Get to Know Hoag Hospital Foundation
By: Jessica Susolik
As residents of idyllic Newport Beach, we are always aware of our beautiful surroundings on a daily basis. Unless you have had a medical need, however, you may not be aware of the excellent medical care in our very own backyard.
Generously funded by George Hoag Sr. and his family, Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian opened in 1952 with 75 beds, 68 staff physicians, and 60 employees. Hoag has since expanded to 3 award-winning acute-care hospitals, 15 urgent care centers, nine health centers, seven specialty institutes, 1,800 physicians, 1,000 allied health members, 8,000 employees, and 2,000 volunteers. Among many distinctions and honors, Hoag is recognized by U.S. News & World Report as a Best Regional Hospital and Best Hospital in 3 specialties.
Robert T Braithwaite, Hoag’s President and CEO, said it best: “Our patients, volunteers, and donors have helped shape Hoag into what it is: a world-class healthcare system with the heart and soul of a community hospital.”
Much of the growth and success of the hospital can be attributed to the Hoag Hospital Foundation. The philanthropic arm of Hoag helps support the hospital’s mission of becoming a nationally recognized healthcare leader. The Foundation executes campaigns and programs that have raised upwards of $100,000,000 a year. Moreover, their next comprehensive campaign will begin with a working goal of one billion dollars.
Flynn A. Andrizzi, Ph.D., president of the Hoag Hospital Foundation, explains as follows: “What is so incredible about what we do here at the Foundation is that we continue to elevate care for the community. Whether by bringing the latest technology, recruiting world-class experts, or expanding our state-of-the-art facilities, everything we do is patient-centered and allows our clinicians to collaborate on customized care plans. There's just a different feeling when you come to Hoag, and much of that is thanks to the impacts of philanthropy.”
The Foundation focuses on raising money to obtain the best of everything, including the mental health and wellness of all staff and volunteers. This credo is reflected in the cheerful nature and bedside manner of everyone you meet at Hoag. Total care at Hoag is truly unparalleled. “The absolutely wonderful Hoag management team that has created a spectacular medical center by master planning a core objective that focuses on exceptional work at every level of operation…..from the valet who parks your car to the doctor who does your surgery, and all the steps in between! We are thrilled to be a small part of a great asset that serves our entire community, “ Dick Waitneight, Hoag Donor.
There are many ways of giving to the Hoag Hospital Foundation, and donors are able to choose where funding is funneled. Some of the different giving opportunities include the Hoag Family Cancer Institute, the Jeffrey M. Carlton Heart & Vascular Institute, the Mary & Dick Allen Diabetes Center, the Pickup Family Neurosciences Institute, and the Women’s Health Institute, to name a few. If you are interested in giving and want to focus on nursing or community benefits in general, that is available as well.
Hoag has come a long way since 1952, and over the next few years, you will see profound growth. The Boldly Hoag capital campaign, a $300 million philanthropic initiative, will support the expansion of Hoag Irvine, now named the Sun Family Campus, transforming the patient experience and redefining the future of health care for communities throughout Orange County and beyond. For more information about Boldly Hoag, visit www.boldlyhoag.org.
Additional information can be found, here: www.hoaghospitalfoundaion.org
