Landmark legislation to establish a UC teaching hospital receives bipartisan unanimous support

(SACRAMENTO) – Yesterday, Senator Richard D. Roth’s (D-Riverside), Senate Bill (SB) 1199, which would establish a University of California, Riverside School of Medicine (UCRSOM) acute care teaching hospital in Riverside County, unanimously passed out of the California State Senate and is now headed to the Assembly. This teaching hospital will ensure that UCR trained physicians will remain in the region, providing high quality healthcare to the most vulnerable in our communities.

Senator Roth shared: “This is the final mile of our very long journey to provide critical academic medical education and training in this medically underserved region of the state. For those of my colleagues that have been there and have supported this effort over the years, I want to say thank you.”

Senator Ochoa Bogh (R-Yucaipa) added: “The research shows that doctors are more likely to stay and practice wherever they do their residency, which is why this bill is so essential. We must do all that we can to increase access to equitable, quality, and timely care for those living in the Inland Empire."

According to a 2018 California Health Report, the shortage of physicians is particularly severe in Inland Southern California, with just 35 primary care physicians per 100,000 patients, far fewer than the recommended range of 60 to 80 primary care physicians per 100,000 patients. At the time of its inception in 2013, UCR School of Medicine was the first new public medical school in California in more than 40 years. To date, it is the only UC medical school to operate without a dedicated UC academic medical center. 

Senator Roth secured critical funding to startup UCRSOM in 2013 and in 2019 secured funding for UCRSOM to construct a new state-of-the-art $80-100 million academic building, doubling the capacity of the school from 250 to 500 physicians-in-training. In 2020, Senator Roth negotiated an additional $25M ongoing funding (total $40M in General Fund commitment) to sustain UCRSOM and allow it to grow. Then in 2021, he secured $10M for UCRSOM to initiate the process to secure an acute care teaching hospital.

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Senator Richard D. Roth represents the 31st State Senate District, which includes the communities of Corona, Eastvale, Jurupa Valley, March Air Reserve Base, Moreno Valley, Norco, Perris, and Riverside. Prior to his election, he served for 32 years in the United States Air Force, retiring in 2007 in the grade of Major General. More information about Senator Roth can be found at https://sd31.senate.ca.gov/