Sue Wilder, a volunteer at USC Verdugo Hills Hospital for 18 years, understands that when someone enters the hospital, they are at an extremely vulnerable point. Her first time at USC Verdugo Hills Hospital was when her father was admitted as a result of congestive heart failure. “He ended up spending seven weeks in this
Phil Mutchnik is easy to track down — if he’s not at the movies catching the films most likely be nominated for an Oscar, he’s volunteering at USC Verdugo Hills Hospital four and sometimes, five days a week. “I get a lot out of this myself,” he said. “I am not just doing this for
Jonathan Curtis has a “type A” personality. So when he was hit with sudden, severe pain in his abdomen last October, he simply grabbed some antacids to settle his stomach and got back to work. Instead of improving, the pain got worse. Within a few hours, Jonathan was wheeled into the emergency room at
USC-Verdugo Hills Hospital, part of Keck Medicine of USC, is being recognized for its exceptional support of emergency nursing certification. It is the first hospital in California to receive BCEN Honorary Certification Recognition, an award that is bestowed on one small and one large health care facility each year by the Board of Certification in
Nina Aghakhani, a native of La Cañada-Flintridge, knew from a young age that she wanted a career in health care. After graduating from college, Nina became a volunteer at USC Verdugo Hills Hospital during her gap year before medical school. Nina discovered her love for health sciences through her sports medicine and kinesiology classes at
Spring is here, which means spring allergies have also arrived. Here’s how to stop them before they start. Sure, spring is beautiful with trees and flowers in full bloom, but if you suffer from allergies to trees, grass pollens and ragweed, you know those green leaves and flowers trigger one of the most miserable
Although they are advertised as being better for your body than sugar, artificial sweeteners may be not be as harmless as they seem. Ever since saccharin, the first artificial sweetener, was created in 1879, scientists have been keeping an eye on the possible side effects of sugar substitutes. While they don’t have any calories and
CT scans and MRI scans scan similar areas of the body to diagnose injuries and internal pain, but the technology is different. Learn the advantages and limitations of each. While both CT and MRI scans capture detailed images of the inside of the body, the technology used — and the details captured, are different.
While most food allergies start in childhood, adults can develop allergies and it can happen out of nowhere. Maybe you have been eating seafood your entire life and out of nowhere your favorite lobster dish at your local restaurant causes your lips to swell. What’s causing it? Chances are you have developed an adult
When your thyroid works properly, you never know it’s there. But when it malfunctions, it wreaks havoc on your body. Your thyroid is a flat, butterfly-shaped gland located directly underneath your Adam’s apple. Everything from brain development, bone strength, heart function, digestion and muscle control are affected by the thyroid. Even so, it is not
Weighing your options: Are you making the best selections in the produce section? According to the World Health Organization, eating at least five 80-gram serving portions of a variety of fruits and vegetables every day lowers the risk of serious health problems. Recent studies have also proven that eating certain fruits can help with weight loss.
Being diagnosed with Human Papillomavirus (HPV) can be a nerve-wracking experience. You don’t need to panic, but you do need to be informed. Here are 6 things you need to know when you’re diagnosed with HPV: 1. Don’t panic HPV is so prevalent that nearly all sexually active men and women get it at some
When it comes to losing weight, exercise is important, but calorie reduction is what really helps you drop those extra pounds. Complete diet makeovers can be overwhelming, but small changes can make a big difference. There isn’t always time to meal prep, and sometimes grabbing lunch on the go is the only option. But that’s not
When you’re miserable and sniffling and sneezing, you may be ready to try anything — anything — to make it stop. Or maybe you would do anything to prevent those symptoms from starting. Science weighs in on using zinc to fight and prevent colds. Runny nose, sore throat, aches and congestion are the all too familiar symptoms
Although your natural instinct may be to whisper when you have laryngitis, speech therapists believe you may actually be straining your vocal cords. If you’ve ever suffered from laryngitis (swollen, irritated vocal cords in the larynx, perhaps better known as the voice box), your gut reaction might have been to assume that it’s okay to
Maybe you love running. Or it could just be something you’re easing yourself into. It may have taken you a long time to muster up the motivation to get on that treadmill. Finding that extra motivation in your busy life to exercise can be tough. But once you gather up that motivation, you can’t just go straight
Slimming down your waistline is no easy feat. But, it might not be as difficult as you think. Most people would love a magic potion to help them trim down in the tummy area. But, until that exists we have a few suggestions that can help make a big difference. Here are 8 tips that
What you eat for lunch is almost as important as what you eat for breakfast. Your midday meal provides you the fuel to keep running at top capacity. It gets you through the rest of your afternoon, which is likely filled with another four to five hours of thoughtful work at the office or
The Real Reasons You Get Sick When it’s Cold Outside You’re outside on an unexpectedly chilly day. You forgot to wear your hat and gloves and now you’re shivering. Is it a given that you’re going to catch a cold or come down with the flu? Maybe. Cold weather doesn’t make you sick, germs do,
Is there any significant science behind the old wives' tale? Should you be feeding a cold and starving a fever? And what should you be feeding it anyway? The last time you came down with a cold, a loved one may have suggested you should “feed a cold.” But why? What do doctors advise? As long as
On January 1, 2017 at 1:03pm, USC Verdugo Hills Hospital welcomed its very first baby of the new year. Adoptive parents Felipe Osorno and Ian Holloway, as well as older sister Sophia H. Osorno, are thrilled to welcome baby Lucia into their family. Baby Lucia weighed 7 pounds and 7 ounces. Lucia was greeted
Over 70 guests were in attendance for our most recent Men’s Health Seminar which was held on Thursday, December 8th. Various topics related to men’s health were addressed by local physicians and USC Medical School staff. The evening was especially poignant as it was the capstone for Men’s Health Awareness Month. Pictured below are Dr.
Can Keith Hobbs please report to the principal’s office? Crescenta Valley High School invited our USC Verdugo Hills Hospital CEO to be ‘principal for a day’ at his alma mater.
This innovative procedure helps improve the quality of your husband’s life with a quick, minimally invasive procedure — and will help you and your husband get a good night’s sleep again. We reached out to Leo R. Doumanian, MD, associate professor of clinical urology who practices at the USC Institute of Urology of Keck Medicine of USC
It can be hard to talk about issues below the belt, but if you or your partner experiences this problem; you don’t need to suffer any longer Has sex been less fun and more painful in the bedroom? Have you noticed that something down below is curving like a banana? Is this affecting your
The very same Botox that works for wrinkles can stop you from running to the bathroom every 15 minutes. Want to learn more? Read on.First, know that it’s not uncommon to have to urinate more frequently and have leakage issues, particularly as you get older — about 16 percent of men and women do. But
Surgeons at USC Verdugo Hills Hospital call on the latest surgical advances to tackle prostate cancer. Robotic surgery is relatively new at USC Verdugo Hills, having debuted in January 2016, but the team and program are long-standing. The USC Institute of Urology is a pioneer in robotic prostatectomies — urologists at Keck Medicine of USC
Local celebrity Betty Porto from Porto's Bakery came to deliver our nurses lunch in honor of National Nurses Week! A special thank you to our donor Bill Pounders for the donation. Some photos: Read the full story here.
Our hospital received the Get With The Guidelines Silver Plus Achievement Award for reaching an aggressive goal of treating (heart failure or stroke) patients with 85 percent or higher compliance to core standard levels of care as outlined by the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association for 12 consecutive months.
Its early symptoms can be confused with those of a cold or flu — which may be why an urgent care doctor thought it was a passing virus that could be treated with rest and over-the-counter medications. But something inside both Tammy Stradiotto and her husband James Przybyla told them that their son’s complaints
USC Verdugo Hills Hospital has been serving the Verdugo Hills community for more than 40 years. Sue and Steve Wilder took on a project to create the history wall at USC Verdugo Hills Hospital. When going through the scrapbooks, they discovered the pioneers and leaders that were able to make USC Verdugo Hills Hospital a
We held a special event with the Armenian International Women's Association (AIWA) of Los Angeles to acquaint the community at large with Medical Innovations and Excellence in high quality healthcare. Read more in Armenian Life.
Our hands. We use them every day to get us through many tasks throughout the day. Texting. Cooking. Writing. Opening Doors. Typing. Carrying Things. Exercise. Giving high fives. And more! Many times, our hands can become tired, sore and painful. If you have arthritis, tendinitis, carpal tunnel syndrome or other uncomfortable hand ailments, you might
Waking up in the morning can be tough. You’re tucked comfortably under the covers only to realize the sound of your alarm means it’s time to get up and start your day. But once you do, you head over to the mirror to start brushing your teeth. Lo and behold, you still have that belly
Your family means everything to you. Your dad, your husband, or your boyfriend are potentially some of the most important people in your life. Their health is important to you. But the unfortunate and shocking truth is that, on average, men die 5 years earlier than women. More often than not, it is due to
You’re young, energetic, feel great and are up on the latest health and fitness trends, but that doesn’t mean you should skip seeing your primary care doctor. Your 20s are a busy time in your life. Socializing, working, studying, newfound responsibilities and random adventures can jam-pack your days. But, scheduling a check-up appointment with your
The holidays are an opportunity to give thanks and celebrate life. They also can be a time of danger. Overindulgence of alcohol or drugs is an increased health threat during the holidays, experts at Keck Medicine of USC say, as is accidental consumption of harmful substances. Children may be most vulnerable. During the holiday
Each day brings about an opportunity for a fresh new start. Are you considering losing weight? Getting back in shape? Diets are hard to stick with (trust me, I know!) and more often than not we cave in at the first sign of temptation. Other times, diets can make us miserable when we watch our coworkers,
Dealing with stress is tough. Sometimes, it can get overwhelming. Some days you just feel like tossing in the towel and giving up.I get it.I have been there myself. And can I say it definitely is not a fun situation to be in.Whether you are overworking yourself or juggling too many responsibilities in between, work,
Everyday is an opportunity for a new beginning. Pressing restart may be overwhelming, especially considering our daily responsibilities, but you can set out to accomplish all of your goals this year with a bit of inspiration. Here are 10 simple ways you can start on that today: 1. Read a book Picking up a book
Googling apple cider vinegar returns seemingly endless search results, many of which describe apple cider vinegar to be the key to a healthy lifestyle. Apple Cider Vinegar’s purported health benefits – from weight loss to blood sugar regulation – have been reported in a wide range of websites from from Cosmopolitan to Authority Nutrition.
A hip replacement in October 2014 has not slowed James Foley down at all. “I’m ready to do an Irish jig now,” says the 79-year-old Catholic priest. Originally from Tipperary County, Ireland, Foley, or “Father Jack,” served the parish of Holy Redeemer in Montrose, CA, for 23 years. Although he retired in 2007, he still
The first kidney stone that Larry Collings had was a stubborn one; doctors tried sounds waves and surgery, but nothing helped. It wasn’t until he came to USC Verdugo Hills Hospital that he found relief. Battling kidney stones and the pain associated with them had become a way of life for the La Crescenta resident.
Dr. Gilbert is the new medical director of orthopaedic surgical operations for Orthopaedic Surgery at USC Verdugo Hills Hospital. He has worked in orthopaedics for the last 31 years. Here’s what you won’t find on his resume: He has strong ties to the Verdugo Hills community. “My family and I have lived in the Foothills
When Charles Mason found his wife, Chris Mason, on the floor of their bedroom, unable to move the left side of her body, he recognized that she was probably having a stroke. He also knew, after years of serving on the board of directors of USC Verdugo Hills Hospital (USC-VHH), that she needed to get
Prostatectomies performed using the da Vinci® Surgical System have the potential for less blood loss, less pain, minimal scarring and faster recovery time as compared to traditional procedures. USC Verdugo Hills Hospital of Keck Medicine of USC has acquired a da Vinci® Surgical System Robot for minimally invasive, robotic-assisted prostatectomies. Mike Nguyen, MD, MPH, associate
Physicians often want surgical patients to be up and walking soon after an operation, but a full recovery may still lay ahead. For some patients, what follows is therapy overseen by physical therapists, like those of the Physical Therapy Department at USC Verdugo Hills Hospital (USC–VHH). The staff of physical, occupational and speech therapists treats
“I’ll see you around.” “Not if I see you first!” This kind of good-natured ribbing isn’t what you’d expect to hear at a hospital-based fitness center, but it’s part of a normal day at the USC Verdugo Hills Hospital (USCVHH) Cardiac Rehabilitation Program (CRP) for cardiac patient Phil Downs. Downs, 73, a retired California Highway