UCLA Health Listening Exercise

Attendees at the chancellor’s Listening Exercise with UCLA Health on May 16, 2025 expressed hopes and aspirations for the future of UCLA’s medical enterprise.

One speaker highlighted the university’s strengths in research, mentioning UCLA Research Park, the California Institute for Immunology and Immunotherapy (CIII), and the university’s quantum physics initiative. A speaker emphasized the value of implementing AI into training and research. Another speaker praised the health system’s commitment to mental health care.

The discussions highlighted the importance of inclusive excellence at both UCLA Health and the broader university, underscoring a commitment to fostering a welcoming and equitable environment. Another speaker raised the challenge of aligning the goals of UCLA Health with those of the university, seeking advice on how to better support the health system’s endeavors.

Themes

• World-class Care: A speaker emphasized the importance of delivering world-class care that improves health and alleviates suffering, while achieving patient satisfaction at a high level.  
• UCLA Health’s Role in the Community: Discussions highlighted the importance of UCLA Health’s role in serving the community: delivering leading-edge patient care, training future health care professionals, conducting cutting-edge scientific research, and engaging with the Los Angeles community. The importance – and the lack – of access to mental health care were also emphasized, along with how UCLA Health plans to support those city-wide needs. 
• UCLA’s Health Mission and Vision: A speaker expressed support for the chancellor’s vision for UCLA Health and asked about ways to support a clearly ambitious and aspirational strategy.  
• Investment in Mental Health Care: UCLA Health’s commitment to expanding mental health services was praised. It was noted that UCLA Health is making a significant $600 million investment in new mental health facilities, addressing a need in the community. There were concerns about how to make the new hospital financially sustainable in the long run, and a speaker recommended creating a long-term, viable business model to operate this space. 
• Local Community Support: A speaker asked about how the chancellor planned to address health care disparities unique to Los Angeles, as well as the opportunities for UCLA Health in the near and long term. The importance of engaging with the community was emphasized, with speakers discussing how to better understand the needs of the people that UCLA Health serves. There was a strong emphasis on inclusive excellence and the need to reach underserved populations. 
• Community Partnerships and Sports Teams: A speaker noted that UCLA Health doctors and staff were continuously being selected as team doctors by Los Angeles-based major sports teams. It was noted that these are important relationships, as UCLA Health partners with the foundations of these sports teams, receiving further financial support that allows UCLA Health to invest in and serve underserved areas.   
• Innovation and Research: A speaker noted that UCLA Health places a strong emphasis on its commitment to innovation and research, particularly in areas such as artificial intelligence (AI) and immunology.
• Cross-Campus Collaboration: One speaker emphasized the need for more collaboration between UCLA Health and the broader university community.
• Inclusive Excellence: There was a strong commitment to creating an inclusive and equitable environment at UCLA Health and throughout the university.
• AI and Technology: The potential of AI and other technologies to transform health care was discussed, with a focus on the need for powerful computing resources.
• Climate and Sustainability: One speaker emphasized that the university has a significant commitment to achieving climate neutrality and increasing substantial efforts in sustainability. It was also noted that UCLA Health is viewed as a top national performer in sustainability efforts.
• Alignment with University Goals: Discussion focused on ways to align the goals of UCLA Health with those of the broader university.
• Federal Funding: Employees and researchers were concerned about anticipated federal cuts that could impact education, UCLA Health clinical structures, and NIH-funded research. 
• Balancing the Budget: Enhancing performance and efficiency was a focus of discussion, with additional focus on budget reductions and operational efficiencies.