In The News
Hospitals Reopening for Non-COVID-19 Work
Orange County’s hospitals are returning to normal, in phases, as a feared surge of coronavirus patients has not occurred. “UCI Health is fully operational and providing all levels of care in a safe environment for patients and staff,” Chad Lefteris, CEO, UCI Health, told the Business Journal. OC hospitals are a huge industry unto themselves. … Read More
Commentary: Responsible Use of Parks and Beaches is Reasonable
COVID-19 first seemed very lethal, its spread assumed to have started here in late February. Suspension of travel, social distancing and lockdowns ensued by mid- to late-March due to fears of millions of U.S. deaths, hospitals everywhere overwhelmed — a public health cataclysm. Yet infection control rests on utilitarian principles: The greatest good for the … Read More
Irvine Holds Virtual Press Conference for COVID-19 Update
Irvine Mayor Christina Shea spoke during a virtual press conference Monday May 11, to address the community with an update regarding COVID-19. Shea was joined by Dr. Martin Fee, Senior Vice President and Chief Clinical Officer from Hoag Hospital, who spoke about the Hoag’s current bed capacity and ventilator availability. While the state is still … Read More
Dr. Robinson is a Leading Authority on Infection Prevention and a Calming Force for Frontline Health Care Providers at Hoag
As Medical Director of Infection Prevention and Hospital Epidemiology at Hoag, Philip Robinson, MD, FIDSA, has led the COVID-19 efforts for Hoag. In January, the Orange County Health Care Agency selected Hoag to care for California’s first COVID-19 patient, who has since fully recovered. In March, he provided advice on COVID-19 to the community during … Read More
Hoag Hospital CEO Explains Lawsuit to Split with Providence Health
CEO Robert Braithwaite says that he hopes the timeline for dissolving the affiliation is “expeditious.” The founders of Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian filed a lawsuit last week to dissolve Covenant Health Network (CHN), the vehicle for the organization’s affiliation with Providence Health to promote population health initiatives in Orange County. Hoag, a nonprofit regional healthcare … Read More
Hoag Seeks to Sever Ties with Providence Health Care System
Hoag Hospital is taking legal action to dissolve its relationship with the Providence St. Joseph Health system and regain local control. Hoag, known formally as Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian, filed suit Friday in Orange County Superior Court to get out of an eight-year partnership that it says has long not been as fruitful as it … Read More
U.S. Hospitals Promise New Safety Measures to Ease Patient Fears After Coronavirus Crush
U.S. hospitals, many past the peak coronavirus crush, are relying on plexiglass dividers, advance testing of patients and limited elevator traffic to convince people, especially those needing urgent care, that the facilities are safe. Hospitals put lucrative elective procedures and other nonessential operations on hold weeks ago as they geared up for the coronavirus onslaught. … Read More
Newport Beach Coronavirus Survivor Donates Antibody-Rich Blood to Fight COVID-19
Newport Beach resident Glenn Walcott isn’t especially fond of needles, but Tuesday morning found him hooked up to a centrifuge machine at Irvine’s Hoag Health Center, where the 51-year-old father of two donated antibody-rich plasma to help patients battling COVID-19. He thinks he may have become infected with the novel coronavirus during a ski trip … Read More
Hoag COVID-19 Support Fund
Significant gifts from Kingston Technology, Activision Blizzard and Hoag donor Richard Scudamore kicked off the Hoag COVID-19 fundraising efforts, which include a Hoag COVID-19 Support Fund. Together, with more than 200 gifts from community members, such as Julia and George Argyros, Joan and Andy Fimiano and Ron and Sandi Simon, Hoag COVID-19 fundraising proceeds exceed … Read More
Some Data Points Lead to Possible Good Signs for Remdesivir, but Still Too Early to Tell
A growing number of health care professionals become optimistic about Gilead’s remdesivir as a possible treatment to at least slow down the SARS-CoV-2 virus in patients. Many Californians participate in clinical trials involving remdesivir and the growing positive chatter gives hope in what has been arguably the toughest time in modern American history. Of course … Read More