Hoag Institute Names Medical Director of Orthopedic Research

Michael J. Patzakis, M.D., professor emeritus and former chairman of the department of orthopedic surgery at the Keck School of Medicine at University of Southern California, has been appointed medical director of orthopedic research and education at Hoag Orthopedic Institute (HOI) in Irvine, Calif.

HOI was founded in November 2010, and it partners Southern Californian orthopedic surgeons with the Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian, a large healthcare system in Orange County. The institute has 320 medical specialists and 80 board-certified orthopedic surgeon members. Care at its three Orange County locations is exclusively for orthopedic patients requiring inpatient and outpatient surgical care. HOI’s primary hospital in Irvine has 70 beds and nine operating rooms designed and equipped specifically for orthopedic surgical procedures. HOI is also composed of Orthopedic Surgery Center of Orange County in Newport Beach and Main Street Specialty Surgery Center in Orange—two outpatient orthopedic surgical facilities.

Patzakis will be overseeing the development and growth of the recently launched Orthopedic Research & Education Center, which will operate out of HOI. He will also be charged with supervising the total joints research and fellowship program—which is currently operational; managing the inauguration of the clinical and research programs in sports medicine and spine; and starting a comprehensive education and research program for HOI.

“Hoag Orthopedic Institute is a fruitful environment for research and education, with a reputation for providing high-quality patient care and industry-leading outcomes,” said Patzakis, who has been the principal investigator on more than 60 research studies and has authored more than 170 abstracts, book chapters and scientific papers. “Orthopedic research and education has been a major component of my career for many years now, and I’m honored to be joining the team at HOI as we begin this important undertaking.”

“Dr. Patzakis’ prestigious reputation precedes him,” said Carlos Prietto, M.D., CEO of HOI. “He has been and always will be a collaborative, forward-thinking leader, which is precisely why we are so honored to have him join us as our inaugural medical director of orthopedic research & education.”