At UCR Health, we are committed to ensuring that every patient—regardless of disability—can access healthcare services safely, respectfully, and without discrimination. Our Disability Rights for Patients Policy reflects federal laws such as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, and Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act. These laws require that we make reasonable changes to our processes and provide the tools needed to support patients with disabilities so they can receive care with the same ease and dignity as any other patient.

The policy explains what reasonable accommodations and auxiliary aids and services look like in practice. These may include interpreters, assistive listening devices, large-print materials, Braille, screen-reader technology, accessible clinic equipment, or other tools that help patients communicate and participate fully in their healthcare. Staff should never assume what a patient needs; instead, they should ask the patient or their representative what accommodation would best support them and document those needs in the medical record.

Every team member plays a role in ensuring that our patients have equal access to care. This includes maintaining accessible facilities, allowing service animals, using visual aids, and identifying disability-related needs during new patient visits and reassessments. When unsure about whether a requested accommodation is feasible or might pose a safety risk, staff should consult with clinic leadership or Compliance. If a specific request cannot be met, this must be communicated to the patient and documented.

Finally, the policy stresses accountability and reporting. Concerns about non-compliance should be reported to the UCR Health 1557 Coordinator or through the anonymous reporting portal. By understanding and following this policy, we strengthen our commitment to delivering equitable, patient-centered care for everyone who walks through our doors.

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California Senate Bill-81 was recently signed into law by Governor Newsom. This new law aims to safeguard patient privacy by restricting immigration enforcement activities in California health care facilities. Under this bill, a patient’s immigration status and place of birth are now protected health information under California’s medical privacy law (CMIA). Additionally, health care providers in California may not share information with immigration authorities without a valid warrant or court order. In response to this new law, UCR Health has designated the front office counter areas and back areas of clinics (behind the badge access doors in the waiting room) as nonpublic areas. Immigration officials may not have access to these areas without a valid warrant or court order. The UCR Office of Campus Counsel must review and verify the validity of any warrant or court order that is produced, prior to access being granted. More education on these policy updates will be made available in the coming months. If you have questions, please reach out to Compliance.

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Consent for Reproductive Health-Related Services: In California, a minor of any age may consent for any reproductive health services. This includes consenting to receiving contraceptives, abortion, prenatal care, and treatment for STI’s. Minors age 12 and above may also consent to care that is rendered due to a sexual assault.

Consent for Outpatient Mental Health Services: With respect to mental health services, a minor age 12 and above may consent to outpatient mental health if deemed by their provider to be mature enough. Minors may not independently consent to receiving psychotropic drugs, convulsive treatment, or psychosurgery.

There are several other situations where minors may consent for their own care, such as:

Self-Sufficient Minors: Self-sufficient minors may consent for their own medical treatment in California, though they must be at least 15 years old and be living apart from their patents/ legal guardians/ and must be managing their own affairs.

Emancipated Minors: This includes minors who are legally emancipated by court order, minors who on active military duty with the U.S. armed forces, and minors who have been married.

The post California’s Special Rules for Minors and Consent for Treatment appeared first on UCR Health.

The University’s rules surrounding academic appointments are contained in the Academic Personnel Manual. These rules include those involving appointment and promotion, recruitment, salary administration, and benefits.

APM Section 671 addresses the rules relating to Conflicts of Commitment for those faculty members participating in the UCR School of Medicine’s Health Sciences Compensation Plan. The policy sets limitations on the time that faculty may spend performing outside professional activities (21-days per year, including weekends) and sets an earnings threshold for outside professional income. According to the annual earnings threshold, faculty may keep all outside income up to $40,000. or 40% of their fiscal year base salary scale, whichever is greater. All amounts above that must be turned into the University and will be subject to an overhead assessment.

APM 671 also sets approval and reporting requirements for outside professional activities, which are broken into 3 categories, as follows:

Category I Activities

These are activities that are the most likely to cause a conflict with a faculty member’s commitment to the University. These activities require advanced approval from the Chancellor. Some examples include:

• Teaching or performing research outside of the University (such at another institution)
• Founding or co-founding a company
• Employment in one’s field outside of the University
• Assuming and executive or managerial position outside of the University.

Category I activities need to be reported in OATS.

Category II Activities

Category II activities present a lower risk for conflict. They do not require advanced approval but must be reported in OATS. Examples include:

• Consulting
• Presenting a workshop for industry
• Testifying as an expert witness
• Serving on a board of directors

Category III Activities

Category III activities present the least potential for conflict. For this reason, they do not require approval and are not required to be reported. Examples include:

• Serving on a government panel
• Developing scholarly or creative works
• Reviewing manuscripts or serving in an editorial capacity

When in doubt of what category a proposed outside professional opportunity falls within, please reach out to the Academic Affairs Department or to Compliance Advisory Services.

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A supervising faculty physician or a resident must be physically present at all times, when a medical student performs any portion of a patient examination. All billable services must be performed by the attending physician or properly supervised resident physician. This means that the physician or resident must re-perform any portion of the exam that was done by a medical student. The physician/resident is also responsible to perform the medical decision-making component of the exam. Medical students may document the encounter note, though the supervising physician must review and edit as appropriate and must verify that note by attesting to having done this.

If you have questions about this or any other documentation/ coding issues, please feel free to contact the Compliance Advisory Services department at 951-827-4672.

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1. Suspicious injuries (including any injury caused by a firearm or assaultive conduct)
2. Sexual assault/rape
3. Child abuse and/or neglect
4. Abuse or neglect of elders/dependent adults
5. An injury or condition resulting from the abuse or neglect of an individual transferred from another health care facility

A few key points about the mandatory reporting obligation:

• The report is triggered when there is an objectively reasonable suspicion of abuse or neglect.
• Mandated reporters should not attempt to conduct their own fact findings.
• Fact finding will be performed by the authority receiving the report.
• Failure to report is punishable under state law.

School of Medicine Policy #950-12-019 (Mandated Reporting) explains the required timeframes for and methods of reporting each of these categories.  Please reach out to the Compliance Advisory Services department if you have questions or would like more information.

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It is easy to encrypt an outgoing email message, and there are two equally effective ways that you can do this. 

• First option:  Simply hit the “Send Securely” button on the upper left side of the Outlook mailbox when you are ready to send your outgoing message. 

• Second option:  Simply type the word “secure” anywhere on the subject line of your outgoing message and it will automatically encrypt when sent.  Recipients of secure emails will need to enter a password and validation code in order to open and read the message. This is a simple process that takes only a minute.

Thank you for doing your part to protect information about the individuals that we serve!

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• What is the update? The DUO app is decommissioning SMS, phone call, and downloadable MyAccount Passcode verification, requiring users to verify via Duo Mobile Push.
• Why does it matter? Failure to utilize DUO mobile Push for Multi-Factor Authentication may result unable to log into UCR / UCR SOM account
• Who should you contact for questions? Engage SOM IT Client Services: (951) 827-7676 or SNOW Incident Ticket

Phishing Awareness

• What is it? Phishing is an attack where individuals trick users into revealing sensitive information such as passwords, personal data, or information that may grant attackers access to your account. Attacks are very common via email, text messages and phone call. The attacker may impersonate another user, supervisor, or IT support to get sensitive information from you. Users are highly recommended to read emails and text messages carefully, verifying the email or sender is legitimate. If a URL link is provided, hover over URL links and verify the request is legitimate. Users are advised to report phishing emails to the SOM IT security team for investigation, via the Phishing Alarm.
• Why does it matter? Lack of awareness or reporting phishing emails can lead to credential comprises, or institutional harm. Users can be the number one defense against phishing email is delivered.
• Who should you contact for questions? To report suspicious emails, utilize the Phishing Alarm which sends suspicious emails to the security team. Additionally, submit a ticket for a SNOW security-incident ticket. The SOM IT Security team may be reached at: Info-Security@medsch.ucr.edu

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UCR Colleagues and Friends,

It is with much gratitude for this amazing community that I celebrate 100 days at UCR Health! The past 3 or so months have been filled with excitement, anticipation and the pure joy of working with talented, committed, driven individuals, i.e. all of you, who together hold the vision for UCR Health and all it can bring to the Inland Empire.

I join you here three decades into a career that spans work at UCSF School of Medicine, UCSF Health, Stanford Healthcare, and Kaiser Permanente. Most recently, I was the Chief Operating Officer at Woodland Hills Medical Center at Kaiser Permanente, having taken the role at the height of the pandemic. What I know with certainty is that, in healthcare, we are capable of the extraordinary when our mission is clear, and our commitment is strong. And, what’s more, we are a like-minded group, recognizing that everything we do in our work touches people in their most vulnerable times, a responsibility we hold in our hearts and carry out with our hands.

I hope to get to know each of you and what drives you to deliver excellence for our patients. At my core, I have driven by three key life experiences. First, I come from a part of the world where education is a privilege not always afforded to girls. Knowing this, I am compelled to use the tremendous opportunities I’ve been given to pay this forward. Second, I am wired at my core to build teams, systems and processes that deliver results. So many times in my life, my career could have gone in a different direction, by ultimately, my passion is in healthcare. And finally, I am blessed with a family that is equally committed to a life of service. My husband and three children each have a life path that is walking in the path of service to the community, at home and around the world.

Thank you for the privilege of being a part of your team. I look forward to all the ways in which together we will serve the Inland Empire.

Herodia Allen, MBA, MPH
Chief Operating Officer

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