CALIFORNIA — Nearly 34 percent of California hospitals received top grades in protecting patient safety, according to the spring 2023 hospital safety grades released Wednesday by The Leapfrog Group, an independent nonprofit health care watchdog. That’s an improvement compared to the last round of rankings, even as the average risk of contracting deadly infections remained elevated nationwide … Read More
Exercise is key for maintaining physical and mental health. Studies show that it positively affects health even if started later in life. Some suggest that exercise improves cognition by inducing long-term changes in the hippocampus, such as increased volume and an increased rate of neuronal formation. How exactly exercise changes the hippocampus, however, remains unknown. Understanding more about how … Read More
Atrial fibrillation (Afib) is a heart condition characterized by irregular beating in the upper chambers of the heart that reduces blood flow to the lower chambers. Afib can cause discomfort in patients and increase stroke risk by five times. In 2019, AFib was mentioned on 183,321 death certificates in the United States. Estimates state that the condition will affect 12.1 … Read More
Hoag Hospital in Newport Beach is recruiting patients for a long-term study designed to collect real-world clinical outcomes for a new mitral valve replacement option. The MOMENTIS study will follow patients who receive the MITRIS RESILIA valve, developed by Edwards Lifesciences using innovations that were developed to ease the orientation of the initial valve placement … Read More
Trillions of microbes coexist with immune cells in the intestine. A layer of intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) acts as a first line of defense against microbes by separating them from immune cells. Previous studies have shown that immune cells known as intestinal lymphocytes communicate with IECs to promote tissue repair and intestinal homeostasis. Studies also show that microbiota produce metabolites such as lactate, acetate, … Read More
Dear Neighbors, I am pleased to inform you that the California Department of Public Health has ended the mask mandate for health care settings effective April 3, 2023. Health care staff, patients/residents and visitors should consider wearing a mask based on personal level of risk, the CDC COVID-19 Community Levels and Hoag’s policies. The CDC strongly recommends … Read More
As he works to expand world-class health care in Irvine, Hoag President and CEO Robert Braithwaite is deploying a strategy inspired by Irvine’s Master Plan. “The Irvine framework really did help,” Braithwaite said in a recent interview to discuss Hoag’s $1 billion expansion on Sand Canyon Avenue. “We looked at how Irvine is configured and … Read More
Three years after COVID-19 was deemed a global pandemic, some spine practices have made permanent the changes they had to implement. Here’s how five spine surgeons are looking back at the early months of the pandemic. Question: It has been more than three years since the WHO declared COVID-19 a global pandemic. What is an … Read More
Image Courtesy: Champions For more than 25 years, the Hoag Classic has generated tens of millions of dollars to benefit Hoag Hospital and other local charities. While those philanthropic contributions help show impact of Hoag Hospital, there are two stories that go a long way – quite literally, in one instance – to showcase the … Read More
Spine surgeons often spend time volunteering within their communities to provide medical care and for other causes. Five spine surgeons told Becker’s how they serve others outside of work. Question: What volunteer work are you involved with this year? Brian Fiani, DO. Mendelson Kornblum Orthopedic & Spine Specialists (Livonia, Mich.): I am establishing a charitable organization for spinal … Read More
