Strong named chief financial officer of UMHHC

On the same day the U-M Hospitals and Health Centers (UMHHC) reported a positive end to its 2004 fiscal year and aggressive financial goals for FY2005, the man who has helped shape the success was named UMHHC's chief financial officer.

(Photo by UMHS Public Relations)

Doug Strong has been in that role on an interim basis for more than two years, while also serving as associate vice president for health system finance and strategy of the U-M Health System (UMHS) for the past six years. He will retain his UMHS role while also assuming the full UMHHC title.

Strong has helped lead efforts to contain costs and innovate new business processes, as a foundation for the delivery of high-quality medical care at all of the University's three hospitals and numerous outpatient clinics.

In his UMHS capacity, he also has steered the integration of hospital and health center business processes and cultures with those of the Medical School and the M-CARE managed care organization, the other two components of UMHS.

"Doug has done an excellent job in developing a 10-year strategic financial plan that plots a course for the funding of major construction projects and clinical expansion, information technology advances, and recruitment and retention of physicians, scientists and staff," says Larry Warren, director and chief executive officer of UMMHC.

Strong says the efforts that have brought UMHHC and UMHS to this point must continue if the institution is to weather the current difficult health care climate and continue to serve the public interest through medical care, research and education.

"There is strong interest nationwide in moderating the rate of increase in health care costs, and we're responding by working to deliver quality, maximize productivity and do better with less," he says. "We have a strong, experienced and creative finance team here, and our goal is to be the best in the business, working closely with payers and government."

As part of his transition to full CFO, Strong will consolidate administrative functions related to the UMHHC revenue cycle to report to him, from admissions and outpatient registration through billing, accounting, rate-setting and utilization review. He also oversees a financial decision support group and a financial training, education and communication group.

He looks forward to a continued strong connection with the operations side of UMHHC administration, led by chief operating officer and senior associate hospital director Tony Denton.

Strong was hired in 1998, soon after the creation of UMHS from the University of Chicago. There, he served as chief financial officer and associate dean of the Pritzker School of Medicine and the Biological Sciences Division.