Hoag Liver Program Specialized liver experts. Comprehensive and collaborative care.
The management of liver disease involves many specialties. As the highest ranked hospital in Orange County, Hoag is uniquely positioned to offer quality and compassionate liver care, provided by a highly skilled team of specialists.” – Tse-Ling Fong, MD Program Director, Hoag Liver Program
Made Possible by Your Generosity Led by Program Director Tse-Ling Fong, MD, a triple board-certified hepatologist, the Hoag Liver Program is one of only a few hospital-based programs in Orange County with dedicated hepatologists who oversee liver care. Alongside triple board-certified, fellowship-trained transplant hepatologist Brian T. Lee, MD, Dr. Fong and his team employ a collaborative approach to care, establishing personalized treatment plans for patients with complex liver diseases and conditions. The Hoag Liver Program offers advanced, streamlined care management for liver patients prior to and after transplantation. With Dr. Fong’s and Dr. Lee’s expertise, Hoag patients needing a liver transplant can count on the Liver Program to guide them through the transplant process seamlessly. Thanks to generous community philanthropists and patients, the Hoag Liver Program is empowered with the resources and technology to deliver care at an unparalleled standard of excellence.
2023 IMPACT
4,591 Total visits to the Hoag Liver Clinic 3,602 Follow-up visits 989 New patient visits 24 New patients per week As of October 31, 2023
An Elevated Patient Experience Two data coordinators support the Hoag Liver Program to ensure comprehensive care for patients with liver cancer and fatty liver disease. Their positions, funded by philanthropy, are enabling Drs. Fong and Lee to track disease progression and better understand how patients’ social and emotional habits impact health outcomes. Further refining Hoag’s personalized, holistic approach to care, philanthropy also provides access to dietitians, clinical psychologists, and social workers. Together, these experts help patients make appropriate diet and lifestyle changes and offer support with depression, addiction, and emotional health needs.
Streamlined, Minimally Invasive Procedures With donor funding to support the latest advances in technology, Hoag’s liver team offers the most advanced diagnostic options for the evaluation of liver disease. This includes utilizing advanced endoscopy for liver biopsy due to the recent advent of endohepatology. Typically requiring two separate procedures performed by a gastroenterologist and an interventional radiologist, liver biopsies at Hoag are now being combined into a single procedure. For evaluating patients with fibrosis, a scarring of the liver, Hoag utilizes FibroScan, an innovative, non-invasive imaging technology for measuring liver stiffness. This procedure can be performed in one visit with Drs. Fong or Lee and eliminates the need for a liver biopsy in more than half of patients.
Sometimes a special person comes into your life and makes it better. Dr. Fong is that special person in my life, and I am so grateful for his wisdom, constant support, compassion, dedication, and hard work. The years spent with him as my doctor have been the best. He truly is a great doctor.” – Cheryl Gorman, Grateful Patient
The Future of Liver Care at Hoag Through a range of giving opportunities, donors can continue to support Hoag’s liver team in providing a level of care that exceeds patients’ expectations. Gift opportunities include clinical research, nutrition services delivered by registered dietitians, prominent naming opportunities to ensure state-of-the-art technology and facilities, and more.
Innovative Research and Patient Education As part of the SC Liver Research Consortium, an organization of physicians specializing in clinical research in hepatology and gastroenterology, Hoag will be initiating its first clinical trial for the management of fatty liver disease in early 2024. Serving as an established research site for the consortium cements Hoag as a trusted partner of research sponsors nationwide, including top pharmaceutical and technology companies, to provide faster, novel, innovative studies for patients. New philanthropic opportunities to fund research and patient education for the Hoag Liver Program would continue to expand access to invaluable resources and treatment modalities for patients throughout the region.
Surgical Theater for Liver Education Surgical Theater, a virtual reality platform that helps patients and physicians visualize and prepare for surgery, is employed by specialists across Hoag. Within the Hoag Liver Program, Dr. Lee is working with this 3D visual model to educate patients on the anatomy of their livers and liver cancer treatment for superior patient experience and outcomes. A gift to the Hoag Liver Program in support of Surgical Theater would allow Dr. Lee the opportunity to further integrate this innovative platform into patient care.
It was during my college years in Orange County when I decided to enter the medical profession, so it really comes full circle for me to return and contribute as a specialized liver provider for the Hoag community. I am very appreciative of this honor to serve Hoag patients, and I am fully confident in the direction this hospital is taking in order to provide the best care possible for its patients.” – Brian T. Lee, MD Hepatologist, Hoag Liver Program
Thank you for your support. Because of you, we are world class.
For information about how to give to the Hoag Liver Program, contact Garrett Aanestad, director of development, at (949) 764-7215 or Garrett.Aanestad@hoag.org.