Torrance Memorial and Cedars-Sinai Mark Four Years of Affiliation
Heart, stroke and cancer patients discuss how the unique collaboration fostered healing. Written by Christina Elston
F
ebruary 1 marked the four-year anniversary of a strategic alliance between Torrance Memorial and Cedars-Sinai, a partnership forged to provide coordination of leading-edge healthcare and services throughout greater Los Angeles. The two organizations joined forces in 2018 with very big goals to create new opportunities to enhance medical care in the South Bay. “Our strategic partnership has been instrumental in bringing the resources and expertise of CedarsSinai to Torrance Memorial,” says Torrance Memorial CEO and president Craig Leach. “The collective effort from both institutions has absolutely enhanced healthcare in the South Bay and continues to expand on clinical talent and expertise, built on a foundation that was already strong.” Here, patients and physicians comment on how this partnership is leading the way in exceptional care. Jessie Savolt Jessie Savolt will celebrate her seventh year with a new heart because the partnership between the Torrance Memorial Lundquist Lurie Cardiovascular Institute and the Smidt Heart Institute at CedarsSinai, which was in place before the affiliation, made a transplant possible. “I've been very fortunate between the two hospitals, with the different doctors who took care of me,” says Savolt. “I'm here because of all of them—all their hard work.” Savolt spent decades battling debilitating fatigue and shortness of breath. She was on the transplant waiting list at another institution for two years. Then in 2015, Torrance Memorial cardiologist Mark Lurie, MD, director of the Lundquist Lurie 34 | Pulse Magazine Spring 2022
Cardiovascular Institute, contacted Jon Kobashigawa, MD, director of the Heart Transplant Program at Cedars-Sinai. He was willing to take her on right away in conjunction with colleagues at Torrance Memorial. Within three weeks, Savolt had a heart. “The teamwork of our integrated heart failure programs, employing ever-evolving medical advances, managed her condition,” says Dr. Lurie. “While heart failure patients are living longer, the time had come to find another option for Jessie.” Danny Ramzy, MD, vice chair of innovation and director of robotic and minimally invasive cardiac surgery in the Smidt Heart Institute and assistant professor of surgery at Cedars Sinai, performed Terry Savolt, Jessie Savolt, Mark Lurie, MD, and heart failure clinical nurse Roxanna Balter show their medals after the 2017 Redondo Beach Super Bowl 10K race.