The next time you or a loved one is in need of hospital or emergency care, you can rest assured that you’re in good hands at Saddleback Memorial Medical Center. In the five years since parent company MemorialCare took over operations, the San Clemente facility has undergone a cosmetic and technological overhaul. A host of new programs have been introduced, and access to resources from the larger organization has made it possible for patients to receive more specialized medical services, even in an economic downturn.

Staying ahead of the curve by becoming the first facility within MemorialCare to undergo the medical records transition from written records to digital has allowed Saddleback to seamlessly coordinate patient care among multiple doctors. Embedding digital images such as X-rays and MRIs into the patient’s record virtually eliminates duplicate testing. This advancement streamlines the processes of diagnosis, treatment and follow-up care, saving valuable time and money for both the patient and the hospital.

Equipment has also been updated in almost every hospital department. More than $4 million has been invested in expanding imaging services, including a nuclear medicine camera and a CT scanner capable of instant cardiac imaging.

Saddleback’s Emergency and Orthopedic Surgery Departments are outperforming industry standards. Critical care nurses are trained in emergency medicine, and wait times are tracked closely. Hospital Administrator Tony Struthers boasts, “Our ER can’t be duplicated, and I would match our staff and physicians with any other.”

The Orthopedic Surgery Department offers comprehensive diagnostic and surgical services, including total joints, spine and pain management. Dr. William Vandereis is one of the only surgeons in the area to perform hip arthroscopy, a minimally invasive procedure that functions to prevent total hip replacements.

Surgeons trained in bariatric surgery are performing the Lap Band procedure at Saddleback with successful outcomes. This less invasive alternative to gastric bypass surgery allows patients to manage risk factors for heart disease and diabetes.

Saddleback’s Infusion Center and the new MemorialCare Breast Center in Talega provide local residents convenient options for specialized care. The Infusion Center offers patients undergoing infusion therapies, such as chemotherapy or IV antibiotics, the opportunity to receive treatments in a comfortable setting. Talega’s Breast Center provides screening, referral services and patient advocacy in a state-of-the-art facility. The breast specialist physicians dedicate their practice to the early detection and treatment of breast cancer. They interpret every mammogram and ultrasound and team with other specialists in a multidisciplinary approach to treatment.

Saddleback’s partnership with three new physicians at San Clemente Family Medicine in Talega has extended its reach further into the community. Doctors Amber Pachon, Candace Basich and Lowell Kleinman are primary care providers who see patients from pediatrics to seniors. Their office offers same day and next day appointment options, decreasing the need for time-consuming and costly emergency room visits.

A quality healthcare experience results from more than an investment in advanced technology and state-of-the-art equipment, however. Saddleback has cultivated a more patient-friendly environment by redesigning patient rooms, increasing staff and even adding extensive landscaping to its campus. Administrator Struthers feels that such attention to detail and an overall dedication to optimal performance have made Saddleback well-positioned to address the changes brought on by the recent healthcare reform legislation.

Saddleback Memorial in Laguna Hills, for the second time in three years, has been honored as one of the “100 Top Hospitals” in the nation by independent health research organization Thomson Reuters. It is the only Greater Los Angeles/Orange County hospital to be named to this elite group in 2010.

The criteria for the “100 Top Hospitals” were developed using publicly submitted data from nearly 3,000 short-term, acute care hospitals nationwide. Mortality rates, medical complications, patient safety, average stay, expenses, profitability, patient satisfaction, adherence to clinical standards of care and post-discharge readmission rates were evaluated. The Thomson Reuters list is considered the closest measure of value in the healthcare industry. As a point of comparison, the research organization suggests that “if all Medicare patients received the same level of care as patients treated in the winning hospitals, more than 98,000 additional patients would survive each year…and expenses would decline by $5.5 billion per year.”

Saddleback Memorial has a 35-year history of serving San Clemente and recognizes the importance of access to quality, compassionate healthcare close to home. Struthers asserts that the hospital is here to stay. “What we’re doing here is working,” he grins, “we’re here when you need us.”

Saddleback Memorial’s San Clemente Campus is located at 654 Camino De Los Mares. For more info, call 949.496.1122 or visit memorialcare.org.