Clinical Support Departments
Vanessa McElroy
Director
Care Transitions and Population Healthcare Management
mcelroy@health.ucdavis.edu
Vanessa McElroy oversees a wide range of critical programs at UC Davis Health System, including Clinical Case Management, Clinical Social Work, Outpatient Comprehensive Care Management, Transitions of Care, Home Care Services, Managed Care Utilization Management, and Chaplain Services. She led the development of UCDH Transitions of Care department, with a focus on promoting equitable access, addressing social determinants of health, reducing unnecessary hospitalization, and fostering stronger continuity of care beyond hospital walls through partnerships and collaboration with community stakeholders.
Among Vanessa's notable initiatives is the development of a health navigator program—a comprehensive initiative strategically embedded in the Emergency Department, inpatient units and ambulatory care settings. This program ensures the completion of timely follow-up appointments, seamlessly integrates patients back into their primary care and specialty clinics and addresses all aspects of care coordination needs. Additionally, she co-led the creation of a post-discharge clinic, independent of payors, which enhances patient access to post-discharge care while facilitating an efficient return of care to their medical home. Vanessa’s strategic approach extends to establishing robust collaborative partnerships with local skilled nursing facilities, resulting in bed-lease contracts for both short and long-term care placements. As a lead figure, she contributes significantly to the establishment of a UCDH system-wide effort, ensuring centralized and integrated services through comprehensive care management and coordination efforts including robust post discharge home care services. She has a bachelor's in science nursing from California State University Chico and a master's degree in Health Nursing Informatics from Grand Canyon University. She serves as a member in multiple hospital steering committees as well as local county committees and maintains annual participation in the UCD Health System leadership programs serving as a mentor.
Samuel Brown-Dawson, MDiv, M.S.C. in MFT
Manager
ACPE Certified Educator
scmbrowndawson@health.ucdavis.edu
Chaplains provide 24/7 spiritual care through direct requests, referrals, and visits. They offer support without prejudice to individuals' beliefs, identities, or backgrounds and collaborate with community spiritual care providers as needed. Their services align with UC Davis’s Principles of Community and spiritual care standards. By working with interdisciplinary staff, chaplains enhance understanding of patients' cultural and religious needs.
The department offers formal and informal training for chaplains through accredited ACPE programs, as well as ongoing education for volunteers and spiritual care providers. Our CPE program features Levels IA, IB, IIA, and IIB through a year-long residency, full-time summer internships, and part-time extended internships. Additionally, we offer Certified Education training for those who are called to become CPE-certified educators. A Professional Advisory Group (PAG) provides consultation. Our CPE participants may include individuals from various disciplines interested in learning about spiritual care.
Maria Sabio, M.S.N., RN, C.C.M., C.L.N.C.
Manager
Clinical Case Management
mrsabio@health.ucdavis.edu
Daniel Oforlea, L.C.S.W.
Chief License Social Worker Manager
Clinical Social Work
doforlea@health.ucdavis.edu
Stacey Magee, B.S.N., RN
Nurse Manager
Home Care Services
slmagee@health.ucdavis.edu
Home Health
The Home Health Program offers the opportunity for patients to receive skilled medical care in the comfort of their home. Members of the Home Health care team work collaboratively with physicians to provide the highest level of patient-centered care. The goal of the Home Health program is to provide patients with the knowledge and skills necessary to achieve maximum functioning and independence at home. Home health serves approximately 600 patients per year and maintains high patient satisfaction in all areas. The result is improved patient outcomes and a low re-hospitalization rate.
Hospice
The Hospice program provides care for terminally ill patients who wish to remain at home and support for those terminally ill patients who require inpatient care. Hospice care involves support for patients and their loved ones. It is not so much a place, but rather an approach to health care emphasizing symptom management while helping patients and families to cope with psychosocial and spiritual issues. UC Davis Hospice serves patients of all ages, including pediatrics. Hospice serves approximately 650 patients per year and maintains high patient/family satisfaction. The result is comprehensive end of life care and a low re-hospitalization rate.
Home-based Palliative Care
The Home-based Palliative Care (HBPC) program offers support to patient and their families in their home. Palliative care focuses on the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of people living with serious illness. HBPC serves approximately 200 patients per year. The result is coordination of care at home, a reduction in rehospitalizations and a seamless transition to hospice when patients are ready.
Patricia Hoffman, B.S.N., RN C.P.H.Q.
Manager
Managed Care Utilization
pahoffman@health.ucdavis.edu
The UC Davis Medical Group Managed Care Utilization team is a dedicated workforce whose responsibilities are to provide authorizations and care coordination for the 42000 lives who are capitated to UC Davis Health for their primary and specialty care services. Managed Care Utilization functions like a “health insurance” plan and is regulated by the Department of Manage Health Care and the Knox Keene Act under California Health and Safey Code. Managed Care Specialists operate a call center M-F from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. along with providing authorizations for services that do not require medical necessity. Prior authorization nurses complete medical necessity reviews on outpatient procedures, DME and complex imaging as well as out of network consultations and visit. Concurrent review nurses monitor the care of inpatients at UC Davis Health as well as in non-UC Davis Health facilities. Managed Care Utilization also responds to requests for information on appeals and investigates grievances related to member referrals.
Melissa Day, M.S.N., RN
Manager
Outpatient Comprehensive Care
mlday@health.ucdavis.edu
Cindy Skillsky, B.S.N., RN
Manager
Ambulatory Case Management
Outpatient Comprehensive Care Management
caskillsky@health.ucdavis.edu
Ambulatory case management is a vital part of modern healthcare that focuses on coordinating and facilitating care for patients in outpatient settings.
Eddie Eabisa, M.B.A., C.S.S.G.B.
Manager
Transitions of Care
eabisa@health.ucdavis.edu
Eddie Eabisa earned an MBA in Healthcare Management and has Bachelor's degree in Applied Mathematics with a minor in Statistics. He is currently the Manager of the Transitions of Care Department at UC Davis Health. Within this department, Eabisa oversees programs aimed at enhancing care transitions for hospitalized patients. His responsibilities include spearheading several health care system initiatives geared towards reducing unnecessary re-hospitalizations. Eabisa possesses extensive expertise in clinical process improvement and workflow design, with a particular focus on utilizing data to implement sustainable improvements in quality outcomes. Since he joined UC Davis Health in 2015, he has been instrumental in managing multiple health care system quality improvement projects. These initiatives span a range of critical areas, including reducing sepsis rates, preventing surgical site infections (SSI), optimizing medication reconciliation, facilitating advance care planning, fostering connections with community partners and skilled nursing facilities and streamlining transitions of care.
Rebecca Taylor Alvino, RN, M.S., C.N.S., C.I.C., C.N.O.R., C.R.C.S.T., N.E.A.-B.C., F.A.P.I.C.
System Director
Hospital Epidemiology and Infection Prevention
rialvino@health.ucdavis.edu
Rebecca Taylor Alvino is the System Director of Hospital Epidemiology and Infection Prevention for UC Davis Health. Rebecca has over 20 years of nursing and leadership experience, with expertise in perioperative and procedural infection prevention, and disinfection and sterilization. She is active in the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Pacific West Sterile Processing Association, and is a member of the American Nurses Association, Association of periOperative Registered Nurses, Sigma Theta Tau, and the Healthcare Sterile Processing Association. Rebecca received her Master of Science degree as a Clinical Nurse Specialist with a focus on Advanced Practice Public Health Nursing and Global Health from the University of California, San Francisco, her Associate of Applied Science degree as a Registered Nurse from St. Joseph’s College of Nursing in Syracuse, New York, and her Bachelor of Science degree in Human Biology from the University at Albany, State University of New York. Rebecca is published in several peer-reviewed journals and publications, including American Journal of Infection Control, AORN Journal, and APIC Text Online.
Jason Navarro, B.S.N., RN
Unit Nurse Manager
East 8 Medical-Surgical Specialties & Palliative Care
jhnavarro@health.ucdavis.edu
The UC Davis Palliative Care Program provides compassionate, interdisciplinary care for patients facing serious or life-limiting illnesses. Our team focuses on relieving physical symptoms, supporting emotional and spiritual well-being, and helping patients and families navigate complex medical decisions.
At the heart of our program is a commitment to improving quality of life. We believe that every person deserves to be treated with dignity, respect, and empathy—no matter their diagnosis or stage of illness. Our mission is to deliver whole-person care that honors the values and goals of each individual, while also supporting their loved ones throughout the journey. By integrating palliative care alongside curative or life-prolonging treatments, our team partners with primary care providers and specialists to offer coordinated, personalized support. Whether managing pain and symptoms, facilitating advance care planning, or simply being present in moments of uncertainty, we aim to help patients live as fully and comfortably as possible.
Darrell Desmond RN, M.S.N., N.E.-B.C.
Inpatient Unit Director
dldesmond@health.ucdavis.edu
Acute Renal Services is a hospital unit service department providing dialysis to adult and pediatric patients admitted to the hospital. Dialysis is either provided in a central service area for those patients stable enough to leave their units or at the patient bedside for those who are not. Renal Services also provides dialysis services and consultation to the pediatric population at the Shriners Hospital for Children. All types of dialysis are provided including intermittent, continuous, and peritoneal. Acute Renal Services is home to 22 registered nurses, 2 dialysis techs, and one unit service coordinator. Acute Renal Services has one of the highest percentages of advance certification nursing staff in the institution.
Katie Lorain, M.P.S., A.T.R.-B.C., Reiki III
Creative Arts and Recreation Therapy Manager
The CARE Project
klorain@health.ucdavis.edu
It is the goal of The CARE Project to provide direct patient-care interdisciplinary services through The Creative Arts and Recreation Therapy Department. The CARE Project aims to enhance the healthcare environment and aid in the healing and recovery of all patients. They support patients, their families, and caregivers in their journey to wellness and healing. The CARE Project provides opportunities for self-expression through Art Therapy, relaxation using Reiki, and normalization by means of pet therapy and special events. This donor-funded initiative promotes independence, reinforces identity, and improves quality of life through evidenced-based clinical interventions and therapeutic activities.
Tamika Joiner, M.S.N., M.H.A., RN, N.E.-B.C.
Inpatient Unit Director
Patient Care Resources, Acute Care,
Critical Care, Children’s Hospital Float Pool HUSC Float Pool
joiner@health.ucdavis.edu
Patient Care Resources provides 24/7 RN and HUSC Float Pool coverage to a variety of inpatient areas within the Patient Care Services division. The department has over 200 employees, both per diem and career. In addition, the department also has several programs that provide support to the inpatient units: Float Pool, Per Diem Pool, STAN Program, Action Team, Rapid Response Team, SOS Nurses, and Children's Hospital Seasonal Float Team, and Development Programs in the Pediatric Specialty and Adult Critical Care Specialty areas, as well as the Acute Care – Float Pool Residency Program. Paul Fankhanel has been the manager of PCR since 2016.
