UCI Medical Center named one of America’s Great Hospitals

UCI Medical Center named one of America's Great Hospitals

Hospital is the only one in Orange County recognized by Becker's Hospital Review for innovation, patient safety

Orange, Calif. - UCI Medical Center, the flagship of UCI Health, has been recognized as one of America's Great Hospitals of 2024 by Becker's Hospital Review. It is the only hospital in Orange County to appear on the list.

To earn the achievement, the academic health system demonstrated industry-leading excellence across multiple areas, including patient satisfaction, quality, clinical innovation, groundbreaking research and educational excellence.

"This recognition reflects the distinction of UCI Health when it comes to industry-leading patient care, clinical innovation and treatment of the most complex conditions," says UCI Health President and CEO Chad T. Lefteris. "We are steadfast in our commitment and focus to improve the health of the communities we serve."

The entry reads, in part:

"Home to the only National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center in Orange County, UCI Health offers top-tier care for complex conditions. Its flagship, UCI Medical Center, includes the county's only level I trauma center, level II pediatric trauma center and a regional burn center. Leading over 400 clinical trials, UCI Health provides patients with access to novel therapies.

UCI Health recently enrolled participants in a new expanded access protocol for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. The upcoming Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center on the Irvine campus will triple its cancer care capacity."

Academic medicine in south Orange County

This year, the first two phases of the $1.3 billion UCI Health ― Irvine campus opened and began seeing patients.

The Joe C. Wen & Family Center for Advanced Care, which opened in late April, and the Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center and Ambulatory Care building, which opened in July, will broaden access to the advanced specialty and cancer care offered by UCI Health, one of the largest academic health systems in California.

These new facilities are designed to offer comprehensive and specialized care, utilizing the latest technology and research to improve patient outcomes. For example, shortly after the new cancer center opened in Irvine, UCI Health became the first health system in Southern California to use photon-computed tomography scanning.

In 2025, a seven-story, 144-bed acute care hospital with outpatient operating suits and a 24-hour emergency department.

The entire medical campus is the first in the nation to be powered by an all-electric central utilities plant.

Commitment to patient care, quality

This June, UCI Medical Center in Orange, part of UCI Health, received rated a four-star patient experience rating by Medicare. The rating is based on feedback from a survey of hundreds of discharged patients. It also scored a nearly perfect 95/100 score in the 2024 Human Rights Campaign Equality Index.

The medical center has also consistently received recognition from national quality organizations, including:

• Top 10 performer nationally in the 2023 Bernard A. Birnbaum, MD, Quality Leadership Annual Ranking by Vizient Inc.
• Top 10 ambulatory system nationwide, Vizient Inc.
• Top Hospital 2023, The Leapfrog Group
• 'A' in spring 2024 and fall 2023 Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade

Read more

• Becker's Hospital Review:Great Hospitals in America ›
• UCI Medical Center earns four-star patient experience rating from Medicare ›
• UCI Health selected for nationwide collaborative to accelerate expansion of age-friendly care for older adults ›
• UCI Medical Center and UCI Health Community Network hospitals recognized for quality stroke care ›

About UCI Health

UCI Health, one of California's largest academic health systems, is the clinical enterprise of the University of California, Irvine. The system comprises its main campus UCI Medical Center, a 459-bed, acute care hospital in Orange, Calif., four hospitals and affiliated physicians of the UCI Health Community Network in Orange and Los Angeles counties and ambulatory care centers across the region. Recognized as a Top Hospital by The Leapfrog Group, UCI Medical Center provides tertiary and quaternary care and is home to Orange County's only National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center, high-risk perinatal/neonatal program and American College of Surgeons-verified Level I adult and Level II pediatric trauma center, gold level 1 geriatric emergency department and regional burn center. UCI Health serves a region of nearly 4 million people in Orange County, western Riverside County and southeast Los Angeles County. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter.

About UCI Health - Irvine

UCI Health - Irvine is part of UCI Health, Orange County's only academic health system, serving the communities of coastal and south Orange County. It is the nation's first medical campus powered by an all-electric central utilities plant. It is home to the Joe C. Wen & Family Center for Advanced Care, offering the full range of multidisciplinary specialty care for children and adults, urgent care services and the UCI Health Center for Autism & Neurodevelopmental Disorders. It is also home to The Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center and Ambulatory Care building. The medical complex will be complete in 2025 with the opening of a seven-story, 144-bed acute care hospital and 24-hour emergency department.