Welcome to our fall edition of Providence magazine. So much has happened in the past few months, and we’re excited to share our news. We at Providence are celebrating our new union with St. Joseph Health, based in Orange County, as a new organization called Providence St. Joseph Health. In announcing our partnership, we pledged to work together on one of the nation’s most pressing needs: improved mental health.
“Better Together” is our resounding theme as Providence expands. But be assured our focus remains on quality care. Read on page 26 about our efforts to improve access to care through urgent care clinics, apps for virtual visits with a nurse-practitioner and even convenient, home-based visits. You can also learn about the rapidly expanding, high-quality neurological services offered throughout the region (page 20). Our neurologists and neurosurgeons are using the latest therapies to prevent long-term damage from strokes, quell the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease and treat brain tumors.
Providence Little Company of Mary Medical Center Torrance and Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center have introduced the “gentle” cesarean section, providing for instant skin-to-skin contact with mom and baby to help families bond (page 8). This contact has long been the norm in vaginal deliveries, and women who undergo C-sections often feel they are missing a very special moment.
And finally, Providence never moves forward without recognizing the foundation we were built upon: the religious orders that founded our hospitals with the goal of caring for all who come through our doors. On page 24 is a story about Sister Terrence Landini, a retired nurse administrator at Providence Little Company of Mary Medical Center Torrance who remains a spiritual leader at the hospital where she frequently visits patients. “Sr. T” is among the legends who have built our ministries and their dedication to quality and compassionate care.
Erik Wexler
Chief Executive
Providence St. Joseph Health, California Region, Los Angeles
