Physicians from Hoag's Jeffrey M. Carlton Heart & Vascular Institute shared how collaboration, innovation, and philanthropy are expanding what is possible for patients with complex cardiovascular conditions.
This month, donors and friends of Hoag gathered for a conversation with physicians from the Jeffrey M. Carlton Heart & Vascular Institute about the future of cardiovascular care and what it takes to bring increasingly advanced treatment closer to home.
The discussion highlighted a defining strength of Hoag’s approach: bringing specialists together to determine the best path forward for each patient. From complex heart surgery and advanced heart failure therapies to minimally invasive vascular procedures, this collaborative model is expanding treatment options for patients throughout Orange County.
Better outcomes begin with collaboration
Cardiovascular conditions rarely fit neatly into a single specialty. Patients with complex disease may need the expertise of cardiologists, cardiac surgeons, vascular surgeons, and advanced heart failure specialists, sometimes at different stages of the same treatment journey.
At Hoag, collaboration helps connect these areas of expertise. Physicians described how multidisciplinary conferences allow specialists to review complex cases together, evaluate treatment options, and develop coordinated plans tailored to each patient’s needs.
For patients with aortic disease, for example, cardiac and vascular surgeons can combine their expertise to address different sections of the aorta and plan for a patient’s long-term health. Hoag’s hybrid operating rooms further support this collaboration, allowing physicians to combine surgery with real-time imaging and, when needed, additional vascular interventions during the same procedure.
The impact extends beyond the operating room. Cardiologists often guide patients through years of care as their conditions evolve, connecting them with additional specialists and advanced therapies when needed. By keeping these relationships within one integrated institute, Hoag can help patients navigate increasingly complex decisions while remaining close to their families and support systems.
Expanding what is possible for patients
The physicians also discussed advances in treatment for patients with complex cardiovascular disease, including minimally invasive procedures, mechanical circulatory support, and therapies for advanced heart failure.
Treatments such as left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) can provide options for patients whose hearts can no longer pump blood effectively on their own. Hoag’s Advanced Heart Failure Program is helping bring these therapies to patients in Orange County, reducing the need for some patients to travel farther from home for specialized care.
These capabilities reflect the institute’s continued growth. Strategic physician recruitment, investments in technology and infrastructure, and the development of specialized programs are building on Hoag’s longstanding excellence in cardiovascular medicine.
That growth also includes expanding cardiovascular services at the Hoag Hospital Irvine Sun Family Campus, creating opportunities to extend advanced expertise and access across the region.
Philanthropy helps move the field forward
Throughout the discussion, one message remained clear: advancing cardiovascular care requires exceptional physicians as well as the technology, facilities, specialized teams, and resources that allow them to deliver increasingly sophisticated treatment.
Philanthropy helps Hoag make these investments possible. Donor support contributes to recruiting leading physicians, equipping clinical teams with advanced technology, developing innovative programs, and expanding access to specialized care.
As the Jeffrey M. Carlton Heart & Vascular Institute continues to grow, its focus remains on building upon Hoag’s established strengths while creating new possibilities for patients.
The evening offered a closer look at what that future can hold: increasingly advanced, coordinated, and compassionate cardiovascular care, delivered close to home. Philanthropy will remain an important partner in making that vision a reality.
To learn more about supporting heart and vascular care at Hoag, please contact Executive Director of Development Kristen Rasmussen at Kristen.Rasmussen@hoag.org | (949) 764-8823.
