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After serving a stint as interim CEO during some of the clinic’s most trying times, MayView Community Health Center announced last week that Ken Graham has accepted a permanent position as CEO.
Graham is the former CEO and president of El Camino Hospital, and spent four years in leadership positions at the The Queen’s Health Systems in Hawaii before returning to the Bay Area in 2016. He took the interim job with MayView in January 2018 following reports that the nonprofit was in financial straits and hemorrhaging staff.
Since then, the network of three clinics — with locations in Mountain View, Palo Alto and Sunnyvale — has reportedly rebounded. Under Graham’s leadership, MayView underwent a “rebuilding year” with an eye towards better salaries and working conditions for physicians along with shaping up for accreditations and license recertifications that shows MayView meets all the requirements to be a Federal Qualified Health Center.
The dire finances and staff turnover threatened to shutter one of the three clinic locations, which would’ve been a blow for thousands of patients. A majority of those served by MayView are either on Medi-Cal or are uninsured, and the largest share of the patients reside in Mountain View. The health center is also largely seen as the successor to Mountain View’ RotaCare clinic, which closed down in 2016 and diverted patients to MayView.
Graham told the Voice in December that he was technically pulled out of retirement by taking on his role as Interim CEO. His decision to stick around in the permanent leadership role is a “significant development” for the clinic and the community, according to a statement by MayView officials, who credit him for doubling the medical staff while maintaining “superb financial performance.”
“We look forward to remarkable success as we expand our presence within the not for profit health care sector,” according to the statement.
This is good news for the 3 MayView clinics. The predecessor to the clinic in Mountain View began to serve patients, mostly of the Latino community, about 46 years ago. The clinics are Federal Qualified Health Clinic look alikes intended to serve the poor and those without insurance. The increasing disparities in wealth and income in this designated area in Silicon Valley attest to the need for the continued presence of these services here in North County.
A full range of primary care is offered and no one is turned away if they cannot pay.
Financing of the clinics is challenging given the need to offer staff salaries competing with local institutions. The clinic is fortunate to have substantial support from El Camino Hospital and Stanford. And the clinic was most fortunate that Ken Graham stepped forward to guide a turnaround while improving staff morale, patient satisfaction and expanding services.
Serving mostly Med-Cal and the uninsured will necessitate continued support from our community for this essential service to remain viable for years to come. The clinic thanks those who have offered their support.
Michael Fischetti MD,
Board of Directors, MayView Clinics
Santa Clara County Health Advisory Commission