Valley Children’s Healthcare Board Secretary-Treasurer C. Duane Dauner died in a single car accident on Monday, July 13, 2020 near his home south of Palm Desert in Riverside County.
“The news of Duane’s untimely passing came as a tremendous shock to our Valley Children’s family. Duane joined our Board in 2019 shortly after his retirement as the President and CEO of the California Hospital Association, a role he held for nearly 35 years,” shared Todd Suntrapak, President & CEO of Valley Children’s Healthcare. “Duane was, far and away, the most accomplished, experienced, smart, strategic hospital association leader in the country. His hospital association work dated back to 1966 when he joined the Missouri Hospital Association, and during that 50+ year career, Duane had been a part of the introduction of Medicare to the Affordable Care Act and everything in between. He was known across the country as the “Dean” of hospital associations, and to have that level of wisdom and experience on the Valley Children’s Board was invaluable,” continued Suntrapak.
Dauner left an indelible mark on hospitals across this country and in California. His foresight and leadership resulted in groundbreaking work such as the creation of the hospital provider fee program, resulting in billions of Federal dollars returning to California hospitals; the transparent reporting of hospital quality data and the establishment of the Hospital Quality Institute; and the implementation of the Affordable Care Act in California.
“Duane was as comfortable with Presidents and Senators as he was with the rest of us. His kindness transcended all he did, and he was always the first to offer a hand if you needed help -- literally with anything,” reflected Suntrapak. “For me, and for our Board, he was a mentor, a leader and a ‘north star’ as we discussed and debated issues likely to affect Valley Children’s today and five years from now. Duane’s wisdom and his presence in our debates was an anchor for our thinking, and his influence will be felt for years in our organization."
Board Chair Jeannine Grech offered her reflections on Duane and his service to Valley Children’s. “Duane had a special place in his heart for the work of Valley Children’s. He had been to nearly every hospital in California and hundreds more across the country and we were so grateful for his love of our organization and his willingness to join our Board. We will deeply miss him.”
The entire Valley Children’s family expresses our gratitude for his lifetime of service and legacy he leaves behind for the children of our Valley.