New Leadership

UC Davis Health leader promotes teams, embraces health care’s future

A bit more than a year ago, David Lubarsky took over as chief executive officer of UC Davis Health  and vice chancellor for Human Health Sciences. The new energy and innovation he generates can be felt throughout the health system and the greater Sacramento region.

Among the changes so far are new ways UC Davis Health engages the community around health and well-being, re-energized leadership in caring for Medi-Cal patients and people with few resources, as well as partnerships with Sacramento County and other health systems to improve care throughout our region. In addition, Lubarsky leads the way in adopting technology to make care for patients more available and more accessible.

“We’re moving on the road toward health care’s future,” Lubarsky says. “Our accomplishments, so far, are signposts on that road. We still have more to do as we adapt to the evolution of technology and health care while continuing to look after our patients every way possible.”

A major priority for Lubarsky, who is a professor of medicine, business and nursing, is to continue developing a nation-leading model for education that emphasizes team care, interprofessional partnerships and integrating advanced-practice providers. He said the simultaneous appointments of Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing Dean Stephen Cavanagh and UC Davis School of Medicine Dean Allison Brashear opens the door for the two to work as equals on these goals.

“Team care is our future,” he says. “Our deans lead new models for coordinated care and for teaching our future providers. With technology, future health care will be always on and inside out, and we’ll work more to keep people healthy so they need less acute care. That will only happen with all providers working together and practicing at the top of their training.

“Our goal as we change,” Lubarsky explains, “is to change nothing in our focus. Everything we do is about providing world-class care to our patients and everyone who needs us, now and always.”