Citizen Staff Writer
HEIDI ROWLEY
hrowley@tucsoncitizen.com
University Physicians Healthcare has dropped the interim from interim CEO Larry Aldrich’s title.
Aldrich, a former CEO of Tucson Newspapers Inc., has been acting CEO since June, after Norm Botsford resigned.
Aldrich said UPH is still looking for someone to oversee UPH Hospital at Kino Campus, which is being run by an interim CEO as well, Peter Bryan.
“Over the course of this year, we will work on finding a permanent CEO for the hospital,” Aldrich said Monday.
As the physician-practice group for doctors at University Medical Center and UPH Hospital, UPH also provides physician faculty to the University of Arizona.
Legislative budget cuts to the university could affect hiring and recruiting, although Aldrich said physicians with UPH have some advantage over those working in a private practice.
He said faculty can bring in money through teaching, seeing patients and research.
“If you are a full-time clinician, you have one revenue stream,” Aldrich said.
While there has been some confusion and controversy in recent years between the heads of each organization, Aldrich said he believes that is about to change.
“We can work together to help support the growth of the academic medical center,” he said.
Aldrich expressed confidence in the ability of newly hired William Crist, UA’s vice president for health affairs, to bring the department heads together.