A Year of Progress, Partnership, and Patient-Centered Innovation

As we close out the year, I want to reflect on the tremendous progress our teams have made across the UCR Health community. This has been a year defined by growth, connection, and a renewed commitment to ensuring that patients across the Inland Empire can access the care they need—when they need it.

One of the year’s most exciting accomplishments has been the remarkable success of our online scheduling platform. More patients than ever before are now booking their appointments online, giving them the flexibility to schedule care at a time that works best for them without needing to call during business hours. This shift has strengthened our connection with the communities we serve and reflects the dedication of our operational, clinical, and IT teams to improving the patient experience. It also underscores the trust patients place in UCR Health as their partner in managing their health.

Our expanded online scheduling capabilities are complemented by the growing adoption of the Epic MyChart patient portal, where more patients are reading visit notes, reviewing test results, requesting medication refills, and communicating directly with their care teams. This engagement is transforming how we deliver care—empowering patients to take an active role in their health and fostering deeper continuity across visits.

We are also proud to share that our ongoing operational improvements and redesigned appointment workflows have led to a meaningful reduction in “no-show” appointments. This improvement benefits both patients and providers—ensuring that appointment slots remain available for those who need care most, improving access across our clinics, and creating more efficient and predictable days for our clinicians and staff. It is a testament to the thoughtful redesign work happening behind the scenes and to our teams’ commitment to delivering a more dependable and responsive experience.

Looking ahead, January marks an important milestone for UCR Health as we go live with the Blue and Gold HMO network. This expansion significantly increases access for UC employees across the region and reflects our continued growth as a trusted clinical partner within the UC ecosystem. It also positions UCR Health to care for more families, faculty, staff, and students seeking high-quality, local care in the Inland Empire. We have established a separate portal for our UC family to schedule appointments and follow up on issues, and our commitment is to get back to you within one business day.

These first days of December have reminded me how strong our community is. Thank you to everyone who joined our site holiday celebrations—from the Patient Access Center gatherings at Path on December 1 and 2 to the Riverside Downtown event on December 9. It has been energizing to see teams connect as members of the C-Team rounded to recognize the operational and administrative wins you made possible this year. The celebrations continue:

• Riverside South (Dec. 11) | 12:30–1:30 PM
• UCR Health Administration (Dec. 16) | 2–3:30 PM
• La Quinta (Dec. 18) | 12–1 PM

UCR Health has also been very active in the community. We kicked off the holiday season as a Presenting Partner for the Metrolink Holiday Express Train in San Bernardino. Our team hosted the Teddy Bear Clinic alongside Dr. Roopa Viraraghavan and a fantastic group of UCR School of Medicine medical students, plus a visit from Scotty, the UCR mascot. Earlier this month, Dr. Ramy Sadek shared timely insights during a Heart Health lecture at the Janet Goeske Foundation & Senior Center. As we move through a busy holiday season—full calendars, travel, and celebrations—his guidance was a thoughtful reminder to make heart-smart choices, manage stress, and take time for movement and rest.

All of this work is because of the gift of your time and your commitment to our community. We continue to address health equity, care continuum and coordination gaps, as well as community health and quality issues in the Inland Empire. I want to express my gratitude to every member of our UCR Health team for your work, which is making a real impact in the lives of our patients.

We enter the new year with tremendous momentum—and an even stronger foundation on which to build.

Wishing you and your families a joyful holiday season and a bright year ahead.