The University's administration will be a little larger because of a vote by the Board of Regents last Friday.
The regents unanimously approved the formation of a position to centralize oversight of the University Medical Center. With the title "executive vice president for medical affairs," the new officer will oversee both academic and financial aspects of the Medical Center.
"This is a position to which all of the regents have given a great deal of consideration and study," said Regent Shirley McFee (R-Battle Creek). "I now personally, at least, look forward to moving ahead expeditiously to get this show on the road."
Regent Philip Power (D-Ann Arbor) said the formation of the position has been discussed since before he first sat on the board.
"We've been talking about this for 25 years, so I'm delighted that we have the opportunity now," Power said. "We need to fill this position, and we need to fill it right away."
The search to fill the position is expected to begin within a few weeks, with estimates that an individual will be hired in six to 18 months, said Vice President for University Relations Walter Harrison.
The difficulty of finding a qualified person could be a hurdle.
"It's a judgment call. There are very few medical centers that are this big and this complex," Harrison said. "There's a small universe of people who can fill such a difficult and demanding job."
Larry Warren, interim executive director of University Hospitals, said he expects no major restructuring in the hospitals to occur until the new executive vice president takes office.
Warren said the formation of the new executive officer post "alone does not represent significant restructuring."
The University Medical Center brings in a little less than 50 percent of the University's overall revenue. Last April, University officials announced the elimination of about 1,000 hospital positions as part of a three-year, $200 million financial overhaul.
McFee
