Articles

The Pickup Family Neurosciences Institute at Hoag Hospital in Newport Beach recently added a “7D” surgical system used in spinal procedures, making it the first West Coast hospital to do so. The system contains the same technology found in self-driving cars, according to a news release, enabling a surgeon to have an “unprecedented level of … Read More

When a patient comes to me long after he or she suspects that something is amiss, I tell them, “I understand.” I know why they had ignored their tremors for too long. I understand why they had dismissed their balance issues as insignificant. Depictions of Parkinson’s disease in popular culture are grim, and nobody wants … Read More

Plain and simple, all parents worry. In the 1930’s, they worried about the affects listening to the radio would have on their children’s priorities. In the 1950’s, it was the accessibility of “adult” content on television. It wasn’t until the 1980s, though, that the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) came up with guidelines for how … Read More

Measles cases continue to be identified in California and across the U.S. Measles is a highly contagious infectious disease caused by the measles (rubeola) virus. The symptoms (fever, fatigue, cough, runny nose, conjunctivitis/pink eye) usually begin 8-12 days after exposure with rash onset 2-4 days later. The rash usually begins around the ears and hairline … Read More

It’s not just someone obsessed by Columbine. Last year, a seemingly normal teen was found dead from suicide in a Corona del Mar park. Just a few weeks ago, a young man walked into a local South County fast food joint, then into the restroom, where he was found hung. Another was found dead on … Read More

The Pickup Family Neurosciences Institute’s epilepsy program at Hoag Hospital in Newport Beach has received a Level 4 epilepsy center designation, the highest level from the National Assn. of Epilepsy Centers. The institute has the professional expertise and resources necessary to “provide the most advanced and comprehensive medical evaluation and treatment for patients with complex … Read More

There is still a lot we don’t know about cancer. A diagnosis or even the thought of a future diagnosis can be scary. And what about your cancer risk? Many patients ask me “If a close family member has cancer, does that mean I will too?” Through hereditary cancer assessments, we are now able to … Read More

Newsweek has released its inaugural rankings of Best Hospitals in the world. In partnership with Statista Inc, the report ranks a thousand hospitals, selected based on recommendations from medical professionals, patient survey results and medical performance indicators. Hoag was ranked #93. The hospitals range from Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., which was ranked the number … Read More

It is an oddity of human nature that we so often fail to react to troubling developments until they reach the level of a crisis. Such was the case with the recent episode involving some local high school students who posted photos online showing themselves doing a Nazi salute in front of plastic cups arranged … Read More

Hoag Hospital in Newport Beach has opened two new brain and spine operating room suites. The 820-square-foot facilities have new equipment designed to enhance surgical communications and efficiencies, according to a news release. Hoag is the first California hospital to use CollaboratOR technology, an 84-inch touch-screen system. It enables Hoag surgeons, nurses and surgical assistants … Read More