McCollough, MBA

Adventist Health Lodi Memorial Names New President

In Fall 2022, Brooke McCollough was named the new president of Adventist Health Lodi Memorial. She has the distinction of being one of our very own, born and raised in Lodi with deep roots in our community. Destined for a career in healthcare, Brooke’s early experiences began by working for her dad in his pharmacies in Lodi and Stockton. An avid athlete, she pursued her passion for competitive volleyball and swimming which began when she was attending Stockton’s Annunciation School and all the way through her completion of high school at St. Mary’s.

After pursuing her undergraduate degree in business at the University of Colorado, followed by an MBA in Health Industry Leadership from Regis University, Brooke realized that there really was no place like home, so she returned to the Central Valley and began her healthcare career as an intern and consultant with San Joaquin General Hospital in 2006. Of course, with her heart set on giving back to her hometown, she made the move to Lodi Memorial Hospital in 2007 and never left. Beginning as a quality analyst, Brooke’s personal drive and commitment to excellence led to a series of promotions to positions with broader leadership responsibilities in the areas of quality, accreditation, risk, licensing, physician services and most recently, as chief operating officer since 2018.

Brooke views her new role as the perfect opportunity to give back to the community that has given her so much. Her personal objectives align perfectly with Adventist Health’s mission of living God’s love by inspiring health, wholeness and hope. Her vision for the future includes strengthening the hospital’s relationships with the community to improve residents’ health and quality of life.

“Brooke’s focus on operational excellence and broad community connections will be great assets as we continue our positive momentum at the hospital and in San Joaquin County,” says Terri Day, who will continue to serve as CEO for both Adventist Health Lodi Memorial and Dameron Hospital, and remain involved in setting the strategic direction for those hospitals.

This is the kind of long-term commitment and support Lodi needs right now from its hospital to move forward as a community. And it’s clear that Brooke intends to see this through because she has already established her own personal roots in the area. She and her husband, Matt, live in Lodi and they have three children – a 7-year old son and 3-year old fraternal twins. As a family they love participating in sports activities and spending time outdoors, especially near the ocean.

Innovative Approach for Scoliosis Correction

At Shriners Children’s Northern California, we offer vertebral body tethering as an alternative to spinal fusion to correct idiopathic scoliosis. The tethering device is a braided, polyethylene cord attached with screws to the convex side of the scoliosis curve. It restricts growth on that side and allows growth on the other, resulting in curve correction as the patient grows.

Vertebral body tethering has distinct advantages:

• More preservation of normal vertebral and disc structures

• Preservation of spinal motion with a potential for improved quality of life

• The operation can be performed endoscopically, allowing for faster recovery

Experts recommend that children with idiopathic scoliosis and a curvature of 20-25 degrees get a referral to a specialist, as these curves may progress.

Who is a candidate for vertebral body tethering?

• Thoracic or lumbar curves of 40-65 degrees.

• Age between 10 years and 15 years old, as the child must have adequate growth remaining (Sanders score of 2-5).

• Pronounced kyphosis is generally a contraindication.

On December 15, 2022, members of the San Joaquin Medical Society were excited to celebrate the holidays with friends and colleagues. It was a festive event with comedy by Dr. Neelesh Bangalore, who kept everyone laughing.