The Doctor Weighs In

PATRICIA R. SALBER, MD, MBA

Phone: (415) 927-4525   Mobile : (415) 599-6311

Email: psalber@comcast.net

 

EDUCATION

San Jose State University San Jose, California; Biology
BA, University of California Berkeley, California; Zoology
MA, University of California Berkeley, California; Endocrinology
MD, University of California San Francisco, California;
MBA, University of California Irvine, California

RESIDENCY

University of California San Francisco, Calif. Internal Medicine

FELLOWSHIPS

University of California San Francisco, Calif. Clinical Endocrinology
Institute for Health Policy Studies, UCSF, Pew Fellowship (part time)

EXPERIENCE

PRS STRATEGIC HEALTHCARE CONSULTING, INC.  (1/06 to present) ,Larkspur, California
As President and CEO of PRS Strategic Healthcare Consulting, Dr. Salber provides employers and health plans with strategic advice related to the management of chronic illness. In that capacity, she has helped to develop a chronic illness SNP for a Medicare Advantage health plan and has provided oversight to a quality improvement project in the mid-west funded by a large health care foundation. She is a frequent presenter at disease management and other industry conferences. In addition, she hosts a popular healthcare blog called “The Doctor Weighs In,” www.thedoctorweighsin.com

ACELACARE, INC.  (11/04-1/06) , Larkspur, California
Founder and CEO of Acelacare, Inc., a start-up health services company with the mission of providing diagnostic testing and support services to individuals with chronic illness. Responsible for all aspects of development of the company including setting up the legal infrastructure, raising funds, designing the equity approach, and recruitment of a prestigious group of Scientific and Business Advisors. Grew the company to 11 employees and $1.2 million in cash. After reaching a critical inflection point that required a large investment of cash, led the organization through a careful evaluation, using a sophisticated proprietary financial model, to determine the chances of future success of the endeavor. Determined the regulatory climate and reimbursement restrictions made it unlikely the company could attain its revenue and profit goals. Led the team through an orderly dissolution of the company, including repayment of outside investors and support for employees as they sought new employment.

BLUE SHIELD OF CALIFORNIA (1/03-1/04) , San Francisco, California
Dr. Salber served as Sr. Medical Director of the Center for Health Improvement & CalPERS .As Director of CHI, responsible for developing, implementing, and managing all disease management and prevention programs for the company. Managed 18 member department that included Senior Managers, MPH/PhD level program managers and support staff. Successfully completed a reorganization that resulted in correcting a $1.2 million budget shortfall, right-sizing of the department and establishing Program Manager accountability for all aspects of their programs. Revised all internal disease management programs from opt-in to opt-out programs. Developed, implemented, and tracked process and outcome metrics as well as program financial performance for all CHI programs. Worked with CalPERS to develop Performance Guarantees for disease management deliverables. Developed an innovative “Disease Management Vision” for CalPERS for 1/1/2005 implementation that led to outsourcing nurse coaching functions to a national DM vendor. Responsible for understanding drivers of health care costs and designing interventions to address them for the ~450,000 Blue Shield CalPERS members. Played key role in BSC signing a 3-year contract renewal for CalPERS business. Health Care Services liaison to Commercial Business Unit. Identified as a Critical Function Position.

THE PERMANENTE COMPANY, LLC  in conjunction with GENERAL MOTORS CORPORATION  (8/97-1/03), Oakland , California
Dr. Salber served as Medical Director, Managed Care, Health Care Initiatives, General Motors Corporation.  In that capacity, she was the leader of a team of managed care experts from Kaiser Permanente that implemented General Motors Corporation’s value purchasing and managed care strategy. Administrative lead, responsible for day-to-day management of the team. Developed a detailed (favorable) analysis of the return on investment GM realized from team since its inception. Developed and negotiated the $4 million, three year contract renewal for the team. Responsible for evaluating the quality and cost of care provided by GM’s network of ~100 HMOs across the country. Developed GM’s 2000-2002 HMO Performance Expectations and Requests for Information. Collaborated with Greater Detroit Area Health Council to develop a common RFI/HMO evaluation process, based on GM’s process, for 2000 HMO selections. Collaborated with the National Business Coalition on Health and its “V8” purchasing coalitions (e.g., PBGH, BHCAG, Gateway Purchasers, the Central Florida coalition and others) to develop a common RFI/HMO evaluation process, based on GM’s process, for 2001 and 2002 HMO selections. Designed the HMO feedback strategy that included written as well as onsite feedback about performance on the RFI as well as suggestions on how to improve performance. Developed the “Top 11” supplier development strategy to drive rapid quality improvement in the 11 HMOs that provide care to 75% of GM’s HMO enrollees. Developed innovative approach to the valuation of diabetes disease management programs. Led the Dayton Integrated Delivery System project sponsored by the Dayton employer coalition that included GM. Analyzed the community’s health care structure and needs and then developed a new model of care, based on a collaboration between purchasers, a health plan, and accountable medical groups.

KAISER PERMANENTE (2/95-2/97), Oakland , California
As Physician Director of National Accounts, Dr. Salber represented the twelve Permanente Medical Groups to major national accounts. Responsible for telling the Kaiser Permanente quality story. Facilitated relationships between regional health plans and national customers. Primary physician contact for the National HMO purchasing coalition. Served on the Board of Directors of National Accounts and the Health Plan Institute. Also served on the Editorial Board, Market Pulse (newsletter for KP employees focused on marketplace issues) and the editorial Board, “Partners in Health” (national patient education magazine).

THE PERMANENTE MEDICAL GROUP (3/80-2/95), San Francisco and South San Francisco, California
Full time practice of emergency medicine

SELECTED CURRENT & PAST BOARD/COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIPS

For-profit Companies
CalTag, Inc.

Professional
Board Member, Value-based Insurance Design, VBID, University of Michigan
Board Member, American College Emergency Physicians
President, California Chapter American College of Emergency Physicians
Institute of Medicine ’s Clinical Research Roundtable
Vice-Chair, California Medical Association, Council on Legislation
President, American Diabetes Association, Bay Area Region Leadership Council
Board member, California Medical Association Foundation
Secretary and Treasurer, San Francisco Medical Society
Co-founder and President, Physicians for a Violence-free Society
Advisory Committee on Family Violence, Centers for Disease Control
Founder and Chair, Community Advisory Committee, Michigan Antibiotic Resistance Reduction Coalition
Chair, Delphi Panel, Population Health Impact Institute
National Advisory Panel, Center for Practical Health Reform
Board Member, The Leapfrog Group for Patient Safety
Editorial board member, American Journal of Managed Care
Editorial Board member, Disease Management
 

SELECTED HONORS AND AWARDS

Fellow, American College of Emergency Physicians
Fellow, American College of Physicians
Alpha Omega Alpha, medical honor society
Beta Gamma Sigma, national honor society for business students
Leadership Award, South Florida Business Coalition on Health
Provider Leadership Award, Family Violence Prevention Fund
Walter T. Edwards Award for Meritorious Service, Cal/ACEP
Political Leadership Award, Cal/ACEP
Featured on the cover of Kaiser Foundation Health Plan’s 1997 Annual Report for outstanding contributions to the program
85-93 Assistant Clinical Professor of Medicine, UCSF

SELECTED PUBLIC PRESENTATIONS, VIDEOS, AND PUBLICATIONS

Salber P and Taliaferro E. Physicians Guide to Intimate Partner Violence and Abuse, Volcano Press, anticipated publication date 4/06

Salber P, Goldstein J, Foust R. “New Models of Disease Management,” Chapter for DMAA book on Disease Management, anticipated publication date, 2Q06

Salber P, Berger J, Paranjpe S. “Disease Management: The Purchasers’ Perspective,”

Chapter in Disease Management: Outlook, Strategies, Outlook, AIS Publications, 9/2002

Klepper B, Salber PR, Dykes P. “Health Care Change Leadership,” e-letter, Health Affairs Web Exclusives, Feb. 23, 2005

Salber PR. “Outcome Research Priorities in Chronic Care - a Private Purchaser Perspective. Medical Care 2004 Apr;42(4 Suppl):III6-10

Crowley W, Sherwood L, Salber P, et al. “Clinical Research in America at a Crossroad: A Call to Establish a Novel Public-Private Partnership, the National Clinical Research Enterprise,” JAMA, 2004 Mar 3;291(9):1120-6

Fletcher RH, Colditz G, Pawlson G, Richman H, Rosenthal D, Salber P. “Screening for Colorectal Cancer: The Business Case, Am. J. Managed Care, June 2002,8(6):531-8

Salber, P. “Domestic Violence: How to Ask the Right Questions and Recognize Abuse.” Produced by the Teleconference Educational Network and sponsored by the Annenberg Center at Eisenhower, July 1995.

Salber, P. “Leveraging Disease Management for Value-based Insurance Design,” presentation at VBID Conference, Dec 15, 2005, Ann Arbor, Michigan

Salber, P. “Going Upstream: Disease Management of Metabolic Syndrome,” presented at the Disease Management Colloquium, June 21-24, 2005, Philadelphia, Pa.

Salber, P. “The Gnu Gnu Thing: Buying the Clinical Quality We Want…at the Front End,” Central Florida Health Care Coalition, 10^th Annual National Conference, Orlando, Fla, Feb 26, 2003

Salber, P. “What Value Purchasers Want from MCOs: Bridging the Quality Chasm,” Keynote Presentation, National Business Coalition on Health 2002 Innovation Awards, Atlanta, Geo, 11/12/2002.