A Hospitalist’s Helping Hand
Written by John Ferrari | Photographed by Shane O’Donnell
What makes Torrance Memorial Medical Center an exceptional hospital? The
people. The facilities and state-of-the-art equipment are important, but
it’s the staff that provides the outstanding care. Torrance Memorial
clinical staff are passionate about their work and about sharing Torrance
Memorial with their community.
That’s why hospitalists Alexander Shen, MD, and Roy Fu, MD, joined
Torrance Memorial’s Young Physicians and Professionals Alliance
(YPPA). “A large part of Torrance Memorial is people have the best
health care right in their backyard,” explains Dr. Shen. “YPPA
is one avenue to build community awareness of that.”
Established in 2012, YPPA is an annual giving program that brings together
young physicians and professionals for social and philanthropic activities.
The group gives members opportunities to learn about Torrance Memorial
but also to socialize, network and help their community together with
like-minded members.
“I started attending YPPA events from the very first meeting,”
recalls Dr. Fu. “I met some interesting people, whom normally I
wouldn’t have run across unless they were my patients. I’ve
been going ever since.”
YPPA is a key component of Torrance Memorial’s efforts to broaden
the South Bay’s knowledge of its resources and services. “Since
I joined Torrance Memorial, they’ve really worked to raise awareness
and increase their accessibility to the community, adding urgent care
centers and office practices in Hermosa Beach and Manhattan Beach, expanding
beyond just the city of Torrance,” says Dr. Fu. “Lundquist
Tower has done a lot to raise awareness, and the hospital has really expanded
its reach through urgent care and events our neighbors can participate
in.”
For YPPA members, those events include social activities ranging from casino
nights and beer tastings to trivia nights and group hikes. The YPPA volunteer
committee, comprising both physicians and professionals, is creative in
developing new events, notes Dr. Shen. “There are different venues
and opportunities to meet people from various industries. I’ve met
very impressive people—people who are leaders in the community.”
That community—served by Torrance Memorial—is Dr. Shen’s
community. He grew up in Palos Verdes, and when he completed medical school
he and his wife, Allyson, realized “there was no better place in
the world for us than the South Bay.”
Along with supporting YPPA and Torrance Memorial Foundation, Dr. Shen has
been a trustee on the Peninsula Education Foundation for several years.
He’s also served on the Palos Verdes Little League Board and is
an active Little League coach—his sons, he says, are “big-time
baseball players.”
In addition to activities open to all of the group’s more than 100
members, YPPA also sponsors smaller events. Dinners at physicians’
homes are especially popular. “I love the more intimate events,”
says Dr. Shen. “They’re such a personal way to get to know
people, to meet like-minded, philanthropic people. We have conversations
about their families and their health care experiences, and after speaking
with Torrance Memorial physicians, they come away with a personal connection
to the hospital.”
“YPPA is a way I can connect with people as far as being a representative
of the hospital and letting them know just what a great place it is to
work,” agrees Dr. Fu. “In a day and age of a lot of big hospital
conglomerate entities out there, it’s nice to know your local hospital
is a facility that provides excellent care.”
YPPA also is unique in that the social and networking aspects are emphasized
as much as the educational component. “I’ve developed a lot
of close friends through the organization,” notes Dr. Shen. “It’s
just great to make those connections.” And, says Dr. Fu, “It’s
good to not only meet community members but also to see some of my colleagues
outside of work.”
YPPA actively supports Torrance Memorial through philanthropy, donating
$30,000 to date for renovations and equipment benefitting the hospital’s
Mother/Baby Postpartum, Neonatal ICU and Pediatric departments, and most
recently donating $3,000 for furniture for the NICU Family Lounge. In
2015, YPPA proudly launched its support for two awards that recognize
Torrance Memorial employees who go above and beyond to make a difference
with our patients and visitors.
The DAISY Award (Diseases Attacking the Immune SYstem) was created in 1999
to say “thank you for the gifts nurses give their patients and families
every day.” The Reason Is You award recognizes doctors and other
employees providing extraordinary service in patient care and throughout
the hospital.
It’s no surprise Drs. Shen and Fu enjoy sharing Torrance Memorial
with the community. They’ve both chosen a medical specialty that
emphasizes patient interaction. Dr. Shen and Dr. Fu are hospitalists—in
fact, Dr. Shen joined Torrance Memorial in 2009 as medical director of
the center’s then-new hospitalist program. Hospitalists “specialize
in coordinating care and making sure care is delivered in a safe and efficient
manner,” he explains.
But that doesn’t quite capture the scope of their work. Hospitalists
are patients’ primary “touchpoint” while they are hospitalized.
Essentially, they serve as primary care physicians for hospitalized patients.
Torrance Memorial recognizes the increasing complexity of medical care
requires a physician team dedicated to inpatient care, coordinating with
patients and their specialists to analyze and interpret test results and
provide treatment quickly and efficiently. “It’s a lot of
work,” Dr. Shen says, “but it’s also very rewarding.”
Hospitalists prioritize communication with their patients. “I try
to take the time to explain to them in layman’s terms what’s
going on with them,” says Dr. Fu. “We’re sort of the
patients’ stewards through the hospitalization. We manage their
medical care but also guide them through the hospitalization and answer
any questions they might have.
“Straight out of residency I decided being a hospitalist was more
rewarding than being a primary care physician,” he adds. “I
often reflect on my career choice, and I truly enjoy what I do…
I get a sense of satisfaction out of my job. To this day I enjoy what
I do as much as I did when I finished my residency, if not more.”
Between his roles as a hospitalist (he’s also a physician advisor,
helping doctors new to Torrance Memorial) husband and father, Dr. Fu has
a full schedule, but his involvement with YPPA is an outlet, not a chore.
“I enjoy working at Torrance Memorial so much,” he explains.
“This is my way of investing and giving back.”
For more information about how to join YPPA, visit
torrancememorial.org/YPPA or contact Sophia Neveu at 310-257-7266 or sophia.neveu@tmmc.com