NEWS RELEASE
CONTACTS: Andy Hoang
PHONE: 858.675.5018
Ben Metcalf
PHONE: 858.966.8579
E-mail: bmetcalf@rchsd.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 26, 2010
PALOMAR POMERADO HEALTH PARTNERS WITH RADY CHILDREN’S TO
STRENGTHEN PEDIATRIC SERVICES
Partnership Capitalizes on Merits of Both Hospitals
Escondido, Calif. – Palomar Pomerado Health (PPH) is teaming up with Rady Children’s Hospital-San
Diego to operate the pediatric unit at Palomar Medical Center in Escondido. The unit, known as Rady
Children’s at Palomar Medical Center, is comprised of 17 pediatric and 12 neonatal intensive care
beds. PPH has operated the pediatric services at Palomar Medical Center for more than 45 years
however, the partnership with Rady Children’s is expected to further strengthen these programs.
“We’ve found that families with children that could stay at Palomar Medical Center are driving more
than 20 miles south to Rady Children’s for care,” said Gerald Bracht, chief administrative officer,
Palomar Medical Center. “With this partnership we hope to assure parents that they will receive the
same high level of medical and neonatal care available at Rady Children’s without having to drive far
away from where they live.”
“Palomar Medical Center already has an excellent record of caring for pediatric patients,” said Meg
Norton, chief operating officer at Rady Children’s. “This partnership represents an exciting
opportunity for both institutions to build on each other’s strengths and extend exceptional medical care
to even more children in North County.”
Under the agreement, PPH will transfer operations and management of the pediatric and neonatal
care units to Rady Children’s. Among other advantages, this will allow nurses to receive more
specialized training in pediatric medicine.
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PPH Partners with Rady Children’s – page 2 of 2
“It’s a win-win situation for both institutions and the community,” said Bracht. “It ensures continued
pediatric care at Palomar Medical Center, with the added value of Rady Children’s specially qualified
clinical staff, affiliated physicians and dedicated care model for pediatric patients.”
Palomar Pomerado Health
Palomar Pomerado Health (PPH) , California’s largest public health system is North
County’s most comprehensive health-care delivery system, and the only Magnet®
Recognized system in the state. It is nationally recognized for clinical excellence in cardiac
care, women’s services, cancer, orthopedics, trauma, rehabilitation and behavioral health
services. As the largest employer in Inland North County, with more than 3,600 employees
and 700 physicians, PPH was named by Modern Healthcare as one o f the Top 100 places to
work in the U.S. Facilities include Palomar Medical Center, Pomerado Hospital, Villa
Pomerado, Palomar Continuing Care Center, Escondido Surgery Center, the Jean
McLaughlin Women’s Center, and PPH expresscare health centers. Please visit
www.pph.org for more information on our comprehensive services and facilities .
Rady Children’s Hospital-San Diego
Rady Children's Hospital is a 261-bed pediatric care facility providing the largest source of
comprehensive pediatric medical services in San Diego, Southern Riverside and Imperial Counties.
As the sole hospital in the San Diego area dedicated exclusively to pediatric healthcare, Rady
Children's is the region’s only designated pediatric trauma center. On October 10, 2010, Rady
Children's will become the largest children’s hospital in California with the opening of the new Acute
Care Pavilion, a LEED-Certified (green) building that will be home to the incredible new Peckham
Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders, the state-of-the-art Warren Family Surgical Center, and a
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit that cares for our community’s tiniest and most fragile babies In 2001,
Rady Children’s formed an affiliation agreement with the University of California-San Diego to unify
pediatric patient care, research, education, and community service programs on the Rady Children’s
campus. In August 2010, U.S. News & World Report ranked Rady Children’s among the nation’s best
in five pediatric specialties including neonatal care. For more information, visit www.rchsd.org
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