NEWPORT BEACH, Calif., Jan. 8 /PRNewswire/ -- Bill Gross, founder and CIO of Newport Beach-based PIMCO, and his wife Sue, have made a $20 million gift to Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian in support of the Women's Pavilion. The contribution is the largest in the history of the hospital and is supporting the largest expansion ever undertaken at Hoag.
The announcement of the gift was made by Richard Ortwein, chairman of Hoag Hospital board of directors and Michael D. McKee, chairman of Hoag Hospital Foundation's board.
"The Women's Pavilion is a milestone project in the history of Hoag Hospital as a response to the expanding health care needs in Orange County. The commitment from Mr. And Mrs. Gross represents philanthropy at it highest level and is a confirmation of their confidence in Hoag's ability to provide world-class healthcare to our area residents," explained Stephens.
In recognition of the gift, the new tower will be named the 'Sue and Bill Gross Women's Pavilion' and one of the innovative programs being developed at the facility, will be called the 'Sue and Bill Gross Women's Wellness Center.'
"Part of our gift will endow the innovative Women's Wellness Center and we are especially pleased that this program is designed to benefit generations of women of all ages and from all walks of life," stated Sue Gross. "Through the years Hoag has demonstrated a commitment to quality, excellence and innovation and we are confident our support will be a proactive step in improving the health of women from throughout our community."
"For us, Orange County is home for both our family and business interests," Bill Gross points out. "Personally, we wanted to give back in this special way to support the development of an important resource that impacts all of us who live in Southern California. We want to ensure Hoag remains a hospital we can all count on, right in our neighborhood."
The community has been tremendously supportive of this project, with total contributions now exceeding $72 million. "Ever since we started raising funds for the Women's Pavilion in 1999, our dream has been to demonstrate to the community that Hoag wasn't merely constructing a building, but working to develop new programs with an emphasis on wellness," states Ginny Ueberroth, board member for both the Hoag Hospital and Hoag Hospital Foundation boards.
"I believe we have planned something new and unique and this tremendous support provides encouragement to all of us working on this project. We hope others will continue to support Hoag at whatever levels they can," adds Ueberroth, who also serves as co-chairwoman of the fundraising effort for the Women's Pavilion.
When the building opens its doors to the public later this year, it will serve as the new main entrance to the hospital, inviting patients and visitors to the next generation of healthcare. The Women's Wellness Center, on the first floor, includes the new Hoag Breast Care and Imaging Center, a continence center, an osteoporosis clinic and perimenopausal clinic.
The balance of the building includes six new operating rooms and six procedure rooms, two floors of private patient rooms, and three floors dedicated to maternity services.
The top three floors not only have some of the best views in Newport Beach, they are equipped with 18 state-of-the-art labor, delivery and recovery suites, three operating rooms for caesarean sections, an antepartum unit for women with pre-delivery risk, a 21-bassinet neonatal intensive care unit and 42 private rooms designed with the whole family in mind.
About Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian
Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian (http://www.hoaghospital.org/) is a 409-bed, not-for-profit acute care hospital located in Newport Beach, Calif. Fully accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO), Hoag is home to Centers of Excellence in cancer, heart and vascular, orthopedics and women's health services. Orange County residents have named Hoag the "hospital of choice" for seven years in a row, based on a National Research Corporation poll, as well as the county's top hospital for eight consecutive years in a local newspaper survey. Hoag was Southern California's highest-rated, full-service acute care hospital in the 2001 Patients' Evaluation of Performance in California (PEP-C), the state's largest hospital survey ever released to the public, and is one of only three large community hospitals in the Pacific region to receive the Health Care Information Association's (HCIA) 100 Top Hospitals: Regional Benchmark for Success Award, recognizing patient care and satisfaction.
About Hoag Hospital Foundation
Hoag Hospital Foundation serves as the fundraising arm of Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian. With leadership provided by a 19-member Board of Directors, the Foundation raises funds for capital projects, hospital programs and endowment. Annually, more than 5,000 gifts are received, typically totaling more than $10 million. Each year, more than 1,400 active volunteers participate in foundation-sponsored events and committees.
Hoag Memorial Hospital PresbyterianCONTACT: Debra Legan of Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian,+1-949-764-6943
Web site: http://www.hoaghospital.org/