USC brings convenient health care to Downtown LA.

It has been a year of growth and expansion for the USC Executive Health and Imaging Center in downtown Los Angeles--which offers an array of medical services.

USC Executive Health and Imaging Center opened its doors in Spring 2001 as a custom facility, featuring a trademark executive physical program--full-day customized medical exams that center around extended time with executive health physicians.

USC had conducted executive health physicals on its Health Sciences Campus in East Los Angeles for many years, but the new medical office at 333 S. Hope Street was built specifically for the program and related imaging and specialty services. It is the only facility of its type in the city's financial district.

"The concept behind executive health is to personalize each client's exam based on his or her current health, family medical history and lifestyle, as well as scientifically-based screening guidelines," says John Brodhead, M.D., USC associate professor of medicine, who leads the program. "Our focus is on disease prevention to identify health risks early, when preventive strategies and treatments are most effective."

Brodhead says the Executive Health Program's clientele is usually men and women ages 40 and older. "Reaching middle age makes people take a serious look at their health." he says. "It's a perfect time for people to learn what they can do to keep their vitality and prevent chronic disease."

"With our comprehensive, customized approach to executive health, each client leaves supplied with information to make wise health choices to improve their quality of life," says Jeff fry Huffman, M.D., president and CEO of USC Care Medical Group, Inc.

The Center also provides convenient access to university-based physicians for routine physician visits as well as specialized services. These USC private practice physicians accept most major insurance plans. Physicians in the following specialties practice at the center:

* internal medicine specializing in both men's and women's health 

* endocrinology

* dermatology, general and cosmetic

* gynecology

* urology 

The Center offers the most sophisticated imaging available, with on-site X-ray, mammography and full-body CT scanning. It is supported by the services of USC University Hospital, USC/Norris Cancer Hospital and Doheny Eye Institute.

Patients who visit the center for imaging services also benefit from the program's academic affiliation. A wide range of expert radiologists and sub-specialist radiologists, as well as cardiologists, neurologists and gastroenterologists, consult on specific images and offer advanced interpretation of results and recommendations.

Information for this article was provided by the USC Executive Health and Imaging Center in downtown Los Angeles. For information, call 1-800-USC-CARE.