Becker’s Hospital Review: Cancer Care Can’t Stop—Lessons From the Los Angeles Wildfires

Becker’s Hospital Review recently interviewed Robert Figlin, MD, interim director of Cedars-Sinai Cancer, and Los Angeles Magazine spoke with pulmonologist Jeremy Falk, MD, associate professor of Medicine at Cedars-Sinai, about the impact of the L.A. wildfires on hospital employees, patients and the community. 

Numerous staff from Cedars-Sinai Medical Center as well as Pasadena-based Huntington Health, an affiliate of Cedars-Sinai, faced lost or damaged homes and evacuations, and a Santa Monica oncology clinic lost power.

Figlin told Becker’s Hospital Review that, despite these challenges, cancer care continued throughout the disaster without disruption because the health system’s multiple hospitals and medical offices are spread out geographically—allowing patients to use different locations when necessary. 

“The systemwide nature of our approach to cancer care allowed us to move pieces around as they were affected by the fires,” said Figlin, the Steven Spielberg Family Chair in Hematology-Oncology.

Figlin told Becker’s Hospital Review the health system will continue to support affected staff as they navigate life after the fires.

“The next part of all this is going to be the rebuilding, which will take months to years,” he said. “We are prepared to support [those who have lost their homes] through the journey.”

Falk told Los Angeles Magazine part of that journey involves navigating potential future health risks from pollutant-contaminated water and air.

“If this were all vegetation and trees, we might have a better understanding of the effects,” Falk said. “But with all the buildings, plastics and metals being burned in homes, we will know less about what the long-term health effects will be.” 

Click here to read the complete article from Becker’s Hospital Review. Click here to read the complete article from Los Angeles Magazine.