Orange Coast, CHOC Open Units; UCI Studies Native American Health
Two doctors from Hoag Heart Institute were part of a team of four heart specialists selected by the American College of Cardiology to travel to Thailand to teach the latest advancements and techniques in heart-valve surgery.
During the 12-day visit in February, Dr. Aidan A. Raney, medical director of cardiac surgery, and Dr. Pravin M. Shah, medical director of non-invasive cardiac imaging and academic programs, attended clinical seminars in three cities, conducted eight live surgical demonstrations at four Thailand hospitals and lectured to more than 400 physicians at the 32nd annual Heart Association of Thailand Scientific Sessions.
The doctors also addressed the role of Echocardiography, a diagnostic tool used in valve repair surgery, during their overseas visit.
“The issue of valve repair vs. valve replacement is such a significant topic that reaching as many of the Thai physicians as possible in the limited time we had there was a priority,” Raney said.
Two Grand Openings
Orange Coast Memorial Medical Center, Fountain Valley, has opened a Coast Pulmonary and Internal Medicine Associates practice on the hospital’s campus. Dr. Viney Soni, a staff physician, and his associates will conduct regular check-ups as well as allergy screenings, immunizations, diabetes tests, blood-pressure tests and breathing tests to detect and treat asthma.
Soni has two other offices, in Fountain Valley and in Newport Beach.
Meanwhile, Children’s Hospital of Orange County’s Neuroscience Institute opened last week. The facility will offer programs such as cerebral endoscopy to treat hydrocephalus patients, digital electroencephalography and computerized video EEG telemetry to treat seizure disorders, and intrathecal Baclofen therapy to help patients living with spasticity.
Research on Native American Health
UCI College of Medicine professor Dr. Allan Hubbell and assistant professor Dr. Laura Williams are studying the health and well-being of the Native American population in Southern California. UCI has received $230,000 from the California Endowment to study health conditions and design surveys for national use. The research could affect public policy.
In Conclusion
Next week, you might notice a different face adorning the healthcare column. That’s because I’ve left the Business Journal and taken a position at the Schraff Group in Newport Beach. A big “thank you” to those OC healthcare professionals who were so helpful to me during the months that I was covering the healthcare and biomedical industries.
Bits and Pieces:
NeoTherapeutics Inc., Irvine, got the green light from the FDA to initiate an open-label extension to its ongoing U.S. phase 2b clinical trial of Neotrofin, a drug to treat Alzheimer’s disease Telesis Medical Management Inc. and Vectis Corp., formerly of Mission Viejo, who previously announced a merger of equals, have formed a company called Physician WebLink based in White Plains, N.Y. Quality Systems Inc. announced that its MicroMed Healthcare Information Systems division will launch an Internet-based consumer health portal called NextMD.com. The launch is targeted for later this month UCI Medical Center launched a new online maternity guide at www.ucihealth.com.The guide offers information about pregnancy, breast-feeding and newborn care. New parents can also post baby’s photo online for family and friends in UCI’s Web Nursery.
