Following a unanimous board vote on Oct. 26, the Tri-City Healthcare District announced its partnership with UC San Diego Health, opening up doors to more accessible and affordable healthcare services. 

According to a press release by UCSD Health, a joint powers agreement is now being co-developed. Under this agreement, UCSD Health will be able to provide administrative, clinical, and operational management for all of Tri-City’s healthcare services. Additionally, it will absorb the property, outstanding debt, and staff, and form a new governing board. 

The agreement marks a new achievement for UCSD Health, which is currently ranked the top hospital in San Diego according to the 2023-24 U.S. News & World Report “Best Hospitals” survey. 

In a press release by UCSD Health, Chancellor Pradeep Khosla shared the importance of the partnership for both organizations. 

“This partnership with Tri-City represents a unique and compelling opportunity for two public organizations to come together with the common goal of expanding and deepening the network of care in North County,” he said. “We look forward to working with the talented team at Tri-City to reliably increase North County residents’ access to nationally recognized care and develop new access points in the communities where patients live and work.”

An annual report by the San Diego County Government states North County needs 18,500 more medical professionals by 2027 to meet the population’s need for services. The county reports an older healthcare workforce, population growth, and growing mental health and substance crises as the driving causes for its healthcare worker shortage.

“We definitely have a lot going on. But, we have an unbelievable demand from patients right now, and we’re severely underbedded to serve the population that’s coming to us,” CEO of UCSD Health Patty Maysent said in an interview with KPBS. “We look forward to collaborating with the Tri-City team to stabilize, expand and transform access to the hospitals’ services and facilities so that all patients throughout North County can continue to access high-quality care, locally.”

Following the partnership, UCSD Health plans on expanding its specialty programs including cancer, cardiovascular, and neurosurgical health. In particular, labor and delivery is the focal point of the partnership.

Last July, the Tri-City board voted unanimously to suspend its labor and delivery units amid financial constraints. As UCSD Health ranks #15 nationwide in Obstetrics & Gynecology, this partnership hopes to expand the OB-GYN services team at Tri-City and reopen its labor-and-delivery unit. 

“With close to 5,000 deliveries a year and a top-20 ranking program nationally, we are very proud of the obstetric and gynecology care services we provide at UC San Diego Health,” UCSD Health Perinatology Chair Cynthia Gyamgi-Bannerman said in the press release. “I am incredibly excited to partner with the Women’s Health Services team at Tri-City to plan to resume labor and delivery services and expand the infrastructure serving mothers and newborns in North County.” 

In addition to improved departments and facilities, UCSD Health has a 10-year vision to improve timely access to its services and care. Last month, UCSD Health announced its purchase of Alvarado Hospital Medical Center, a 302-bed medical campus located in San Diego. The hospital, expected to be completed in late 2023, will provide behavioral health services and patient care in response to the growing crisis over behavioral bed shortages in the county. Other upcoming projects include an outpatient surgical center scheduled to open in 2025 and new clinics opening throughout the region.