Alvarado Hospital Medical Center

Alvarado Hospital's PALS Art for All program is holding its art show starting next week on November 7 until the 17th. See a display of work from the Art for All students in the Display Case on the hospital's first floor outside the Cafeteria. The opening reception will be held on November 7 from 4-6 PM.

The Art for All program is a class that uses art as a therapeutic tool for those recovering from traumatic brain injuries such as stroke. Learn more about Art for All and other programs under PALS by visiting AlvaradoHospital.com/pals

Marah Ibrahim is the hospital’s lead pharmacy technician and our Employee of the Month for November. Marah works with pharmacy, nursing, and medical staff to ensure that specialized pain medications are utilized properly according to the complex laws and regulations that apply to these potentially dangerous drugs. Marah’s director notes that she, “mines through tens of thousands of medication transactions to identify use irregularities and offers education and training to staff on the proper use of these medications. Often, this is a thankless, seemingly endless job, but Marah shows ownership and pride in all that she does, and she is a true asset to Alvarado Hospital and a role-model for us all. Her enthusiasm and can-do attitude are refreshing and motivational.”

Please accept our heartfelt thanks, Marah! Congratulations!

Alvarado Hospital certified therapeutic recreation specialist Mary Williams is our hospital Employee of the Month for October. Mary is described as a person who relates to the patients in her care with great empathy: “[she] immerses herself in the lives of her patients, ‘walks a mile in their shoes’… I am remarkably impressed with Mary and her selfless love for her patients and fellow caregivers. And, personally, Mary makes me want to be a better person. The world would be a better place if we had more Mary’s in it.”

Congratulations, Mary! This award is very much deserved!

New beginnings! Alvarado Hospital starts a new chapter in its 50-year history of caring for our communities with the announcement that it will be joining the UC San Diego Health network by the end of 2023.

“With significant investments and dedicated service to our patients over the past 13 years, Alvarado Hospital Medical Center has now reached the point where divestiture to a world-class academic institution like UC San Diego Health, will lead to a new era for this award-winning community hospital,” said Kavitha Bhatia, MD, chief medical officer of strategy for Prime Healthcare. Dr. Bhatia expressed pride in the fact that Alvarado Hospital, under Prime Healthcare, was able to strengthen its mission of serving the communities of Central- and East-San Diego county, and excitement that this legacy of compassionate care will continue under the stewardship of UC San Diego Health.

“UC San Diego Health continues to grow its network of clinics and hospitals to better care for the community within new neighborhoods across the region,” said Patty Maysent, CEO of UC San Diego Health. “We are grateful for Prime Healthcare’s commitment to successfully completing this transaction to allow us to care for this important part of our community."

“Thanks to Prime Healthcare and its physician-led model of clinical excellence, Alvarado and the community it serves can be confident in a bright future,” said Kenn McFarland, Alvarado Hospital CEO. “UC San Diego Health’s interest in acquiring Alvarado Hospital is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our employees, physicians and leadership throughout Prime’s tenure.”

Learn more about this exciting development by visiting us here:
https://alvaradohospital.com/prime-healthcare-announces-preliminary-agreement-with-uc-san-diego-health-for-the-sale-of-alvarado-hospital-medical-center/

Carolina Cervantes of the Laboratory was voted by her peers to be the hospital’s employee of the month for September. Throughout the darkest times during the pandemic Carolina was often the only phlebotomist the Laboratory department had on staff. Despite this burden, she continued to perform her duties with exceptional meticulousness and efficiency. She was always prompt, effective, and never complained, even helping her fellow team-members with their duties. Her director is “truly impressed by her excellent work ethic,” and says Carolina is “highly deserving” of this recognition. Congratulations, Carolina!

Our August Employee of the Month is Dakotah Aguirre, a “shining beacon” of calm leadership, as described by her staff. Dakotah took on a leadership role in the Periop department, and quickly won the confidence of her fellow employees there with a combination of competence, quiet confidence, and nurturing demeanor. “Dakotah is very approachable and personable with her staff as well as with Administration. She has proven to be adaptable to almost any situation.”

At the Alvarado Hospital Emergency Room, you can now reserve your arrival time. Choose when YOU want to arrive, and potentially save yourself hours of waiting in our lobby.

Visit the GetCareNow page on our website to choose your time now: AlvaradoHospital.com/getcarenow.

The PALS Golf Program of Alvarado Hospital/SDRI was featured on a recent story on KGTV News. Golf Program clients Dusty Ferreiro and Tom Lujan were interviewed about their experience with the PALS Golf Program, and with the SoCal Rehab Golf Classic golf tournament.

Using golf as a form of therapy Positively San Diego: Using golf as a form of therapy

September is . Sadly, in the 20 seconds it takes you to read this post, another person in the United States will be diagnosed with sepsis. For those 1.7 million people each year, rapid recognition and treatment are crucial to their survival. is asking everyone to take the TIME to save a life. Learn more at SepsisAwarenessMonth.org

Register to attend this FREE event at:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/sex-in-our-city-tickets-698132682647?aff=oddtdtcreator

San Diego women are invited to attend “S*x in Our City,” a free dinner & discussion seminar to discuss topics related to the sexual health of women, from menopause, to hormone treatments and alternatives, to other topics.

“S*x in Our City,” San Diego’s most popular sexual health event for women, will be held on Sept. 27 in the West Tower conference room in Alvarado Hospital starting at 6 PM. Dr. Irwin Goldstein, a world-renowned expert on sexual health and the program director for Alvarado’s S*xual Medicine program, will host this event.

Seating is limited for this FREE event so sign up early to ensure you get a seat for you and your BFF (or sister, mom…). Due to the sensitivity of the subject matter, this is women-only.

Pre-registration is required by calling (619) 470-4279 or register online at S*xInOurCity.Eventbrite.com.

Dr. Irwin Goldstein has authored more than 350 publications in the field of sexual dysfunction, with 20 consecutive years of funding by the National Institutes of Health in this area. He is interviewed frequently by national publications, such as New York Times, US News & World Report, Yahoo Health, Medscape and others.

Register to attend this FREE event at:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/sex-in-our-city-tickets-698132682647?aff=oddtdtcreator

S*x in Our City S*x in Our City -- a dinner and discussion about all things related to womens' sexual health with a world-renowned sexual medicine expert.