A message from Richard Hart, MD, DrPH, president of Loma Linda University Health:
Our Board of Trustees plays a key role in helping us determine the vision, mission and goals of Loma Linda University Health. Their high level analysis of our direction adds vital perspective to our work of setting strategic and operational goals. Members of the board bring significant scientific, educational, legal and mission expertise. A number of Seventh-day Adventist Church leaders hold board membership, facilitating our continued participation in the Church’s global outreach.
Because many board actions affect what happens here at Loma Linda on a daily basis, we plan to launch a new electronic newsletter to appear shortly after each board meeting. We will report on significant board actions, and explain their importance to how we do our work. That newsletter will debut following the next board of trustees meeting to take place in December.
The board did meet on August 30, and I want to share a few of the key items that came from that meeting:
Clinically Integrated Network — update
- Loma Linda University Health has taken a leadership role in working with other Inland Empire hospitals, health care organizations and physician groups to explore the development of a Clinically Integrated Network.
- This network will coordinate care between organizations and facilitate sharing of a patient’s clinical data, providing a more holistic view of a patient to each provider.
- We believe this network will make our community’s health care more accessible and affordable, a vital goal for us as the nation’s health care economy transitions to more value-based care models.
New Shared Services building — approved
- The 152,000 square foot structure will be located at 197 E. Caroline Street (corner of Club Center Drive and Caroline).
- About 650 employees will work there; departments include information services, information technology, risk management, environmental health and safety, and talent management services.
- Construction on the $41.1 million facility will begin before the end of the year, with completion in early 2018 and occupancy set for mid-2018.
One Loma Linda finance changes — reported
- Two financial calendars exist within the organizations that make up Loma Linda University Health — one operating on a calendar basis and one following a fiscal year timeframe. We are moving to a single fiscal year calendar and accounting system, with a target date of July 1, 2017, for full implementation.
- This move is the financial component of the One Loma Linda initiative, which began through actions by the Special Constituency Session of April 2015, creating Loma Linda University Health out of the LLUAHSC organization.
- Once it is implemented, Loma Linda University Health will be able to better report and manage its finances across the entire enterprise. The move will also result in some cost savings.
- Because of the intense need for financial details related to our recent bond financing, this transition was delayed until the bond issue was complete.