Catalina Island Health Rebrand FAQ

CI Health is so much more than just a medical center or hospital. It’s a pillar in the community, providing so much more than hospital care and checkups. With our recent affiliation with UCI Health, “Health” is a term that encompasses everything from acute care to good fitness and preventative care. We feel the name “Catalina Island Health” better represents our broader mission.

Yes. Catalina Island Health will continue to accept the same insurance as we did before the name change.

No. In fact, you will have access to more specialized care and physicians than ever before.

The affiliation with UCI Health creates more opportunities for patients and their families to have greater access to high quality, affordable care, closer to home. As one of Southern California’s largest acute-care hospitals, UCI Health is able to extend more of its award-winning services to strategic partners like Catalina Island Health. The result is execution of a shared vision of providing high quality, value-based care for patients and communities.

The healthcare industry is undergoing major and transformative changes which are driven by many factors: healthcare reform, the increasing presence of government payers like Medicare and Medicaid that do not cover the full cost of care, an aging population, a move from a “fee-for-service” model to one based on patient health outcomes, and additional regulatory and market-based uncertainty. Organizations that have an eye toward the future will be proactive in adapting to the new landscape. In order to be successful, it is critical to increase scale, scope and geographic reach while maintaining a strong local and community focus.

Unlike a merger, in an affiliation, no assets are exchanged. The hospitals, staff, and physicians are not combined. Medical staff at the hospitals remain separate because the credentialing of each organization must remain distinct. Credentialing of medical staff is performed by each hospital’s respective Boards. Resources may be shared, but the hospitals continue to operate as their own entities for a seamless patient experience.

In this affiliation:

• The assets and liabilities of each hospital are separate, but services are coordinated.
• The hospitals retain their names and unique local brand identities. The two organizations will work together to develop branding to signify the affiliation.
• CI Health remains a separate, 501(c)3, non-profit hospital.
• Each hospital maintains its own separate, locally focused Board of Directors.

There are no foreseeable changes to staffing levels. The goal of CI Health is to increase access to services for our community while preparing for changes in healthcare such as healthcare reform and other marketplace pressures. There will be many opportunities where an affiliation will achieve cost effectiveness through a variety of methods, such as bulk purchasing and consolidation of vendors, to realize greater economies of scale.

This affiliation is about preserving and enhancing our patients' experience. Any changes are designed to be gradual and positive, providing streamlined processes that improves the Catalina healthcare experience — as well as increased local access to an array of expert services.

There is no intention to consolidate any existing clinical services, but rather, to increase access to a greater number of services provided. The healthcare landscape will continue to evolve and one of the goals of the affiliation is to strengthen our ability to provide high quality care without residents having to travel.

A major goal of the affiliation is to expand access to primary and specialty services. CI Health and UCI Health will continue to identify and create programs to improve access across the entire spectrum of care, from primary care to highly specialized services like cardiology, vascular and laboratory services, and to effectively improve the health of our community.

CI Health’s Board of Directors remain active and engaged. Decisions still originate at the local level where there is direct experience and interaction with patients and the local community.

No. This affiliation does not have an impact on either hospital’s eligibility to be federally designated as a Critical Access Hospital.

No. The Avalon Medical Development Corporation continues to own and operate Catalina Island Health.

One of the biggest priorities in discussing this affiliate partnership for CI Health is its workforce and culture. Without stellar employees, the hospital is simply a building. CI Health will always be committed to its employees.