Len LaBella (left), CEO of Verdugo Hills Hospital and Tom Jackiewicz, CEO of USC Health, celebrate USC Verdugo Hills Hospital’s debut as the newest member of the Keck Medicine of USC family. They joined hospital employees at a July 24 celebration, featuring the USC Trojan Marching Band, a barbecue luncheon and decorations in cardinal and gold.
Photo/Steve Cohn

Cardinal and gold colors swept through the Foothill communities of Los Angeles in mid-July as the University of Southern California debuted its newest member of the Keck Medicine of USC family, USC Verdugo Hills Hospital.

A kick-off celebration luncheon was held for employees under a tent on the grounds of the hospital, where employees were greeted by Tom Jackiewicz, CEO of USC Health, and Len LaBella, CEO of Verdugo Hills Hospital.

Amid red and yellow balloons and festooned tables, the newest members of the Trojan family took time out to enjoy a barbecue feast and a visit by the Trojan Marching Band.

“This is a wonderful change,” said nurse Maral Atashian of USC Verdugo Hills Hospital’s Med-Surg Unit. “The future looks great for us!”

The acquisition of this Foothill communities’ hospital, which boasts a 40-year legacy of delivering health care to residents in the area, was part of a larger strategy to address the challenges of a changing health care environment. Keck Medicine of USC offers the size and resources, as well as the innovation to improve care and reduce costs, needed by community hospitals to remain viable and competitive.

The addition of USC Verdugo Hills Hospital expands and improves Keck Medicine of USC’s ability to deliver community-based services. … Read More »