Adventist Health restructures back-office services

From March of 2014 until August of 2023, I worked for Adventist Health. For the last seven years, I was the Chief Technology Officer.

Adventist Health is launching a multiphase restructuring plan after reporting a $224 million loss from operations in 2024. As part of this restructuring, the company is outsourcing a number of functions, including the technical stack that I was responsible for. In my 45 year career, I was involved in six different outsourcing deals. With a big bang EPIC go-live planned for September of 2026, I will be interested in following the progress of these new arrangements from afar.

Adventist Health restructures back-office services, 750 workers affected
Becker's Hospital Review, August 7, 2025

Adventist Health launched a series of initiatives Aug. 6 aimed at achieving financial sustainability, including outsourcing select business functions to vendor partners.

In a news release shared with Becker’s, officials with the Roseville, Calif.-based health system said the organization is partnering with vendors to support services within its IT, finance, human resources, talent acquisition, supply chain and accounts payable functions.

The initiative aims to “improve efficiency, enable scalable growth and reduce costs, while allowing Adventist Health to retain full management responsibility,” according to the news release. The organization also plans to accelerate the use of AI and other technologies.

Adventist Health officials said the change affects approximately 750 employees, some of whom will take on new roles with the health system or its vendor partners.

The health system also said it is implementing a return-to-office model for its corporate workforce, beginning January 2026.

Under this initiative — which health system officials said is aimed at innovation, collaboration and efficiency — most corporate-level team members will be required to work in person at the organization’s Roseville headquarters. Adventist Health expects about 800 employees to be working from its corporate offices beginning next year.

Employees at the health system’s care sites will remain in person at their community-based locations, officials said.

“Our financial health is directly tied to our ability to deliver the exceptional care our patients depend on in the communities where they live and work. While changes like these bring a significant impact to our workforce, they are a necessary response to the challenges facing our organization and industry,” President and CEO Kerry Heinrich said in the release. “Through these strategic initiatives, we will position ourselves as a trusted healthcare partner for generations to come, delivering compassionate, cost-effective care through deep expertise, a modern infrastructure and a more connected workforce.”

Adventist Health serves more than 100 communities across the West Coast and Hawaii through over 440 care sites, including 27 acute care facilities, and has a team of more than 38,000 employees, physicians, medical staff and volunteers.

Lunch with Tomasin

I spent the day winding my way to Windsor and back to have lunch with Tomasin. On the way there, the traffic in West Sacramento was horrible!

Tomasin and I had a lazy lunch at El Gallo Negro (chicken enchiladas) and caught up. I haven't had a chance to see the Tomasins since their Viking river cruise in May.

After lunch, we stopped briefly at Dino's garage. Back at their house, I spent some time visiting with Julie before starting for home.

Book Club Dinner at the Wongs

For years, one of the books that I recommend to people is The River of Doubt. It is an amazing story of Theodore Roosevelt's journey down an uncharted river in the Amazon.

When I recommended it to Holly earlier this year, she proposed that we all read the book and get together for a book club dinner. Both Sharon and I reread the book. We got together at Holly and Van's on Thursday night for dinner (halibut) and to talk about the book.

At the end of the evening, it was proposed that we do it again with Dan Brown's upcoming book Secret of Secrets. It is scheduled to be released on September 9.

Overnight Adventure with Lee - Day #2

Lee, Sharon and I spent the morning at the California State Railroad Museum. We had a late lunch at Joe's Crab Shack.

Overnight Adventure with Lee - Day #1

I picked Lee up in Pollack Pines on Tuesday afternoon. The rest of the day included: walking Tiber; swimming in the pool; taking a dip in the hot tub; playing with the Thomas trains; a pasta dinner; a bath; an episode of Big Beasts about Polar Bears, and; a story at bedtime-The Curious Fish.

Two Years of Retirement

Two years ago today, we were at Lake Almanor. It marked my official retirement.

While there has been some challenges, I am really enjoying retirement. My original retirement manifesto is here. While it is still very apt, I intend to update it over the next month.

The one thing that has surprised me is the lack of a regular routine. I thought that we would live into a more regular daily and weekly routine. We haven't. Every day seems to have a different rhythm.

I am pleased to report that I have actually started to make steady progress on my book about 1991. I have been working on it consistently over the last couple of months.

Conversely, I am still not satisfied with the progress that I have made in getting more consistent at golf.

Aggie Nine to Play Alumni - Dick Heringer at UC Davis

This article shocked me. Growing up, my dad never expressed any interest in baseball. He didn't ever talk about baseball. He didn't follow a team.

California Aggie, Volume 51, Number 3, 26 February 1953

Aggie Nine to Play Alumni

   Baseball for 1953 will be officially opened this Saturday, February 28, when the Aggie nine meets the Alumni squad on the local diamond. Game time is at 2:30 p.m.
   The Aggies, severely handicappd by a lack of experienced ball players, will field a team composed mostly of freshmen and sophomores with a few "vets” of last year’s campaign returning to their old positions. Competition is keen for most positions, especially the outfield, and Saturday’s game may play a large part in determining who will compose the starting nine in future league games.
   The Alumni, coached by Bob Forbs, will field a strong team composed of ex-Aggie ball players who date back, quite probably, as far as the year one. Notable among probable Alumni starters will be Lou Nova, John Nedderman, Mike Burns, and Bob Connally.
   The Varsity’s starting lineup for the contest will not be announced until game time but the following will quite probably see much action: Outfield: Elvin Veerkamp, Jim Oakam, Dick Heringer, Rich Sheperd, and Gordon Blaine. Infield: Dwight Barker, Rich Ortega, Stan Cebull, Bill Bizzinni, Howard Harrison, John Smith, and John Wilson.

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Dick Heringer and Joyce Abbott at UC Davis

Happy Gilmore

Friday night, Sharon and I watched Happy Gilmore. I had never seen the movie.

Happy Gilmore is a 1996 sports comedy film directed by Dennis Dugan and produced by Robert Simonds. It stars Adam Sandler in the title role, with Christopher McDonald, Julie Bowen, and Carl Weathers.

Happy Gilmore (Sandler), a hockey player with a bad temper but a powerful slapshot, dreams of making it to the big leagues. When his grandmother's home is about to be foreclosed on, he discovers his unique talent for driving a golf ball incredible distances. He joins the professional golf tour, much to the dismay of the sport's traditionalists and the top golfer, Shooter McGavin (McDonald). Happy's unorthodox style and comedic antics earn him a legion of fans, but he struggles to control his temper. In a final showdown with Shooter, Happy must prove he has what it takes to win the tournament and save his grandmother's house.

I was motivated to watch the movie by the publicity surrounding the release of Happy Gilmore 2. It is entertaining; Sharon and I laughed a few more times than I expected. We will watch the sequel in the near future.

Dinner with Holly

Sharon had dinner (fish tacos) with Holly at Shangri-la.

Although I have never watched the show before, I watched episode one of season 27 of South Park titled "Sermon on the 'Mount.

Lunch with Snipes

I had lunch [beer batterd tacos] with Snipes at the Yard House at DOCO.

Thursday night, I had a call with Nooter. I talked to Tomasin on Friday morning; I need to figure out a date to connect with him. I traded calls with Wallen on Friday morning; I need to schedule a longer call with him next week.

Drew facetimed from the Wallens on Friday night. He and Carmen are in Seattle on a babymoon for a few days.