Regents hear wide-ranging review of UC student health services and options to sustain care

University of California leaders, campus vice chancellors and student health directors told the Board of Regents’ Health Services Committee that student health services are at a “crossroads” and urged coordinated action on billing, electronic records, staffing and sustainable funding.

Dr. David Rubin, Executive Vice President of Health for the University of California, said student health programs vary widely across campuses and face converging pressures: declining student fee support, recruitment and retention difficulties, rising supply and pharmacy costs, and the need to modernize IT systems. “We’re at a crossroads that's being driven by significant challenges now with student health, budgeting, and the ability to attract and retain staff, modernize IT infrastructure,” he said.

Panel and examples

Campus leaders and student health directors from multiple campuses described local arrangements and the tradeoffs each campus faces. Lisa Woods, vice chancellor of health, well‑being and safety at UC Riverside, described a consolidated “umbrella” model on her campus that integrates nine departments (student health, counseling and psychological services, basic needs, disability services, crisis response, health education and others) to provide coordinated care and…