UCI Susan Samueli Integrative Health Institute Honored for Excellence in Healthcare

Excellence in Healthcare 2023 Wellness Program. UCI Health, Susan Samueli Integrative Health Institute award in front of living wall

Irvine, Calif. – The UCI Susan Samueli Integrative Health Institute – UCI Health has been honored by the Greater Irvine Chamber’s inaugural Excellence in Healthcare: Wellness Programs award.

Through its inaugural Excellence in Healthcare awards program, the Greater Irvine Chamber recognizes outstanding healthcare organizations, executives, practitioners, and other innovative industry leaders who continue to serve and make advancements in the region’s healthcare sector. The Wellness Programs award recognizes a program that improves the health and wellness of a patient or staff population and addresses upstream health concerns via fitness and healthy habits. 

At the gala event held January 26 at the Irvine Marriott in Irvine, Shaista Malik, MD, PhD, MPH, founding executive director of the Samueli Institute, accepted the award.

Receiving the Excellence in Healthcare awards on behalf of UCI Health for Health Systems, Healthcare: Support Service Administrators, and Wellness Program, left to right: Joseph Carmichael, MD, Chief Medical Officer; Chad Lefteris, CEO; Susanna Rustad, Chief Procurement Officer & Executive Director, Virtual Care; Shasta Malik, MD, Executive Director, Susan Samueli Integrative Health Institute; Tatyana Popkova, Chief Strategy Officer.
Receiving the Excellence in Healthcare awards on behalf of UCI Health for Health Systems, Healthcare: Support Service Administrators, and Wellness Program, left to right: Joseph Carmichael, MD, Chief Medical Officer; Chad Lefteris, CEO; Susanna Rustad, Chief Procurement Officer & Executive Director, Virtual Care; Shasta Malik, MD, Executive Director, Susan Samueli Integrative Health Institute; Tatyana Popkova, Chief Strategy Officer.

“It is truly humbling and a great honor to receive this Excellence in Healthcare: Wellness Programs award from the Greater Irvine Chamber,” said Malik. “We are so grateful to be part of the Irvine community, especially with our new Irvine flagship location that opened a few months ago. We deeply appreciate this recognition of our continued efforts to bring integrative, whole-person health to the Irvine community.”

The Samueli Institute brings whole-person health including nutrition, physical, and mental wellbeing together to help the UCI, UC and surrounding communities achieve optimal health. The Samueli Institute is committed to reimagining the future of healthcare by pioneering an interdisciplinary, evidence-informed, integrative approach to health and wellness with a team who addresses stress management, lifestyle, nutrition, and beyond to achieve individual’s wellness goals. With more than 40,000 outpatient and inpatient integrative health visits last year, specialists and physicians address acute issues, while patients also receive wellness services including mindfulness, acupuncture, and massage therapy.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Samueli Institute has offered over 10,000 free visits to the Orange County and Universities of California communities. The Samueli Institute reflects what healthcare should be by providing the best scientific research, education and patient care integrating conventional and complementary medicine.

Greater Irvine Chamber Excellence in Healthcare