Organization Profile
Organization Overview
The mission of the County of Los Angeles Department of Health Services (DHS) is to ensure access to high quality, patient-centered, cost-effective health care to Los Angeles County residents through direct services at DHS facilities and through collaboration with community and university partners.
DHS operates four hospitals: LAC+USC, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, ValleyCare Olive-View UCLA Medical Center, and Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center. DHS also operates two multi-disciplinary ambulatory care centers - High Desert Health System and Martin Luther King, Jr. Multi-Service Ambulatory Care Center, plus six comprehensive health centers. Additionally, DHS operates the County of Los Angeles Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and is responsible for planning, monitoring, and evaluating the local EMS system.
DHS is moving forward with a restructuring effort that aims to address requirements under the new California 1115 Medicaid Waiver as well as changes proposed under healthcare reform. The new Waiver will require that DHS deliver primary and specialty care in compliance with managed care rules and regulations for Seniors and Persons with Disabilities Medi-Cal populations, and managed care-like rules and regulations for those enrolled in the Medicaid Coverage Expansion Low Income Health Plan program (Healthy Way LA).
Organization History
The County of Los Angeles was chartered the same year California became a State - 1850. The Board of Supervisors began providing hospital care in a 100-bed facility in 1878. In 1885, an affiliation was developed with the University of Southern California for medical training. The Board of Supervisors fromed the current Department of Health Services (DHS) in 1972 that provides a broad range of hospital, emergency services, and other health care operations.
Today, DHS is the second largest health system in the nation and is governed by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors. DHS serves the healthcare needs of nearly 10 million residents and encompassess hospital and out-patient care, programs and clinics, Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and rehabilitation services.