94-01-27 Major reorganization of the U.Va. Medical Center

RELEASE ON RECEIPT

                                              Contact: Tom Doran
     CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va., Jan. 27 -- A major reorganization of the
University of Virginia Medical Center was announced today by
Michael J. Halseth, executive director.
     The new structure reduces the number of divisions from seven
to three, with an increased emphasis on direct patient care.
     The change affects only the medical center, which includes all
patient-care components of the U.Va. Health Sciences Center
including University Hospital, the Hospital West complex, the Kluge
Children's Rehabilitation Center, services currently offered at
Blue Ridge Hospital and medical center administration.
     It does not include the School of Medicine, the School of
Nursing or the Claude Moore Health Sciences Library.
     Implementation on a division-by-division basis will begin
immediately. The new system is expected to be in place by July 1.
     "The focus of this entire effort is on the patients and their
families," said Halseth. "We want to remove as many internal
barriers as possible to provide the most patient-centered care we
can, as efficiently as we can. We think it will encourage more
teamwork and emphasize problem solving at the patient care level.
     "In doing so, work will be redesigned and some management
positions will be eliminated. When that occurs, those affected will
be informed immediately and treated consistent with our mission and
values. We expect that some will transfer to other positions as the
new structure redefines workloads."
     Among goals of the reorganization are better communications,
a less bureaucratic organization and a structure based more on
streamlining services and less on function.
     Medical center administration will be divided into three
areas: Patient Care Services, directed by Jean Sorrells-Jones,
formerly chief nursing officer; Administrative Services, directed
by Ron Bouchard, formerly director of administrative services; and
Financial and Systems Services, directed by Peter Munger, formerly
chief financial officer.
     Directors of those areas will report directly to Halseth, as
will Mary Bednar, associate executive director of the center; Dr.
Thomas Massaro, director for medical affairs; and Edward Smith,
associate director for external affairs.
     "The primary customers of Patient Care Services are patients
and their families," said Halseth. "Employees in this service area
include the nursing staff, therapists, dietitians, social workers,
clinical pharmacists and others.
     "Patient Care Services will be the focus of the organization
and the center of our activities as the provider of services to our
most important customer, the patient.
     "We have other customers as well, including referring
physicians, local business and industry, attending physicians,
insurers and each other."
     Ambulatory services are not included in the reorganization,
but will be addressed as part of the alignment of outpatient
operations within the entire health sciences center.
     "We understand that this will be a very basic organizational
realignment," said Halseth. "but we think it's one that complements
our mission and values and will help us to provide the very best
patient care in the most streamlined, cost-effective way possible."
                              # # #

Charlotte A. Buttner, Program Support Technician, Health Sciences Center
News Office, McKim Hall Room 3116, #429, Charlottesville, Va.  22908
804-924-5679, cab2j@virginia.edu


[Submitted by: unknown (cab2j@dmt03.mcc.virginia.edu)
               27 Jan 94 16:26:49 EST]