4 New Hospitals Added To UCI Health Umbrella

ORANGE COUNTY, CA — UC Irvine Health officials announced the acquisition of four community hospitals in Orange and Los Angeles counties.

Fountain Valley Regional Hospital, Lakewood Regional Medical Center, Los Alamitos Medical Center and Placentia-Linda Hospital, which were formerly owned by Tenet Healthcare Corporation, are now part of UCI Health.

Patients of the former Tenet hospitals and outpatient offices will continue receiving care without any changes, according to a UCI Health spokesperson.

The new hospitals will add 858 inpatient beds to UCI Medical Center in Orange's existing total of 459 beds. Officials said acquiring those hospitals will provide more patients with access to advanced therapies.

UC Irvine Chancellor Howard Gillman spoke on the acquisition, and what it means for UCI Health.

"This is a historic day for UC Irvine, California and beyond," Gillman said. "We celebrate the transformation of UCI Health as a leader in the integration of academic and community-based health systems while promoting solutions to challenges facing health care. This visionary leap forward will bridge gaps in regional care and advance the University of California's mission to serve our communities through academic excellence, cutting-edge research and dedicated public service."

Chad Lefteris, president and CEO of UCI Health, noted that patients of the former Tenet hospitals and outpatient offices will continue receiving care without any changes.

"Our goal is to become the nation's friendliest and most accessible academic health system," he said.

"We deeply appreciate the enthusiasm and support we have received since announcing this new chapter for health care in our region," Lefteris said. "Now, we can begin strengthening the collaboration with local physicians and patients to expand health care services and provide unrestricted access for more people. Together, we will be an innovative, powerful team that will transform to meet the health needs of our communities."