UC Davis Health

We are thrilled to share that we have been recognized as one of the nation’s leading hospitals for outstanding patient care, according to the 2024-2025 U.S. News & World Report prestigious Best Hospitals survey! As the region’s only comprehensive level 1 trauma center for both adult and pediatric patients, UC Davis Medical Center ranked as the No. 1 hospital in Sacramento and No. 8 in California. We have been the No. 1 hospital in Sacramento for at least the last 13 years and among the Top 10 in the state for over a decade. “UC Davis Health is built on our commitment to improve lives and transform health care by providing excellent patient-centered care, conducting groundbreaking research and administering interprofessional education,” said David Lubarsky, vice chancellor of human health sciences and CEO. “We are honored to be recognized for this commitment and the exceptional care our clinical teams deliver every day.” Learn more about our rankings: https://lnkd.in/dMArmKJy

🌟 Exciting bone health discovery! Our scientists, in collaboration with the University of California, San Francisco, have discovered a new hormone that may help build strong bones. The study results published in Nature sheds light on how breastfeeding women maintain robust bones even as calcium is stripped from their bones to support milk production. With over 200 million people affected by osteoporosis worldwide, this discovery holds significant potential for improving bone health in the broader population. Congratulations to Thomas H. Ambrosi, Kent Leach, Holly Ingraham, and the entire research team for their outstanding work! https://lnkd.in/gBuqDjHh

We're excited to share that Marie Burns has been appointed interim director of the Center for Neuroscience (CNS)! Burns is a highly respected and active member of the UC Davis neuroscience community, and a CNS core faculty member since 2001. She brings a wealth of leadership experience and a distinguished career in vision neuroscience research to her new role. “Bridging a uniquely broad range of research topics and approaches, the Center for Neuroscience has been a national leader in multi-disciplinary neuroscience research for decades. I’m honored to step into the role of interim director during this transition," Burns said. "Together with the incredible faculty, trainees and staff at CNS, we will continue to advance the center’s mission, building on the strong foundation established over the past 30 years.” Learn more: https://lnkd.in/gC4ZJK-W

We are thrilled to share that our chief of pediatric cardiology, Frank Ing, was honored with the Helping Little Hearts Lifetime Service Award from the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI)! The award recognizes the work of interventional cardiologists specializing in the treatment of pediatric congenital heart disease. “I was actually surprised I was selected for this award because I had submitted two other names for consideration,” Ing said. “When I think of those who received the award over the years, I am both humbled and honored, but also a little sad because I think these awards are usually reserved for those near the end of their career. This recognition encourages me to continue to contribute to our field and community.” Congratulations, Dr. Ing! https://lnkd.in/gmM3EnKC Image description: Frank Ing, middle, holds award next to SCAI president George Dangas, left, and SCAI faculty member Dennis Kim, right.

Abdominal aortic aneurysms can be deadly, but they are often underdiagnosed and, or, undertreated in women. To help address this disparity, our researchers have harnessed powerful artificial intelligence (AI) software to show how these aneurysms can grow faster in women and may require more rigorous surveillance. “There is not a lot of data about aneurysm growth in women,” said Misty Humphries, interim chief of Vascular Surgery and senior author on the study. “So, there's not a lot of information about when women’s aneurysms should be fixed or reimaged or even how they grow compared to men’s. This is the first time this data has become available.” Learn more about this new study: https://lnkd.in/du6NS7PJ

People recently released from incarceration are among the most vulnerable populations in society. To better support these individuals, our Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and Digital CoLab are now providing digital resources and support for people reentering communities after incarceration. The new program is called Digital SAFE-T and is built on a partnership between Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and WellSpace Health (the largest federally qualified health center or FQHC in Sacramento). It provides personalized case management for recently incarcerated individuals. “We are proud to have developed the Digital SAFE-T Program to help incarcerated and released individuals access resources and critical care in the palm of their hand,” said Ashish Atreja, CIO and chief digital health officer. “By re-imagining how we can support this vulnerable patient population, we are thinking beyond the walls of our hospital to provide care through technology.” Learn more: https://lnkd.in/gckszzTT

As we approach the Fourth of July holiday, I want to thank all of our employees at UC Davis Health for their professionalism and hard work on behalf of our patients and community. Every day, I see how our employees cultivate health and well-being throughout families, communities and the region. At the core of our success is the conviction that each person who walks through the doors of our health system is a very special person, inclusive of their background, orientation, and material circumstance. Equitable access to quality health care is a key priority as we build the future of health care. I recall the words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who made America stronger by making America just and inclusive. He once said, “All labor that uplifts humanity has dignity and importance and should be undertaken with painstaking excellence.” Our “uplifting” health system does this type of human-oriented, patient-focused care on a daily basis – and more than ever, people far and wide are recognizing our accomplishments. We couldn’t do it without each and every one of you – physicians, nurses, staff, students, and our health allies. Thank you for everything that you do, and Happy Fourth of July!

To help hospitals across the United States better prepare for the next patient surge emergency, we recently worked with the Department of Defense to create a temporary structure model. Our team designed and created a 56-bed modular surge facility, or MSF, to address a future patient surge event. The structure includes everything from a pharmacy to a radiology suite with X-ray and ultrasound capabilities. “When a catastrophic event hits a community, there is often a large influx of emergency patients,” explained Pranav Shetty, our medical director of disaster management. “In events such as a natural disaster, mass shooting, overseas war or terror attack, hospitals have to make rapid decisions on how to appropriately manage the large influx of patients while providing high quality medical care for existing as well as incoming patients.” Read more: https://lnkd.in/g68Vebp2

We're excited to share that we've named Joseph Galante as our Hospital Chief Medical Officer and Debbie Aizenberg as our Ambulatory Chief Medical Officer! Joe Galante will oversee Hospital Clinical Care Services (HCCS), where he will lead and direct the professional portion of the medical center’s clinical delivery system. He is the liaison between the hospital, School of Medicine and the self-governed medical staff for UC Davis Medical Center. As such, he is a key partner in all of the operations of the medical center. Debbie Aizenberg will lead Ambulatory Clinical Care Services (ACCS), where she will be responsible for providing leadership and direction to the ambulatory enterprise. Her role will include oversight of all ambulatory care practices, which includes more than 75 clinics at 32 locations both in Sacramento and throughout Northern California. “Dr. Galante’s and Dr. Aizenberg’s extraordinary leadership experience, knowledge of UC Davis Health, and dedication to patient care deeply align with our goals of cultivating the health and well-being of all patients and families throughout Northern California. They will play pivotal roles in shaping our strategic directions, enhancing the quality of our medical services, and fostering a culture of excellence and innovation at UC Davis Health. I am thrilled to continue to work alongside them as we develop a model health system that merges technology, efficiency, quality, and compassion for those whom we serve,” said Chief Clinical Officer Bruce Hall. Congratulations, both!

As this #PRIDE month closes, our support for the LGBTQIA+ community never stops. We are proud to support this community during June and the rest of the year. This year’s Sacramento Pride Festival saw one of the strongest turnouts to date of University of California, Davis and UC Davis Health employees and students coming together to celebrate love, diversity, and equality. We will continue to advocate for the needs of others and empower our LGBTQIA+ employees to develop their own supportive social network of colleagues, collaborators, peers and allies. #HappyPride! 💛🏳️🌈💙 Video description: A compilation of clips from the Sacramento Pride March which includes individuals gathered waving, cheering, and participating in the parade around Sacramento. “True Colors” by XO Cupid ft. May Avedis plays in the background.