Whittier, Calif., Aug. 08, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — PIH Health and CHOC Children’s have formed a new affiliation that advances pediatric clinical care for children in the communities of Los Angeles and Orange counties. As a part of this affiliation, a CHOC Children’s Health Center opens today in PIH Health’s Whittwood Medical Office Building located in Whittier at 15725 E. Whittier Blvd., suite 300. CHOC’s Health Center will provide pediatric neurology, gastroenterology and cardiology services with more specialties to be added in the future to meet the community’s pediatric care needs.
The need for pediatric healthcare expertise is significant in the PIH Health communities. PIH Health Physicians currently see more than 45,000 pediatric patients annually, with nearly 30,000 pediatric visits in the emergency departments at PIH Health hospitals in Whittier and Downey. This affiliation will ensure that newborns and children living in the areas served by PIH Health will have access to some of the highest-quality pediatric specialty care available anywhere.
Later this year, a CHOC board-certified pediatrician will staff PIH Health’s Whittier Urgent Care Center at 15733 Whittier Blvd., to provide dedicated pediatric care for children in need of urgent medical attention.
“We are pleased to be expanding our long-standing relationship with CHOC Children’s to better serve our community. While PIH Health already provides outstanding primary care pediatric services for children, CHOC’s exceptional reputation, physicians and staff will elevate the level of care by now offering pediatric specialty services here in our community,” said PIH Health President and CEO Jim West.
Local residents can continue to access their primary care pediatricians and a growing list of specialists near their homes, while timely transport to CHOC Children’s Hospital will be available for neonatal and pediatric patients in need of higher acuity care.
“PIH Health has an inspiring history of serving the greatest needs of its community, a commitment we share. Both of our health care systems are dedicated to exceptional and innovative care delivered by teams of compassionate and highly skilled healthcare professionals who strive to improve the health and well-being of our patients. Working together, we will secure the brightest and healthiest futures for children,” said CHOC Children’s President and CEO Kimberly Chavalas Cripe.
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About PIH Health
PIH Health is a nonprofit, regional healthcare network that serves more than 2.1 million residents in the Los Angeles County, Orange County and San Gabriel Valley region. The fully integrated network is comprised of PIH Health Hospital – Whittier and PIH Health Hospital – Downey and features 19 outpatient medical offices, a multispecialty medical (physician) group, home healthcare services and hospice care, as well as heart, cancer, women’s health, urgent care and emergency services. The organization is recognized by IBM Watson as one of the nation’s Top Hospitals, and Hospitals and Health Networks as one of the nation’s top hospital systems for best practices, cutting-edge advancements, quality of care and healthcare technology. Healthgrades®, the leading online resource for information about physicians and hospitals, recently honored PIH Health Hospital – Whittier with the 2018 Distinguished Hospital for Clinical Excellence Award and for the fourth consecutive year, the Outstanding Patient Experience Award (2015-2018). PIH Health invests millions each year in community education and free and low-cost services to support those with the greatest need. For more information, visit PIHHealth.org.
About CHOC Children’s
Named one of the best children’s hospitals by U.S. News & World Report (2017-2018), CHOC Children’s is exclusively committed to the health and well-being of children through clinical expertise, advocacy, outreach, education and research that brings advanced treatment to pediatric patients. CHOC’s regional health care network includes two state-of-the-art hospitals in Orange and Mission Viejo, many primary and specialty care health centers, a pediatric residency program, and four clinical centers of excellence – the CHOC Children’s Heart, Neuroscience, Orthopaedic and Hyundai Cancer Institutes.
CHOC earned the Gold Level CAPE Award from the California Council of Excellence, the only children’s hospital in California to ever earn this distinction, and was awarded Magnet designation, the highest honor bestowed to hospitals for nursing excellence. Recognized for extraordinary commitment to high-quality critical care standards, CHOC’s Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) is the first in the United States to earn the Beacon Award for Pediatric Critical Care Excellence.
CONTACT: Rosie Marquez PIH Health 5626980811 Ext. 81128 rosie.marquez@pihhealth.org
