Eight Rancho physicians named 'top doctors'

DOWNEY - Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center has earned significant national recognition yet again, as eight physicians affiliated with the hospital have been named "U.S. News Top Doctors."The Rancho doctors who were recognized included Ziyad Ayyoub, MD; Thomas Beardmore, MD; Richard Chambers, MD, Helena Chui, MD; Sugantha Govindarajan, MD; John Hsu, MD: Bruce Runyon, MD; and Michael Scott, MD. "This national recognition clearly highlights the exceptional quality of the physicians at Rancho Los Amigos and throughout the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services network," said Los Angeles County Director of Health Services Mitchell Katz, MD. "It's especially significant that the 'Top Doctors' were nominated and selected by their fellow physicians throughout the nation." This latest recognition for Rancho comes just weeks after the acclaimed facility was ranked as California's top rehabilitation hospital by U.S. News & World Report. "These outstanding physicians, and many of their Rancho clinical colleagues who have also earned national and international acclaim for their research and patient care excellence, will continue to help Rancho set the standard for high-quality, innovative and effective rehabilitation medicine," said Rancho Chief Executive Officer Jorge Orozco. Rancho's Chief Medical Officer, Mindy Aisen, MD, explained the impact healthcare reform will have on the delivery of patient care at Rancho. "Healthcare reform has refocused acute and rehabilitative care toward a more patient-centered approach--providing people with medical and social support advice when they need it most," she said. "The patient-centered medical home model Rancho is adopting will offer comprehensive medical and rehabilitative care throughout what we hope will be a long healthful life," Dr. Aisen said. "This means care may begin with an acute stroke, but care may continue with Rancho long after discharge home-with Rancho clinicians working to prevent another stroke, cardiac problem or other disabling condition." "The emphasis has moved from episodic care at the hospital to ready access to advice through telephone help lines and programs on the Rancho campus such as Rancho's new Wellness Center, which will soon have its official grand opening," she said. Dr. Aisen made brief comments about each of the newly honored Rancho physicians: "Richard Chambers, MD graduated from Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York, one of the top 10 medical schools in the United States. He is Board Certified in orthopedic surgery and has over 35 years experience in treating orthopedic conditions related to diabetes, vascular insufficiency and limb salvage. Diabetes is one of the most prevalent conditions causing complications in the United States today and Dr. Chambers' expertise contributes greatly to prolonging life and quality of life for the patients served by Rancho Los Amigos." "Michael Scott, MD (Chair of the Department of Neurorehabilitation) and Ziyad Ayyoub, MD (residency training director and Chair of the Brain Injury service) are Board Certified Physiatrists who lead rehabilitation programs at Rancho. In many ways, they are kindred spirits in their pursuit of patient care excellence. Dr. Scott is a native Angeleno who briefly left to attend college at Stanford, then returned for medical school and residency. He also did post residency training at Case Western Medical School in Cleveland, where he studied spinal cord injury and neuromuscular stimulation in depth. Dr. Ayyoub is an expert in pain management and spasticity who serves as Principal Investigator on a number of research studies. Dr. Scott and Dr. Ayyoub are affiliated with both UCLA and Loma Linda University, and they are Rancho's two most recent Professional Staff Association Presidents. Compassion and instilling hope are the key elements of both Dr. Scott's and Dr. Ayyoub's practice of rehab medicine." "Helena Chui, MD is the daughter of a career diplomat. She was educated in American Schools around the world. After studying medicine at Johns Hopkins, she trained in neurology. She was one of the first neurologists to develop a neurological rehabilitation unit in the country, establishing the Department of Neurorehablitation at Rancho. Dr. Chui is now Chair of Neurology at USC and Director of Keck's Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, which includes a clinic at Rancho. She continues to see patients at Rancho and sends neurology trainees there to enhance their knowledge about acute stroke and rehabilitation care." "Thomas Beardmore, MD created the acute arthritis program at Rancho. He is a professor at USC and an attending physician at USC University Hospital. He continues to advise Rancho physicians, educate Rancho's Rheumatology Fellows and help maintain Rancho's high standard of rheumatology and immunology care." "Sugantha Govindarajan, MD is a world-renowned liver specialist who does much more than run the clinical pathology and laboratory programs at Rancho. She has created innovative programs to educate all Rancho physicians about hepatitis diagnosis and care and has created numerous innovative practices adopted by other DHS facilities. She takes a very active role in teaching her fellow physicians at Rancho conferences, continues to publish original research in peer reviewed journals and is also an avid golfer!" "Bruce Runyon, MD is one of the many legendary hepatologists who have worked at Rancho. While serving as Chief of the Liver Service and a professor at Loma Linda, he continues to advise and collaborate with Rancho physicians, providing advice for clinical care and collaborating on original research." "John Hsu, MD, like Dr. Chui, is a graduate of Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. After finishing medical school he came to Rancho to learn from master orthopedic surgeons such as Dr. Vernon Nickel and Dr. Jacquelin Perry, and he has never left. Dr. Hsu specializes in pediatric orthopedics, treating numerous children with Cerebral Palsy and Spina Bifida. He is a member of the Magic Castle, and learned to perform magic because it made the children he cared for relax, move and reach for objects-allowing him to get a complete idea about their orthopedic limitations and needs. Dr. Hsu is now helping to create a "medical home for adults with developmental disorders" at Rancho, sharing his knowledge with a new generation of physicians." "If you spend a single day at Rancho, it's very clear that the hospital's clinicians-doctors, therapists and nurses-are highly talented and totally dedicated to their patients," said Los Angeles County Fourth District Supervisor Don Knabe. "While I am very proud of the doctors who have just been honored as 'U.S. News Top Doctors', I am also aware that there are many other Rancho Los Amigos clinicians who are also among the best in their fields, working each and every day to help patients build bridges to more independent and meaningful lives. These clinicians are the key to the outstanding care that is provided for our patients at Rancho." For further information, call the Rancho Los Amigos Foundation at (562) 401-7053 or visit rancho.org, facebook.com/rancholosamigosrehab or twitter.com/ranchorehab.

********** Published: August 04, 2011 - Volume 10 - Issue 16