The Pulse 💓

LA Health Services joined Supervisorial District 3 and partner agencies—including the Departments of Public Social Services, Mental Health, Public Health, and Business and Consumer Affairs—at Telemundo’s Keep Your Benefits Telethon on March 5. The event connected community members with essential LA County resources, including Medi‑Cal renewals, rental assistance, and crisis counseling. 

For LA Health Services, the telethon was an opportunity to bring our mission directly to viewers: lifting up the importance of primary care, explaining how people can access our services, and reassuring callers that they don’t have to navigate coverage questions or care alone.  

A team of researchers at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center is helping the world better understand long COVID—and what it can mean for people long after their initial illness. 

Their research was included in a new study published in Scientific Reports that found long COVID can affect many parts of daily life, including a person’s physical health, emotional well-being, and ability to carry out usual activities. 

For Harbor-UCLA, this publication is an important achievement—one that highlights how local expertise is contributing to national research and helping build a healthier future for communities in Los Angeles County and beyond. 

Burn survivors and their families returned to LA County General Medical Center for an emotional reunion with the caregivers who helped them heal. The event has grown into a meaningful tradition, bringing former patients back for food, music, and meaningful connection. 

Survivors shared stories of resilience and rebuilding, including one former patient who returned as a high school drummer to perform for the community that once cared for him. For staff, moments like this highlight their mission: helping patients reclaim their lives long after leaving the hospital. 

The Office of Diversion and Reentry (ODR) is celebrating its tenth anniversary, marking a decade of transforming how Los Angeles County supports people with serious mental, physical, and behavioral health needs involved in the justice system. 

Founded in 2015, ODR was built on a simple idea: people do better when they receive care in the community, not in jail. Since then, ODR has diverted more than 15,000 individuals into housing, treatment, and supportive services. ODR partners with community organizations, the courts, public defenders, and individuals with lived experience to maximize every person’s chance for success.   

Congratulations to ODR on a decade of impact!

Fishing was one of Ray Pizarro’s greatest joys, a peaceful escape and a way to connect with nature and his family. But a spinal cord injury left him unable to use his hands, and suddenly the activity he loved most felt out of reach.  

That changed when the team at Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center’s Center for Applied Rehabilitation Technology (CART) stepped in. Since 1989, CART has helped children and adults with disabilities lead more independent lives through innovative assistive technology. 

Working closely with Ray over several appointments, occupational therapists and rehab engineers learned about his goals, challenges, and hopes. Together, they created a custom solution: a 3D printed fishing cuff system. The device secures to Ray’s hand and forearm, stabilizing the fishing pole and giving him an easy-to-use handle for the reel. 

For the first time since his injury, Ray was able to cast a line beside his brother. He described it as the best day he had experienced in a long time. 

If you have any questions regarding services, the referral process, or other matters, please visit this website. 

Leaders from the American Nurses Association (ANA) recently visited Correctional Health Services (CHS) to see the work of our nursing teams firsthand. Correctional Health Services is part of the Health Services network. They provide compassionate healthcare to LA County’s incarcerated population. 

During the tour, leaders met nurses, mental health teams, and patients, and learned about innovative programs supporting people in custody. The visit highlighted the compassion, skill, and dedication our CHS teams bring to caring for every patient, every day. 

In February, Wilson Uy, Clinical Nursing Director II, represented Los Angeles County at the American Correctional Association (ACA) national conference held in Long Beach. 

Wilson’s presentation at the conference explained how to write a clear problem and aim statement, and how to build the three key metrics that guide quality work: Outcome, Process, and Balancing measures. He also gave a practical overview of run charts—why they matter, how they reveal variation over time, and how teams can use them to understand whether changes are truly improvements. 

Wilson was also able to highlight recent recognition earned by Correctional Health Services (CHS), including awards from the LA Annual Productivity and Quality Awards and the National Association of Counties (NACo). These honors celebrated impactful CHS projects that have strengthened care for justice‑involved patients. 

Olive View–UCLA Medical Center has been ranked in the top 3 hospitals in the nation, and number 1 in California, for community benefit by the Lown Institute—an important recognition of what it means to be a safety-net system. 

But what does “community benefit” actually mean? Unlike traditional hospital rankings that focus primarily on clinical outcomes, the Lown Institute evaluates how hospitals invest in the health and well-being of their communities. This includes providing free or low-cost care, serving a high proportion of Medicaid and uninsured patients, and supporting programs like health education, food access, and community-based services.

Olive View–UCLA Medical Center (OVMC) has been recognized by the American Heart Association as one of the nation’s first All‑Star Training Centers, honoring excellence in CPR and emergency cardiovascular care education. The designation reflects the strength of OVMC’s education teams in delivering high‑quality lifesaving training and their commitment to building critical skills that support patient care and community safety. 

As an All‑Star Training Center, OVMC joins a select group elevating the standard of lifesaving education.

LA General Medical Center Chief Medical Officer Dr. Brad Spellberg has been named to Becker’s Hospital Review’s “252 Hospital and Health System Chief Medical Officers to Know | 2026.” 

The national recognition highlights physician leaders who are improving quality, safety, and patient care across the country. 

At LA General, Dr. Spellberg helps lead care for one of the nation’s most complex patient populations. He oversees physician leadership, clinical quality, and patient safety across the hospital. Under his leadership, LA General has improved patient safety, strengthened clinical governance, and expanded innovative programs such as Safer@Home, the hospital’s hospital-at-home program. 

Los Angeles General Medical Center has been named a Top Hospital for Colon Surgery by Castle Connolly, a national recognition of hospitals that excel in complex surgical care and patient outcomes. The honor highlights LA General’s leadership in treating conditions like colorectal cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, and diverticulitis, and reflects the deep expertise of LA Health Services’ surgical teams working across hospitals, clinics, and specialty programs. 

This achievement also underscores the strength of LA Health Services’ One System approach, where coordinated teams guide patients from community clinics through advanced surgery and recovery. Together, they ensure patients across Los Angeles County receive exceptional treatment at every step. 

The Leadership Development Program (LDP) at LA Health Services has been named a 2026 recipient of the Association for Talent Development (ATD) BEST Award, one of the most respected and competitive distinctions in the global talent development profession. 

The ATD BEST Awards recognize organizations that achieve enterprise-wide impact through the strategic use of talent development. Recipients are selected through a rigorous, blind review process and represent a distinguished group of organizations that leverage learning and professional development to advance strategic priorities. 

This award highlights LDP’s commitment to building a strong, organization-wide leadership culture. “We are honored to be recognized among a select group of global organizations that view talent development as a strategic imperative,” said Yvonne Banzali, LDP Director. “This achievement reflects the collective commitment of our executive sponsors, leadership faculty, partners, and alumni who believe that developing people is the most powerful lever for organizational success.” 

Recently, the Helping Healers Heal (H3) program was acknowledged by the Joint Commission as a best practice—highlighting the program as an exceptional, high‑performing, and innovative patient safety practice. The H3 program trains peer supporters who provide compassionate, confidential support to colleagues experiencing workplace or personal stressors, helping them feel grounded and able to safely re-engage in their work.  

Research shows that a healthy workforce experiences fewer safety incidents, and that employee well‑being directly influences the safety, experiences, and outcomes of patients and communities. By partnering with employees at every level, the Well‑Being team is helping build a stronger, safer, and more resilient LA Health Services—one that supports its staff and the communities they serve. 

Olive View–UCLA Medical Center proudly hosted their annual High School Career Day, welcoming high school students for a day of immersive, hands-on learning. 

Students explored clinical areas across the hospital, connected with professionals during a healthcare career fair, and participated in practical trainings like CPR/AED basics. The day also included a Narcan presentation, equipping students with lifesaving knowledge on opioid overdose response. 

Aligned with our mission of training the healthcare workers of the future, this initiative reflects our deep commitment to community engagement and building a diverse pipeline into healthcare. 

Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center welcomed ninth‑grade engineering and biomedical students for a visit supporting their 3D printing and assistive technology projects. The on-campus visit helped students and makers better understand real‑world mobility needs and inclusive design. 

Students participated in wheelchair skills and adaptive basketball, observed prosthetics and rehabilitation technologies, and learned how Rancho’s teams blend engineering and clinical care. A patient and staff panel offered powerful insight into lived experience and resilience. 

Overall, this collaboration between Rancho Los Amigos and Sato Academy created an inspiring learning experience, demonstrating how rehabilitation, innovation, and education can come together to shape the next generation of engineers and biomedical professionals.