[January 08, 2013]

Providence Tarzana Medical Center and Children's Hospital Los Angeles Partner to Enhance Pediatric Care in the Valley

Providence Tarzana Medical Center and Children's Hospital Los Angeles began the New Year with a new partnership that will enhance the level of pediatric care in the San Fernando Valley and surrounding communities.

Dale Surowitz, Providence Tarzana Medical Center's former chief executive and the current chief operating officer for Providence Health & Services, Southern California, says, "Our goal is to work collaboratively with Children's Hospital Los Angeles to provide the next level of care to children, closer to home." (Photo: Business Wire)

An agreement took effect Jan. 1 formalizing an affiliation designed to broaden the medical services provided by the pediatric unit and the Mozilo Family Foundation Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at Providence Tarzana. The units will be operated jointly by the two hospitals, with Children's Hospital providing further pediatric clinical expertise to Providence Tarzana.

"Providence believes strongly in providing the services our community needs and this partnership gives us the opportunity to enhance care for our young patients," said Dale Surowitz, Providence Tarzana's former chief executive and the current chief operating officer for Providence Health & Services, Southern California. "Our goal is to work collaboratively with Children's Hospital to provide the next level of care to children, closer to home."

Under the agreement, a nurse manager from Children's Hospital will jointly oversee the pediatrics partnership at Providence Tarzana, working closely with the hospital administration, physician and nursing leadership. The relationship will give Providence access to Children's pediatric specialty expertise and the hospital's best practices, policies and protocols. Under the plan, Children's Hospital also will provide training and education to the Providence Tarzana staff, complementary to existing educational programs. By establishing common standards for pediatric clinical care that continually improve quality and enhance expert-to-expert collaboration and consultation, best care practices will be ensured for each patient.

"In creating this affiliation, we are ensuring that children in our community who need hospital care can receive the best possile treatment right here, near their parents," said Cesar Chavarria, M.D., medical director of pediatrics for Providence Tarzana. "We are proud to blend our programs to offer this new level of pediatric care."

Children's Hospital is among the leading pediatric hospitals in the nation, recognized for clinical innovation and the highest levels of scientific research. It is affiliated with the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California. The new partnership is part of the hospital's mission to make it easier for the Greater Los Angeles community to access its renowned pediatric specialty care, working with institutions such as Providence Tarzana that share similar values.

"Our physicians and staff are excited to join with Providence Tarzana physicians in providing world-class care to San Fernando Valley families," said Richard D. Cordova, FACHE, president and CEO of Children's Hospital Los Angeles. "Providence Tarzana is the perfect organization for us to collaborate with - it has a long-standing and superb reputation in the community and with physicians."

Pediatric patients at Providence Tarzana will continue to be cared for by their own physicians, who will have the added benefit of access to Children's Hospital's expertise. Providence Tarzana is in the midst of reconfiguring its highly regarded pediatrics program, uniting the general pediatric unit with the Mozilo Family Foundation Pediatric Intensive Care Unit on a single floor and expanding the PICU from seven to eight beds. This newly redesigned PICU is being funded in part by a donation from the Phyllis and Angelo R. Mozilo Family Foundation and is named for the Mozilo family.

Providence pursued the agreement with Children's Hospital with support of physicians at Providence Tarzana and sister hospitals, Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center in Burbank and Providence Holy Cross in Mission Hills. Since the former Tarzana Regional Medical Center was acquired by Providence in 2008, the three hospitals have worked together to identify and enhance signature services at each location to ensure that top quality health care programs are convenient to residents of the San Fernando Valley and surrounding communities in Ventura County and northern Los Angeles County.

This new program extends the relationship between Providence and Children's Hospital - the two jointly run the Adolescent and Young Adult oncology program at Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center's Roy and Patricia Disney (News - Alert) Family Cancer Center, providing for the unique needs of that age group.

The Providence Tarzana Foundation, made up of community members and business representatives, has dedicated itself to upgrading and enhancing care at Providence Tarzana with a special focus on pediatrics. The foundation kicked off an $8 million capital campaign in 2010 to fund the renovation and expansion.

About Providence Health & Services:

Providence Health & Services, Southern California, is a Catholic not-for-profit organization dedicated to providing quality and compassionate health care and reaching out to the poor and the vulnerable in the communities it serves. Providence Southern California operates five award-winning acute-care medical centers in the Los Angeles area, providing a full continuum of healthcare services: Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center in Burbank, Providence Holy Cross Medical Center in Mission Hills, Providence Tarzana Medical Center, Providence Little Company of Mary Medical Centers in Torrance and San Pedro. The region also has numerous ancillary facilities including Hospice care, long-term care, numerous outpatient clinics, Providence Medical Institute, Providence High School and an affiliation with Facey Medical Group. For more information, visit California.providence.org

About Children's Hospital Los Angeles:

Children's Hospital Los Angeles has been named the best children's hospital in California and among the top five in the nation for clinical excellence with its selection to the prestigious U.S. News & World Report Honor Roll. Children's Hospital is home to The Saban Research Institute, one of the largest and most productive pediatric research facilities in the United States. Children's Hospital is also one of America's premier teaching hospitals through its affiliation since 1932 with the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California. For more information, visit CHLA.org. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and LinkedIn, or visit our blog: WeAreChildrens.org.

Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/multimedia/home/20130108007210/en/

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