Chief of Staff Awards celebrate innovation and collaboration

At the Active Medical Staff Meeting on June 3, Chief of Staff Awards were presented to teams and individuals who have demonstrated innovative thinking, dedication to problem-solving, and a commitment to improving access to care at UC Davis Health.

Sarah Barnhard, M.D., chief of medical staff, presented the awards and opened the meeting by acknowledging the institution’s ongoing critical capacity issues while emphasizing that improving access remains a top strategic priority. She highlighted that while hundreds of efforts are underway across the organization, the awardees were selected for their novel and creative approaches to long-standing challenges, as well as their willingness to lead meaningful change.

The 2025 Chief of Staff Awards were presented to the following individuals and teams:

Eric Gross, M.D.
Director, Physician Advisor Program
In recognition of his leadership in expanding the Medical Officer of the Day program, mentoring new physician advisors, and supporting timely case review and transfer coordination. He worked with surgical scheduling, financial clearance, transitions of care/case management, and many others to establish the Inpatient to Outpatient program and expand the MOD scope in this program. It has streamlined surgical discharge planning, resulting in more than 2,100 bed days saved since November 2023.

Scott Fuller, M.D., and Gaurav Gulati, M.D.
The Medical Group’s Access Plus Clinic
In recognition of their work to champion the Access Plus Clinic, which addresses access challenges in high-demand service lines. The clinic has provided care to more than 5,200 patients to date – nearly 4,000 of them new – and enabled 118 weekend operating room days, all while improving physician fulfillment and patient satisfaction.

Catherine Chia, M.D.; Vanessa McElroy; and Jennifer Erickson
Hospital ACMO; Director of Care Transition; Director of PCS Patient Flow Management Center
In recognition of their development of the 10x10 Pathway, an initiative focused on identifying and preparing inpatients for discharge by 10 a.m. The new effort has already led to earlier discharge patterns and fewer emergency department boarders, while fostering cross-team collaboration and cultural change.

Daniel Colby, M.D.; Rupinder (Rupy) Sandhu; Eddie Eabisa; Tracy Abdalla; Holly Leshikar, M.D.; Aman Parikh, M.D.; Delane Mason; Vanessa McElroy; and Eric Gross, M.D.
Emergency Medicine, Emergency Services, Transitions of Care, Financial Clearance, Radiology, and more
In recognition of their collective leadership in launching the RAPID and SPEED programs, and for the essential contributions of the Physician Builder Program. These initiatives enable timely imaging and surgical procedures following ED discharge, reducing hospital stays and advancing a system-wide, team-based approach to improving access to care.

Additionally,vice chief Clara K. Paik, M.D., received a surprise recognition for her exemplary support and preparation as she steps into the role of acting interim chief of medical staff during Barnhard’s upcoming parental leave of absence.

Following the awards, Chancellor Gary May offered remarks reflecting on a time of leadership transition as we recruit the permanent CEO and Vice Chancellor positions. He expressed gratitude for the medical staff’s resilience and forward-thinking approach as the organization evolves to meet the needs of the future.