CHOC, CHOC at Mission Install New Officers

Our success depends on the professional commitment and dedication of our medical staff. We truly appreciate the countless hours these individuals have given to ensure our hospitals provide the highest quality of care available for Orange County's children.

Vinh Lam, M.D.
"It is a great honor and privilege to be elected as chief of staff. My goals for the next two years include the revision and completion of CHOC at Mission policies and procedures, including adaptation of California Medical Association and Mission Hospital physician behavior policy bylaws. Additionally, CHOC at Mission will incorporate criminal background checks into the credentialing process to continue ensuring a safe environment for patients and hospital staff. As a pediatric general surgeon, I will continue working with the OR Improvement Committee to ensure pediatric surgeons have access to the right environment, facilities, equipment and support staff necessary for pediatric surgical specialties. Additionally, I am looking forward to sharing my goals for education with the medical staff in the near future."

Serving as an officer of the medical staff is a six-year commitment beginning with the secretary/treasurer position. The medical staff officers at both CHOC and CHOC at Mission recently began two-year terms:

CHOC
MICHAEL MUHONEN, M.D. President of the Medical Staff
VIJAY DHAR, M.D. President-Elect of the Medical Staff GURPREET AHUJA, M.D. Secretary/Treasurer

CHOC AT MISSION
VINH LAM, M.D. Chief of Staff
GARY GOODMAN, M.D. Chief of Staff-Elect
JOHN MORRIS, M.D. Secretary/Treasurer

Michael Muhonen, M.D.
"My goal is to be a fair, open-minded and strong leader who reflects the voice of the physicians at CHOC. The hospital is undergoing some major transitions in the next few years. As one of the physicians overseeing the design of the new CHOC tower, I want to keep the medical staff updated with progress. Finally, I want to thank the medical staff for their cooperation in making the CPOE conversion so successful. I will continue assisting with this project in order to make this system as physician-friendly as possible in terms of training and further enhancement."

We extend our deepest gratitude and appreciation to Samuel Rosenfeld, M.D., and Maryann Wilkinson, M.D., who are the immediate past president and past chief of staff, respectively, at CHOC and CHOC at Mission. Thank you for a job well done!