Hoag Innovators, the philanthropic leadership group that accelerates innovation through collective giving, hosted its spring meeting on May 2. Twice a year, the Hoag Innovators gather to hear pitches by physicians, engage with them about the visions for their projects, and decide as a group where to allocate their combined donations. During the recent meeting, the 160 guests at Lido House in Newport Beach listened to compelling presentations for technological innovations across interventional radiology, digestive health, and neurosciences. In an exciting turn of events for a Hoag Innovators meeting, all three projects were funded with a total allocation of $1.1 million. The pitches were: 

Using Sound Waves to Cure the Brain: Breaking Through the Blood-Brain Barrier

MRI-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) will revolutionize brain surgery at Hoag by breaking through the blood-brain barrier with soundwaves, enabling safer, more effective treatments for neurological disorders. With the $500,000 investment, Hoag will help patients with tremors today and enable physicians to innovate ways to treat more brain conditions in the future.

The Future of Interventional Radiology & the Power of Augmented Reality

A surgical visualization and navigation platform will empower Hoag’s interventional radiologists to perform procedures aided by augmented reality, giving them an unprecedented 3D “X-ray vision” view of the patient’s internal anatomy under their skin with full depth and detail. With the $350,000 investment, Hoag will be the first nonacademic hospital in the world to launch this platform. 

Transforming Esophageal Diagnostics and Intervention with a Trio of Technology

With this $250,000 investment, Hoag will equip the multidisciplinary Digestive Health Institute team with these three state-of-the-art devices. Implementing the MiVu, Endoflip™, and alpHaONE wireless pH capsule reflux monitoring system technologies will advance diagnostics for esophageal disease by integrating measurements, delivering precision results, and increasing accuracy. 

In addition to the pitches, the evening showcased inspiration and impact. Hoag Innovators members Cindy Kansky, longtime Hoag volunteer, and Marcy Brown, senior vice president and chief operations officer, shared with other guests what compelled them to join the group. The group also heard from Angie Devlin, executive director of the Jeffrey M. Carlton Heart & Vascular Institute, and Tiffany Stewart, executive director of Maternal Child Health at the Women’s Health Institute. Together, they shared the story of a patient with a rare genetic disorder who survived a dangerous pregnancy and safely delivered a healthy baby thanks to staff and programs at Hoag that are available through Hoag Innovators’ investments.

To learn more about becoming a Hoag Innovator and joining this dynamic group advancing health care in our community, contact Gwen Ritter at Gwen.Ritter@hoag.org or Kara Kipp at Kara.Kipp@hoag.org.

View photos from the event.

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