In The News
The Flu Shot is More Important This Year Than Ever
In the midst of a COVID-19 pandemic, getting a flu shot has never been more important. Many people are staying indoors, wearing a mask, and washing their hands frequently. In this environment, patients ask me, “With all this social distancing, do I really need a flu shot this year?” The answer is unequivocally, “Yes!” Even … Read More
Sue Gross Foundation Donates $1M to Hoag Hospital
Adding to an already long history of generosity, Hoag Hospital Foundation has announced a $1 million gift from the Sue J. Gross Foundation to Hoag’s Wound Healing and Hyperbaric Medicine Center. In appreciation of the major gift, Hoag is naming the Sally & Joseph Warpinski Wound Healing and Hyperbaric Medicine Center in honor of Sue … Read More
Hoag Hospital to Deliver Maternity Services with the Opening of the Fudge Family Birthing Suites in Irvine this December
This winter, Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian will open the Fudge Family Birthing Suites at Hoag Hospital Irvine, which reimagines pregnancy, delivery and recovery for modern families — with private birthing suites, a perinatal VR guided program, and a calming outdoor walking garden. Already a leader in women’s health, with the most prestigious nursing credentials in … Read More
The Most Common Misconception About Spine Surgery
The most persistent problem I encounter is not nerve pain or slipped discs. It’s the tenacious misconception that someone can be “too old” for spine surgery when it’s truly needed. Many years ago, it was true that age played a significant factor in a person’s ability to tolerate and recover from surgery. Surgeries were once … Read More
Colorectal Cancer Screening: Colonoscopy vs. Cologuard
When COVID-19 hit, routine cancer screenings nearly came to a halt. Now those postponed appointments and overdue tests will likely result in delayed cancer diagnoses. Now more than ever it’s an opportune time to educate the community about the importance of regular cancer screenings. While we have powerful treatments for those diagnosed with cancer, nothing … Read More
Long-term TARGIT-A Data Support Single-Dose Intraoperative Breast Cancer Radiotherapy
The 5-year results of the TARGIT-A trial have demonstrated the non-inferiority of risk-adapted, single-dose targeted intraoperative radiotherapy (TARGIT-IORT) delivered during lumpectomy to conventional radiotherapy for the adjuvant treatment of early-stage breast cancer. Noting that “TARGIT-IORT has similar long term local control and cancer survival outcomes to whole breast radiotherapy,” the researchers say that “[s]ingle dose … Read More
US Mortality Rates for CVD Have Stalled as Racial Disparities Widen
Gains made in decreasing mortality for ischemic heart disease in the United States over the past two decades have been offset by stagnant or increasing death rates for most other forms of heart disease, including heart failure and hypertension, according to a new analysis. Moreover, stark racial disparities continue to exist within all subsets of … Read More
Shedding Light on the Summer's Best Sunscreens
Which sunscreen works best? The one you use. We’re in the full swing of summer, and with many of my patients hitting the beaches, pools and backyard barbecues, I get a lot of questions about which brand and type of sunscreen to apply. I am always thrilled by the question, as it means that these … Read More
Hoag Hospital Ranks Top in OC, Offers Clinical Trial for Pancreatic Cancer
U.S. News & World Report’s 2020-2021 Best Hospitals Rankings once again named Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian in Newport Beach the highest ranked hospital in Orange County, the fourth-best hospital in the Los Angeles metro area and eighth-best in California. The rankings also included national rankings in seven specialty areas and recognition for Hoag’s high performance … Read More
Avoiding Care During the Pandemic Could Mean Life or Death
These days, Los Angeles acting teacher Deryn Warren balances her pain with her fear. She’s a bladder cancer patient who broke her wrist in November 2019. She still needs physical therapy for her wrist, and she’s months late for a cancer follow-up. But Warren won’t go near a hospital, even though she says her wrist … Read More