LETTER FROM THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE
F
rom its founding 75 years ago, Providence Saint John’s Health Center has achieved many “firsts.” We were the first hospital in our community, opening our doors in 1942. We were the first hospital to use a heart-lung machine during surgery and the first, in 2010, to offer a revolutionary cardiac procedure called laser balloon ablation. A few years ago our orthopedic surgeons were the first to offer a new type of hip replacement surgery, which quickly became the gold standard. And more than 20 years ago our John Wayne Cancer Center offered one of the first cancer immunotherapy vaccines in the nation.
As we celebrate our milestone anniversary, however, Saint John’s continues to evolve. A few years ago we became a proud part of Providence Health & Services, one of the nation’s largest health care organizations. Our affiliation with Providence further enhances the excellent care our patients receive. We share best-care practices with our colleagues in seven states and provide state-of-the art telemedicine to some of the more rural areas in need of a higher level of expertise. And we are also part of a vast network, making it possible to share medical research and clinical trials. Saint John’s is a hybrid: a community hospital that also engages in medical research and offers clinical trials. I like to refer to Saint John’s as a community hospital on steroids! Our community benefits from this unique model, providing the highly personalized and attentive care that is a hallmark of community medicine. We anticipate continued innovation in the future, building on the many state-of-the-art therapies and services now available through our research and specialty programs. It’s a true benefit to our
community to have this level of advanced medicine in their backyard, eliminating travel to access innovative treatment and lifesaving emergency services. We have much to be grateful for as we celebrate our 75th anniversary, and we envision continued growth, excellence and new “firsts” in the years to come. Many community hospitals in our region have come and gone over the past eight decades, but we remain— bigger and better than ever. With utmost respect,
MARCEL LOH Chief Executive Providence Saint John’s Health Center and John Wayne Cancer Institute
WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU We produce Saint John’s magazine biannually to update you on what's new and exciting on the Saint John's campus. Feel free to call, email or write to us with any feedback, suggestions or questions. Phone: 310-829-8424 Email: communications@stjohns.org Address: 2121 Santa Monica Blvd., Santa Monica, CA 90404
SUMMER 2017, SAINT JOHN'S
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