diego, cobble that together with our academic mission and distinguish ourselves,” Viviano told the San Diego Union-Tribune.
