Orange County may not have as many medical facilities as its much larger counterpart to the north, Los Angeles, but it has a fine reputation for providing excellent health and patient care. And, while “enhancement” surgeries are sought-after procedures, OC doctors can do a lot more than a nip here and a tuck there. In fact, practicing OC doctors are responsible for such medical breakthroughs as differentiating embryonic stem cells to repair damaged tissue in spinal cord injuries; identifying vitamin nutrients to work in tandem with regular exercise in delaying the onset of neurodegenerative diseases; and discovering that tumor suppressor genes can be used to screen for cervical cancer.
Orange County is also home to an academic medical center, UC Irvine Medical Center, which is a leader in translational medicine with the latest research used to provide patients with the newest therapies and treatments. If you’re a parent, you’ll be glad to know that Orange County also has one of the nation’s leading children’s hospitals, Children’s Hospital of Orange County (CHOC). CHOC is one of only 45 free-standing children’s hospitals in the entire United States and was the first children’s hospital in the state to offer minimally invasive robotic surgery for pediatric patients. The doctors and researchers at CHOC have made great strides in pediatric medicine, including conducting the nation’s first balloon dilation of a cardiac lesion, which is now a routine procedure by cardiologists. CHOC is also one of the few centers in the entire world that employs a team, houses equipment, and has the expertise needed to diagnose and treat children with metabolic disorders and has one of the largest metabolic programs in all of California. While most hospitals cover late shifts with residents only, CHOC is one of only a few in the nation to have 24-hour board-certified care and neonatology specialists running the intensive care units. This alone is comforting to parents who have faced life and death situations with their most precious cargo.
While hospital acquisitions continue to occur and other providers continue their exodus from Southern California, the face of Orange County’s health care system, which has fared far better than other communities in the state, keeps changing. It truly is the survivor of the fiscally fit with strong, more established health care systems riding out the downturn of the economic wave while smaller providers seem to be drowning and are either forced to merge or close their doors altogether. MedPartners Inc. and Tenet Healthcare Corporation are just two examples, with the former selling its remaining physician network, which includes Mullikin Medical Group and Friendly Hills clinics, and the latter selling four of its Orange County hospitals to a new company willing to pay $70 million.
Last year Orange County gained some unwanted medical publicity when “Octomom,” a former Cal State Fullerton student, crossed the county line to set up home in The OC with her brood. While she may live in Orange County, she received her fertility treatments in Los Angeles where the attending physician has come under extreme scrutiny. With that said, many men and women turn to the fertility experts in Orange County to conceive. There are reputable clinics that offer screening, in vitro fertilization, and reproductive care. Orange County also has many holistic health clinics and dispensaries where qualified patients can obtain marijuana for medical needs.
And, not surprising, Orange County residents, as well as most of Southern California, place an importance on physical beauty—just watch the train wreck that takes place on Bravo’s The Real Housewives of Orange County. A Google search or a glance between the pages of an antiquated phone book reveals page after page of doctors more than willing to perform breast augmentation, lap band surgery, tummy tucks, lifts for all parts of the body, and many other procedures. Many doctors offer what’s called the Mommy Makeover, promising to restore women to their pre-pregnancy selves.
While it may appear that Orange County leads the way in cosmetic procedures, and that could quite possibly be true, its real strength in terms of medical contributions is patient care. It is home to one of the most advanced children’s hospitals, excels in neonatal care, and has excellent facilities for treating cancer patients as well as those who have suffered a stroke. Orange County also has excellent resources for hospice care and those with mental health issues. Bottom line: Health care in Orange County is much more than just skin deep.