Bruce Komiske
Bruce Komiske, executive director of Clinical Facilities Development at UCSF Medical Center -- who is leading the planning efforts for the new Children's Hospital at Mission Bay -- finds himself in an unexpected situation at an opportune time.
Komiske was invited to join KEO, an international project management firm, for a six-month stint in Doha, Qatar, a country the size of Connecticut, adjacent to Saudi Arabia. He will participate in the planning of a Children's and Women's Hospital almost identical to what UCSF is planning for Mission Bay. UCSF will be reimbursed for his time.
The royal family of Qatar has established an $8 billion endowment to create a "World Class Children's and Women's Hospital" as part of Education City in Doha. The family has assembled a prestigious team of consultants to work on the planning and schematic design phase of the project, including Kurt Salmon Associates (KSA), the firm that worked with UCSF on the project to plan for the future growth of clinical and research programs. KSA is currently helping UCSF Medical Center with its strategic plan for ambulatory care.
In addition to KSA, the team includes Cesar Pelli as the design architect and Ellerbe Becket as the project architect. KEO sought out Komiske's expertise in planning and designing children's and women's hospitals and creating healing environments.
"The timing couldn't be better," Komiske noted as he packed his office for a whirlwind tour of the finest children's hospitals in the United States.
Mark Laret, chief executive officer of UCSF Medical Center, explained that over the next few months, UCSF's Mission Bay efforts will focus on acquiring the remaining land the University needs, hiring a fundraising executive in the Development Office, and beginning to create a robust development plan and collateral materials.
"By the time those efforts are completed, Bruce will be back at UCSF with a wealth of knowledge and experience, having worked with a world-class team planning a similar project on a very condensed time frame," Laret said. "This experience will undoubtedly benefit the planning and design of our new UCSF Children's Hospital at Mission Bay."
Komiske will travel back to UCSF at key points in the UCSF Children's Hospital project and will remain accessible by
email while he is away.
In his absence, any immediate questions about the Children's Hospital at Mission Bay project can be directed to
Cindy Lima, director of administration, at 415/353-2729.
