April is National Stress Awareness Month, an opportunity to recognize the very real ways stress affects the health, the work, and daily lives of not just those in the health care field, but also the patients and communities you serve.
For all the recent discussion about the pending financial implications of last year’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act, the consequences are becoming very real as changes to CalFresh eligibility take effect, placing basic nutrition and health at risk for thousands in San Diego and Imperial counties.
Recently, I had the opportunity to attend the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE) Annual Congress in Houston.
As we look ahead to the potential implications of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1), it is essential that we begin preparing now. Funding cuts, combined with work requirements for non-disabled Medicaid enrollees, an increase in the frequency of eligibility redeterminations, restricted eligibility for some immigrant groups, and tightened rules around provider taxes and state-directed payments, will require us to re-engage familiar strategies, adopt new ones, and strengthen our efforts to safeguard coverage for the most vulnerable residents of San Diego and Imperial counties.
While it’s been hard to miss all the headlines about Balboa Park’s new parking fees — fewer restaurant patrons, declining museum visitors, and frustrated business owners — you’ve probably heard a lot less about how this change is affecting Naval Medical Center San Diego, also known as Balboa Medical Center.
Last week, the HASD&IC Board of Directors held its first meeting of the year. As with each new year, we welcomed new board members, who are helping us navigate the challenges and priorities facing hospitals in San Diego and Imperial counties.
Last week, I joined a panel of leaders at the San Diego Business Journal’s Economic Trends 2026 event to discuss the forces shaping our local economy in the year ahead.
2026 is here, bringing with it a new set of opportunities. In baseball terms, we’re in the first inning — just a few pitches in, but with a host of heavy hitters coming to the plate.
As 2025 draws to a close, many of us are ready to turn the page — and understandably so, given the challenges this year has brought for patients and the hospitals that care for them.
Two weeks ago, we came together with colleagues, policymakers, and community partners for the 2025 HASD&IC Annual Meeting. It was an honor to welcome more than 200 attendees and create a space to connect, reflect, and look ahead at the challenges and opportunities facing our hospitals and health systems.