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A Pit Bull for his Patients David Hoyt, M.D.
Hoyt, an award-winning surgeon then at UC San Diego, knew just what to do. He and his team controlled Binsfield’s bleeding, stabilized him and removed three-quarters of his liver during the 4 ½-hour operation. Over the next decade, Hoyt performed several more operations on Binsfield, including cleaning out an infection in his abdominal cavity. Hoyt, now the John E. Connolly, M.D. Chair of Surgery at UC Irvine Medical Center Hoyt “was like a pit bull with steak; he didn’t want to let go of my life,” said Binsfield, now 50. “I don’t have enough adjectives to express the greatness of Dr. David Hoyt.” Hoyt’s commitment to saving lives and improving patient care has led him to make substantive changes during his 18 months at UC Irvine. Unlike at many hospitals, a surgeon is now on site at the medical center 24/7 to ensure prompt emergency care. Hoyt also implemented a protocol to reduce medical errors known as Life Wings. Before surgeries, doctors, nurses, anesthesiologists and others discuss the procedure, the equipment they need and their roles. Afterwards, the surgical team talks briefly about what they learned. “We’re extremely lucky to have a national leader in surgery like him here,” said Dr. John Heydt, president and chief executive of University Physicians and Surgeons. “Not only is Dr. Hoyt great for our patients, but he also mentors and trains other UC Irvine doctors.” Hoyt has made improving patient care the hallmark of his 32-year medical career. In the 1980s, he played a major role in building San Diego County’s trauma care system into one of the nation’s best. His cutting-edge research has helped improve resuscitation fluids, including one currently in clinical trials that might prevent multiple organ failure in trauma patients. Five years ago, Hoyt helped establish the Resuscitation Outcomes Consortium, which conducts clinical trials nationwide. He has personally saved scores of lives. “Medicine is not just about healing wounds,” said Hoyt, who recently received the prestigious 2007 Distinguished Service Award from the American College of Surgeons. “It’s about taking care of the whole patient.” — Marc Ballon, Health Affairs Advancement
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University of California, Irvine • Irvine, CA 92697 |
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Pinned beneath a giant mobile home he was repairing just moments earlier, Richard Binsfield wondered whether he would survive. In shock and losing blood rapidly, his ribs broken and left lung punctured, he found himself on the operating table, near death. Luckily for him, Dr. David Hoyt was the chief surgeon that October day in 1997.