Combining 'Best of Private Practice and University Medicine' Brown & Toland, SF's Largest Physician Network, To Begin Operation Jan. 1

Business Wire, Dec 26, 1996

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 26, 1996--Brown & Toland, San Francisco's largest network of physicians, will go into operation Jan. 1, creating a new partnership between physicians from the California Pacific Medical Group and the University of California, San Francisco.

The group includes approximately 350 primary care physicians and 900 specialists.

With the formation of the new group, patients can continue their relationships with their own primary care physicians but can now be referred to specialists at either of the city's two leading hospitals without the added burden of pre-approvals from insurance companies.

"Brown & Toland is designed to assure top quality care by giving the physician the major role in deciding what medical care is appropriate," said Dr. Michael Abel, a surgeon who also is chairman and chief executive officer of the new group. "We are committed to a partnership that puts doctors into the system not as `gatekeepers' but as `facilitators' of care."

Brown & Toland currently has contracts with 13 health maintenance organizations with enrollments of approximately 162,000 in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Brown & Toland takes its name from two physicians prominent in San Francisco's history. In the 1800's Dr. Charlotte Amanda Blake Brown recognized that a new model was needed for the health care needs of women and children. She had the courage and foresight to found the San Francisco Women's and Children's Hospital to meet those needs. Today that hospital is a part of the California Pacific Medical Center.

Also in the 1800s, Dr. Hugh Huger Toland founded the medical school, today known as the UCSF School of Medicine. The school is consistently ranked in the top five medical schools nationally. -0-

Among the other distinguishing features of Brown & Toland are the following:

--Women may self-refer to a gynecologist. If a woman chooses a Brown & Toland physician for her primary care physician, she does not need authorization from a primary care physician to see her gynecologist.

-- After-hours "hot line" and clinic for pediatric care, in recognition of the fact that childhood medical problems often occur outside of normal office hours.

-- Special preventive health care programs for seniors.

-- Special preventive health care programs for chronic illnesses such as asthma, HIV and congestive heart failure. -0-

On a business level, Brown & Toland prides itself on the fact that it shares the financial risk with HMO's covering approximately 75 percent of its patients.

"We believe that physicians are the best qualified persons to make the decisions about quality health care. If we want to have a strong voice in making decisions, we believe that we have an obligation to share certain financial risks with insurance companies," Abel said.

UCSF is recognized as one of the world's great health care institutions, distinguished by its integration of medical research and clinical care. It serves both as a major teaching and community hospital, handling all kinds of health care from colds to cancer.

"Brown & Toland Medical Group will provide the best in community health care and specialized medicine," said Bruce Wintroub, M.D., executive dean of the UCSF School of Medicine.

"Patients will have the greatest flexibility and control in selecting their personal physician, can be seen at a convenient location, and will have the ability to be referred for specialized physician and hospital care throughout the network."

California Pacific Medical Center, an affiliate of the Sutter/California Health Systems group of hospitals, is a comprehensive health care delivery system noted as one of the premier centers on the West Coast. It has nationally recognized programs in cancer, transplantation and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrig's disease) as well as other specialty fields.

"This partnership offers the San Francisco community increased access to high quality, cost-effective heath care services," stated Martin Brotman, M.D., president and chief executive officer, California Pacific Medical Center. "We look forward to continuing the tradition of excellence that Drs. Brown and Toland began over a century ago."

Brown & Toland physicians have offices located throughout the city.

Administrative offices for the group are located at 1388 Sutter St. Persons interested in selecting a Brown & Toland physician may call 800/CALL-MDS for more information.

CONTACT: Jo Murray Public Relations

Jo Murray, 415/956-5542 (office)

415/759-8307 (home)