Tim Goldfarb is determined to follow the legacy left by the founder of The Foundation for Medical Excellence, John Ulwelling --as a place where physicians can talk about their challenges in a safe and non-threatening environment without fear that their conversations will be aired publicly.
“John never took sides; whatever was said in those meetings stayed there,” Goldfarb said. “He never was a rumormonger. It was always a safe zone. He established a brand, an image of the foundation as a place to talk about many subjects related to heathcare, and that’s exactly what I want to build on through our relationships with physicians in the region.”
Goldfarb took over as executive director in July after heading the Shands Health System in Gainesville, Florida, but has a passion for Portland, having been director of the University Hospital and healthcare systems at Oregon Health & Science University where he privatized the hospital.
“Laura and I love Portland and our friends here and never really left emotionally; that’s why we came back here,” he said.
A former hospital administrator, Goldfarb sees himself liberated from day-long meetings, and the competitive battlefield, tussling with health policy decisions that impacted healthcare policy decisions at all levels.
“As a hospital executive, I always remember that you’re only as good as your clinical team and when you see people in the halls it doesn’t matter whether they’re an employee or not because we’re bound at the hip – it’s a symbiotic relationship,” he said.
Now a new challenge awaits him – more serene at first – as a listening post, learning, for example, how physicians feel in their role as hospital employees – with more than 50 percent of Oregon physicians having joined the employment ranks. The coordinated care organizations that sprung to life in his absence intrigue him as well, and he intends to go around the state meeting learning first-hand about what’s going on behind the scenes. .
Much like his predecessor, Goldfarb believes doctors want to come together and solve common problems. He also wants to explore the issues facing physician practices both in the Portland metropolitan area and in rural communities and look at how the foundation can reach out to the non-physician community -- physician assistants, nurse practitioners, pharmacists and social workers in its educational programs – who are all part of the multi-disciplinary team.
In his new role, Goldfarb doesn’t see himself as an advocate for any particular issue. “Our job,” he said, is to assist the community in developing good health policy. And, we have a challenge to us, to make sure the programs we offer are responsive to contemporary challenges.”
The foundation may also expand its board, retooling its governance structure. Current members include Dr. William Johnson, president of MODA Health;, Robert Keating, a partner with Keating Jones Hughes, PC.; Dr. Chuck Kilo, chief medical officer at Oregon Health & Science University; Dr. Lewis Low, senior vice-president and chief medical officer at Legacy Health and Dr. Walter McDonald, former vie-president of American College of Physicians.
While at Shands, Goldfarb oversaw significant changes, including the opening of its cancer hospital, and brought the health system and the academic health center closer together, resulting in the hospital system changing its name to UF Health. Goldfarb, 65, last served as executive vice president for regional and government affairs.
He also serves on the executive board of the National Association of Public Hospitals, and is a former board member of the Trauma Center Association of America. Earlier, Goldfarb chaired the Council of Teaching Hospitals of the Association of American Medical Colleges and was board chair of the Oregon Association of Hospitals and Health Systems.
Diane can be reached at [email protected].
