Prestigious national acclaim, groundbreaking medical research, training of tomorrow’s healthcare leaders and generous donor involvement were among the 2021 highlights of Los Angeles’ Orthopaedic Institute for Children. Still, the greatest achievement of all was being able to continue to care for tens of thousands of children through the challenging days and months of the just concluded year.

“Like much of the world, OIC faced many challenges in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic but together our faculty and staff persevered to care for all of the children and their families who count on us to be there for them,” said OIC CEO Anthony Scaduto, M.D. “Our frontline doctors and staff deserve all the credit for their incredible dedication and for their unwavering belief that every child deserves the opportunity to grow well and play well.”

Among the highlights of the year just concluded was OIC being ranked among the top pediatric orthopaedic programs in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. OIC also earned the accreditation of the AAAHC (Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care), led by Dr. Mauricio Silva and CAO Jamie Wells. In addition, OIC became the first healthcare facility in California to be deemed “Sensory Inclusive” by KultureCity, with the OIC staff specially trained and equipped to identify and support visitors with sensory needs.

Once again in 2021, OIC’s faculty continued to share its deep knowledge with others, as evidenced by the publishing/co-publishing of more than 40 articles on advancements in orthopaedic care. This academic mission was also demonstrated by the launch of Educate2Elevate, a new mentorship program that pairs students from Orthopaedic Medical Magnet High School – located adjacent to OIC’s downtown LA campus -- with individual mentors (OIC volunteers) who are currently at colleges such as UCLA, USC, UC Berkeley and others. Since September, Educate2Elevate has hosted PSAT/SAT, UC Application and Financial Aid Workshops for over 50 Ortho High students and OIC patients. In 2021 the High School was named among the top 3% of public high schools in California by the Superintendent of Public Instruction.

Much of this is made possible through the enormous generosity of foundations, corporations and individuals who stepped up in 2021 to help ensure that OIC will continue to be a healthcare leader for years to come. This included: an extraordinarily gift from the Bork Family which donated over $850,000 to the OICare for Kids Fund; a $250,000 grant from OIC’s partners at the Ahmanson Foundation that will be used to purchase the most advanced CT Scanner on the market and the first in Los Angeles; and a donation of $250,000 from the Chadha Family and Exela Technologies whose combined gift supports under-resourced families with medical and other related expenses. In addition, the OIC Annual Golf Tournament set a new fundraising record, with all proceeds benefitting the OICare for Kids Fund.

Other highlights from 2021 included: OIC surgeons being among the first international doctors to return to Honduras since the start of the pandemic to assist in the care of children with serious orthopaedic conditions; the launch of new initiative that seeks to expose children of all abilities to adaptive sports and recreation; Actress and Humanitarian Angelina Jolie’s visit to OIC’s free clinic at the border where she not only met with patients and families, but also personally flew medical supplies to the site; and the naming of OIC’s Cerebral Palsy Clinic in honor of the Shapiro family.

About Orthopaedic Institute for Children

Orthopaedic Institute for Children was founded in 1911 as Los Angeles Orthopaedic Hospital and today is the largest pediatric orthopaedic facility on the West Coast focused solely on musculoskeletal conditions in children. In alliance with UCLA Health and with the support of the OIC Foundation, we advance pediatric orthopaedics worldwide through outstanding patient care, medical education and research. Our locations in downtown Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Westwood and Calexico treat the full spectrum of pediatric orthopaedic disorders and injuries. For more information, visit us at ortho-institute.org.