by Caleb Fort
Daily Lobo
Because of projected financial losses at the UNM Hospital, a position was created to make the hospital more profitable.
Dr. Paul Kirk started as the associate vice president of clinical integration on March 16, said Jennifer Riordan, spokeswoman at the Health Sciences Center.
"I thought it was a challenge I would enjoy," Kirk said.
The hospital is projecting a $1.5 million loss for this fiscal year.
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Kirk was a physician, faculty member, department chair and president of the physicians association at the Oregon Health Sciences Center.
Kirk said he has previous experience addressing the same challenge UNM Hospital is faced with.
It will be Kirk's job to guide the growth of the Health Sciences Center and help it become a profitable institution, according to the job description and the strategic plan for the hospital.
The Health Sciences Center faces financial challenges because of a few factors, including an increase in malpractice insurance costs. A wing under construction costs the hospital $233.8 million, and faculty and staff salaries cost the hospital $404 million.
The hospital will need "significant additional revenues" to pay those costs, according to the job description.
Sam Giammo, spokesman for the hospital, said those revenues will have to come mainly from patient care. He said the way to do this is to increase patient care and treat patients more efficiently.
In order to meet those monetary needs, the hospital's administrators drew up a strategic plan that will develop a stable financial environment, according to the job description.
The creation of Kirk's position was part of the strategic plan.
Kirk was hired under a professional services contract as a consultant, Riordan said.
He will be paid $8,000 a week for nine to 12 months for his services. At the end of 12 months, the need for his position will be evaluated, said Susan Carkeek, associate vice president of Human Resources.
He is in charge of organizing and overseeing the strategic plan and will report to Executive Vice President Dr. Philip Eaton in addition to making regular reports to UNM President Louis Caldera. Eaton will have the final say on the plan, according to the job description.
Eaton said he is confident Kirk will help the hospital.
"I was looking nationally for an individual that had the specific experience and talent that would be the most helpful at this time," Eaton said. "He has a great personality and is filled with enthusiasm, which is very helpful for this next step in changing."
Kirk received an invitation to work at UNM and said he decided to take the position because he was impressed with the people, the optimism and the pride they had in the institution.
Carkeek said the Health Sciences Center staff is happy with the decision to hire him.
"Dr. Kirk was highly regarded and recommended by the faculty and administrators within the Health Sciences Center," Carkeek said.
Kirk has spent most of his first four days on the job in personnel meetings, he said.
"I'm trying to meet as many people as possible," Kirk said. "It's one-on-one meetings that are really important to me at this stage."
The final decision to hire Kirk was made by Eaton and Caldera.
