UK president Eli Capilouto sent a campus-wide email on August 1 to inform the campus community of recent changes within UK HealthCare (UKHC).
According to the email, Capilouto asked Bob DiPaola and Eric Monday to assume the positions of co-executive vice president for health affairs on a permanent basis.
Capilouto said he is “gratified they have agreed to do so.”
Capilouto said in the email that UK’s faculty and staff aim to advance Kentucky in everything they do and that every decision made is to benefit the state.
Capilouto said there are several reasons why this change is what’s best for Kentucky.
DiPaola and Monday have been in co-acting roles since December where they have provided strong leadership, according to Capilouto.
“This decision reinforces our commitment to continuity of leadership,” Capilouto said in the email.
UK also has established an approach to facility planning. There is a focus on clinical areas as they aid in meeting UK’s mission as Kentucky’s center for advanced subspecialty care.
Capilouto added that the clinical areas are a “critical component.”
According to the email, DiPaola and Monday led a refresh of UKHC’s strategic plan with partners across the UKHC enterprise.
A bold vision for health care grounded within an academic health system has emerged from this plan, according to Capilouto.
UK is currently planning for $2.4 billion in new facilities, which will make the care only UK provides more readily available, according to the email.
Throughout the campus community, access to the primary care needs of Kentucky’s people and those who are medically underserved will be expanded.
“Bob and Eric, as leaders, represent the best opportunity to strengthen the continued alignment of our health, research, education and service missions – all in service to our goal of advancing the state,” Capilouto said.
The search process was led by Dr. Seth Himelhoch and Nancy Cox. Himelhoch is a professor and chair in the department of psychiatry in the College of Medicine. Cox is the vice president for land-grant engagement and dean of the Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment.
Capilouto said the national search process reinforced the ideology that “the best thing for UK HealthCare and our university were the two people already in the job.”
According to Capilouto, he has received positive feedback from clinical chairs, senior healthcare leadership and others about the prospect of keeping DiPaola and Monday in a co-leadership role, permanently.
In taking on these new positions, DiPaola will be consulting with faculty leaders, as permitted by governing regulations. He will build an administrative organization within the provost’s office to support his continued leadership at UK HealthCare.
Similar to DiPaola, Monday will be designing a plan including what steps to take to ensure efficiency as well as effectiveness in future operations.
While UK is constantly advancing, Capilouto said more is expected of the UK campus community.
“More will be required from us, if we are to realize a vision of Kentucky that is healthier, wealthier and wiser,” Capilouto said.
Capilouto called on all members of the UK community to strive for an even further advanced Kentucky.
“Thank you for all you do to help us realize our purpose every day,” Capilouto said, closing the email.
