Message Awards and AccoladesHealthgrades Rates CHMC Five Stars for Clinical ExcellenceWe’re pleased to announce that Dignity Health – California Hospital Medical Center has received accolades for clinical excellence from Healthgrades. California Hospital has been rated ve stars for treatment of heart failure for years in a row, treatment of sepsis for six years in a row, and treatment of diabetic emergencies.CHMC Receives Prestigious Consumer Loyalty AwardCalifornia Hospital Medical Center has been recognized as a Consumer Loyalty Award recipient for the fourth year in a row! This prestigious award, presented by NRC Health, acknowledges our commitment to providing exceptional care and prioritizing the patient experience. “We’re honored to receive these esteemed national honors,” says. Debi Siljander, MD, Chief Medical Ocer. “Thank you to all of our physicians who made these awards possible.”2025TREATMENT OFDIABETICEMERGENCIES2025TREATMENT OFHEART FAILURE2025TREATMENT OFSEPSISMedical DialogueKEEPING PHYSICIANS ABREAST OF THE LATEST NEWS AND INFORMATION AT DIGNITY HEALTH – CALIFORNIA HOSPITAL MEDICAL CENTERFALL 2024MEC Member SpotlightIn each issue of MD News, we feature a Medical Executive Committee member so our physicians can get to know them better. In this issue, we are pleased to share this Q&A with Peiman Arghavanifard, Vice Chief of Sta. What inspired you to enter the medical field?I’ve always had a passion for helping people, and working in healthcare feels like a natural way to make a dierence.What are you most proud of as a physician?I’m most proud of the ability to make a positive impact on my patient’s lives, essentially improving their quality of life and oering support during challenging times.Who are your role models?My role models are physicians involved in Doctors without Borders who put their lives in danger to provide healthcare to people in crisis.If you had all the time in the world to learn a new skill, what would it be and why?I provide care to underserved hispanic populations so I wish to learn Spanish. I want to be able to better understand their health concerns, build trust and provide culturally sensitive care to them. What is your favorite movie?I’ve always loved Gone with the Wind.What do you like to do in your spare time?I love being a father. Playing with my young children brings me great joy. We especially love going to the park and the beach together.
2 California Hospital Medical Dialogue Team SpotlightDr. Rodney Cheng Leads OR to Receive Green AwardDignity Health is committed to reducing waste by adopting responsible practices and serving as leaders of change through environmental stewardship. Case in point: This past summer, Rodney Cheng, MD, OR Medical Director, and his team received the Environmental Champion Award for halting the use of Desurane at California Hospital. Desurane is a commonly used anesthetic gas that has a signicant environmental impact. “Anesthesia gasses are considered greenhouse gasses,” explains Dr. Cheng. “They have a negative impact on the environment–all at dierent levels. When you factor in the concentrations we use, which are unique to each gas, Desurane is the worst of them. While it is the newest and fastest of the inhaled anesthetic, it is also the most potent. It’s about times worse in clinically relevant concentrations than Sevourane.” To put things into perspective, one bottle of Desurane which can be used in one day in the OR, is the equivalent of burning kg of coal or driving miles in a car, the distance from NYC to LA. It’s more than times more potent as a greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide CO and has a global warming potential GWP of over years.“Soon after coming to California Hospital, I began to learn more and more about the negative eects on the environment, and I completely stopped using it in my practice,” shares Dr. Cheng. “I also discouraged others from using it.”In , Dr. Cheng implemented a group policy stating that a provider needed a clinically signicant reason to justify its use. That signicantly reduced the amount of Desurane used as a group to trace amounts. In July , he had all Desurane Vaporizers removed from the Anesthesia Machines and had them sent back to the manufacturers. Dr. Cheng’s commitment to the environment and the hospital’s responsibility to recognize the OR’s environmental impact earned the team the Environmental Champion Award!OR leaders receive the Environmental Champion Award. From l-r: Rebecca Siason, Surgery Nursing Director; Alina Moran, Hospital President; Kim Ray, Facilities Coordinator; Debi Siljander, Chief Medical Ocer; and Rodney Cheng, OR Medical Director. “Never doubt that a small group of committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” — Margaret Mead
3 California Hospital Medical Dialogue 33rd Annual La Grande AaireThe California Hospital Foundation would like to thank all of the physicians who attended our black-tie Paris-themed gala in October at the JW Marriott Los Angeles L.A. LIVE. We raised over at the event, which will support the newly established Health Equity Fund that will support California Hospital’s advancements in quality health care for our most vulnerable patients. The donor-supported fund will support the acquisition of the MamaAnne OB Simulator for our Simulation Center, as well as for upstream hospital programs like Hope Street Margolis Family Center. We appreciate all of our sta and physicians who attended to support the hospital with their guests and families: Debi Siljander, MD, Chief Medical Ocer, and husband Phil SiljanderSophia Pak, MD (center), and John Nachazel, MD (right)Rodney Cheng, MDPatrick Lenehan, MD (back row, 3rd from right), Patrick Shanovich, MD (front row, far left), and Joshua Partnow, MD (front row, far right)Olivier Urayeneza, MD, and Gudata S. Hinika, MD (3rd and 4th from left)Joanna Nguyen, MD (back row, 3rd from right), and K. Alex Kim, MD (front row, 2nd from right)
4 California Hospital Medical Dialogue CALL FOR ARTICLES: We encourage members of the California Hospital Medical Center Medical Sta to submit information or articles for publication each quarter. We welcome your input! Please send them to Tracie.CheesemanGipson@commonspirit.orgEditorial TeamChristina ZicklinEditorial DirectorTracie GipsonEditorDebi Siljander, MDChief Medical OcerTeresa BoyceInterim Director, Medical Sta AdministrationSylvia BaptistaMarket Development RepresentativeWelcome New Physicians to the California Hospital FamilyFamily MedicineLukasz Janeczek, MDHematology/OncologyAaron Burkenroad, MDInternal MedicineErin McFadden, PA-CBensson Samuel, MDInternal Medicine/HospitalistSamira Bahrainy, MDHong Seok Lee, MDNeonatologyKristin Riley, DOOB/GYNWesley Lindberg, MDNathalie Nguyen, DOHeather Sweeney, MDNeurologyJohathan Marehbian, MDOrthopedicsPeter Pyrko, MDShahin Sheibani-Rad, MDRadiologyMichael Shirazi, MDRadiology (Focus Group)Alexander Anavim, MDRaymond Azab, MDReza Dehdari, MDArpan Desai, MDDavid Golchian, DOSalar Hakham, DOTijani Ibraheem Hassan, MDJerey Kuei, MDDustin Jay Newell, MDHyoung Min Oh, DOFarhood Saremi, MDVartan Vartanians, MDDaniel Garza, MDMuntasir Hoque, MDJeanne Lammering, MDJames Lin, Jr., MDSteven McCormack, MDAmish Dilip Patel, MDVarun Rachakond, MDHenry Shiro Sebata, MDTinoosh Zand, MDSurgeryAlomi Parikh, MDDr. Reginald Jones Joins Foundation BoardCalifornia Hospital Medical Center CHMC Foundation is pleased to welcome the newest member to its Board of Directors, Reginald Jones, MD, Chair of the Department of Surgery and trauma surgeon. Dr. Jones embodies the spirit of giving back to the community. Born at CHMC, Dr. Jones has dedicated his career to serving the same community where he grew up, facing adversity and striving for excellence. His commitment to inspiring future generations is evident in his work with organizations like Crossroads, Inc., which combats recidivism and gang violence. He brings a wealth of experience and dedication to the foundation’s mission of supporting California Hospital in advancing community health and health equity.Happy HolidaysWishing all of our physicians a joyous and blessed holiday season lled with warmth and humankindness.