Growing With the Community

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• Michelle Brubaker- [email protected]

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This story is from the 2025 issue of Discoveries, a UC San Diego Health Sciences magazine.

At a time of unprecedented demand for primary and specialty care, UC San Diego Health's commitment to serving the community with world-class care has never been stronger. We spoke with CEO Patty Maysent about her 10-year vision for combining academic medicine with accessible community health.

What are some key factors driving the need for growth and expansion for UC San Diego Health?

Population growth, changing health care needs, demand for destination medicine and service line closures at other hospitals make growth at UC San Diego Health imperative for the entire region.

The population of San Diego County has increased by nearly half a million people over the past 20 years. In the next eight years, the number of older adults (65+) living in the county will increase by 80%. A larger senior population that is living longer multiplies demand for more complex and acute care.

The COVID-19 pandemic interrupted or postponed preventive care. Lesser health concerns left untreated over time increase in complexity. Today, there are more seriously ill patients who need the capabilities inherent only in academic medicine. They need synergies that occur at the confluence of disease research, medical training and clinical trials.

This focus on advancing medicine for all has established several destination care programs - most notably in cancer, cardiovascular, neurosurgery and organ transplant. People from around the region and across the world seek our renowned experts to treat serious conditions such as acoustic neuroma, chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension and cancer, to name a few. As our reputation grows, so too does demand.

Community hospitals in and around our region have shuttered vital services such as labor and delivery and behavioral health. The community looks to UC San Diego Health to fill the gap. We provide care to underserved communities and those with inadequate health insurance to advance health equity and fulfill our responsibility as a public institution.

What has UC San Diego Health done recently to expand access to academic medicine in the community?

Our health system has grown 15% annually since 2017. Our clinically integrated network - a group of affiliated health care providers outside our faculty - has grown from 349 members in 2018 to 935 in 2024. More providers seeking affiliation has led to greater access to academic medicine.

We've opened 460,000 square feet of clinic space, including the Koman Outpatient Pavilion in La Jolla and new primary, specialty, urgent and express care clinics across San Diego, Imperial and Riverside counties.

In 2023, we acquired Alvarado Medical Center near Lake Murray, La Mesa and El Cajon. Now called East Campus Medical Center, our first acute care community hospital added 302 beds - including 30 behavioral health beds, 20 emergency department bays, eight operating rooms, three GI suites and two catheterization labs - to our health system.

When you look ahead to the next 10 years, what will UC San Diego Health's physical and service footprint look like?

We are upgrading and expanding our medical campuses in La Jolla and Hillcrest.

At Hillcrest, the first phase of our comprehensive redevelopment plan is nearly complete. Thanks to a generous gift from the McGrath Family Foundation, the McGrath Outpatient Pavilion is scheduled to open this summer, housing women's health services, outpatient surgery, advanced imaging and greatly expanded cancer care. Co-locating related multidisciplinary care with infusion, radiation oncology and clinical trials in conjunction with the most advanced radiation therapies such as brachytherapy and LINAC creates our first comprehensive cancer center outside of Moores Cancer Center in La Jolla. Those in south and central San Diego will find the care they need in a comfortable space closer to home.

We will soon break ground on a multiuse building, allowing us to relocate existing services and make space for a replacement Hillcrest hospital. This hospital will increase access to core and critical programs, including our Level 1 Trauma Center, Regional Burn Center and Comprehensive Stroke Center, while expanding destination medicine programs.

At La Jolla, plans are underway for a new outpatient pavilion and inpatient tower. These two projects will expand inpatient capacity and meet the growing demand for outpatient cancer care and other specialty procedures and services.

What role will AI play in expanding access to care at UC San Diego Health?

The Joan and Irwin Jacobs Center for Health Innovation, launched in 2021, is already using AI and predictive analytics to improve patient flow and care delivery. Our "Mission Control Center" uses realtime data to manage care resources efficiently. For example, knowing how many patients are being discharged at any given time allows us to admit new patients faster, improving patient flow and enabling us to serve more people. Our goal is to return patients to optimal health as safely and efficiently as possible so they can resume fulfilling lives.

What's the strategy to connect more patients to novel treatments offered at the region's only academic medical system?

Our strategy is to create as many community entry points as possible. In addition to new facilities, such as the 150,000-squarefoot Rancho Bernardo care hub opening in 2027, we are expanding our network of affiliated hospitals and providers throughout the region.

In Imperial Valley, UC San Diego Health stepped in to help stabilize El Centro Regional Medical Center after the COVID19 pandemic. We are now expanding our partnership to include Pioneers Memorial Hospital in Brawley and the Heffernan Healthcare District in Calexico. Managed by UC San Diego Health, this new unified Imperial Valley Healthcare District will provide comprehensive care close to home while offering direct access to our advanced care when needed.

What is your promise to our community about the future of UC San Diego Health?

UC San Diego Health is a vital public asset that serves the regional community. We are committed to improving health outcomes throughout our community, expanding care locations, enhancing patient safety and experience and advancing medicine. Our balanced growth strategy will improve access to world-class care for everyone who needs it.

CEO Patty Maysent is leading UC San Diego Health to top 10 national recognition through enhanced quality, safety and patient experience.