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Children's Hospital of Orange County (CHOC)
[REDACTED]
The front of the CHOC at night.
Geography
Location	Orange, Orange County, California, United States
Organization
Affiliated university	University of California, Irvine School of Medicine
Services
Emergency department	Level I Pediatric Trauma Center
Beds	334
Helipad	FAA LID: 4CA5, runways H1 & H2
History
Opened	1964
Links
Website	http://www.choc.org/
Lists	Hospitals in California

Children's Hospital of Orange County or CHOC is a pediatric healthcare system based in Orange County, California. Its flagship hospital, CHOC Hospital Main Campus – Orange, is a pediatric acute care hospital located in Orange, California. The hospital has 334 beds and is affiliated with the University of California, Irvine School of Medicine. The hospital provides comprehensive pediatric specialties and subspecialties to pediatric patients aged 0–21 throughout Orange County and the Southern California area. The CHOC Main Campus also features a Level I Pediatric Trauma Center, the only of such in Orange County.

The regional pediatric healthcare network includes a 334-bed main hospital facility in the City of Orange, and a hospital-within-a-hospital in Mission Viejo. CHOC also offers many primary and specialty care clinics, over 100 additional programs and services, and a pediatric residency program.

History

CHOC officially traces its founding to local entrepreneurs Walt Disney and Walter Knott, the founders of Disneyland and Knott's Berry Farm, respectively.

In 2013, CHOC opened the new $563 million Bill Holmes Tower, adding seven-stories and 425,524 square feet. The addition also included a new and advanced pediatric emergency department, operating rooms and related services, laboratory, pathology, imaging and radiology services. The tower also features additional private rooms and enhanced family amenities. The new surgery center in the addition was funded from a $30 million donation by the estate of Robert L. Tidwell and bears his name.

In 2013 as a part of the new tower, CHOC opened the first pediatric only emergency department in Orange County with the opening of the Julia and George Argyros Emergency Department on March 26, 2013. The new addition was funded by a five million dollar donation by Julia and George Argyros. The 22,000 square foot emergency department also features an ACS verified level II pediatric trauma center including 14 rapid evaluation and discharge exam rooms and three triage suites and features 31 treatment rooms.

In November 2020, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson collaborated with Microsoft and billionaire Bill Gates to donate Xbox Series X consoles to the Children's Hospital of Orange County along with 19 other children's hospitals throughout the country.

Merger with Rady Children’s Hospital

In November 2023, Children’s Hospital of Orange County (CHOC) and Rady Children’s Hospital announced their intent to merge, aiming to form one of the largest pediatric healthcare systems in California. This significant step was approved by the California Attorney General in November 2024, clearing the way for both institutions to align clinical operations, research efforts, and community outreach strategies under a single network. According to representatives from CHOC and Rady Children’s, the merger seeks to enhance the delivery of specialized pediatric care, increase access for families across Southern California, and streamline administrative processes.

Awards

CHOC is consistently named one of the best children's hospitals in the U.S. by U.S. News & World Report.

CHOC earned the Gold Level CAPE Award from the California Council of Excellence, the only children's hospital in California to ever earn this distinction, and was awarded Magnet designation, the highest honor bestowed to hospitals for nursing excellence.

In 2017, the ED was the recipient of the Lantern Award from the Emergency Nurses Association for exceptional and innovative performance in leadership, practice, education, advocacy, and research.

As of 2021-22, Children's Hospital of Orange County has placed nationally in 7 ranked pediatric specialties on U.S. News & World Report. The hospital is also ranks as #6 in California children's hospitals.

References

1. "(4CA5) Childrens Hospital of Orange County". AOPA Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association. Retrieved December 18, 2024.
2. "CHOC Children's Hospital of Orange County". Children's Hospital Association. Archived from the original on March 24, 2020. Retrieved March 24, 2020.
3. "About | Department of Pediatrics | School of Medicine | University of California, Irvine". www.pediatrics.uci.edu. Archived from the original on February 21, 2020. Retrieved March 24, 2020.
4. "Physical Therapy for Developmental Delays - CHOC Children's, Orange County, California". CHOC Children's. Archived from the original on March 24, 2020. Retrieved March 24, 2020.
5. "Occupational Therapy - CHOC Children's, Orange County, California". CHOC Children's. Archived from the original on March 24, 2020. Retrieved March 24, 2020.
6. ^ "Trauma Centers". American College of Surgeons. Archived from the original on September 26, 2020. Retrieved March 24, 2020.
7. "Locations". CHOC Children's. Archived from the original on March 24, 2020. Retrieved March 24, 2020.
8. "Fifty Years of Caring". Choc.org. Archived from the original on December 6, 2018. Retrieved September 26, 2020.
9. "McCarthy Tops Off CHOC Hospital Tower". www.enr.com. Archived from the original on September 26, 2020. Retrieved March 25, 2020.
10. "McCarthy completes new patient tower at CHOC Children's Hospital - DesignCurial". www.designcurial.com. Archived from the original on March 25, 2020. Retrieved March 25, 2020.
11. "CHOC's New Tower to Transform Pediatric Health Care" (PDF). November 1, 2010. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 12, 2012. Retrieved March 24, 2020.
12. "CHOC expansion triples size of children's hospital". Orange County Register. January 31, 2013. Archived from the original on March 25, 2020. Retrieved March 25, 2020.
13. "CHOC Children's - CHOC Expansion and Construction Updates". Archived from the original on October 24, 2012. Retrieved October 20, 2012.
14. Zeit, Kristin (April 1, 2013). "CHOC Children's Hospital, Bill Holmes Tower". Healthcare Design Magazine. Archived from the original on March 25, 2020. Retrieved March 25, 2020.
15. "CHOC Receives Largest Gift in Hospital History". Medical Construction and Design. March 16, 2011. Retrieved March 25, 2020.
16. "CHOC Children's Emergency Department Opens, Serves Orange County's Youngest Patients". Specialneedsoc.com. Archived from the original on April 11, 2013.
17. "The Julia and George Argyros Emergency Department". Choc.org. Archived from the original on October 23, 2014.
18. Napoli, Jessica (November 23, 2020). "Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson donates Xbox consoles to 20 children's hospitals". Fox News. Retrieved December 1, 2020.
19. "The Rock and Microsoft team up to donate personalized Xbox consoles to hospitals - TechInSecs". OLTNEWS. November 24, 2020. Archived from the original on October 8, 2021. Retrieved December 1, 2020.
20. Dennis, Ryan (November 12, 2020). "DWAYNE 'THE ROCK' JOHNSON SURPRISES DOZENS AT CHILDREN'S HEALTHCARE OF ATLANTA WITH XBOBX CONSOLES". oz-magazine. Archived from the original on November 28, 2020. Retrieved December 1, 2020.
21. rrios (January 8, 2025). "Children's Hospital of Orange County (CHOC) and Rady Children's Hospital San Diego Announce Closing of Merger". CHOC Inside. Retrieved January 17, 2025.
22. "Attorney general approves Rady Children's-CHOC merger". San Diego Union-Tribune. November 7, 2024. Retrieved January 17, 2025.
23. "CHOC Children's Hospital : Nationally Ranked in 6 Children's Specialties". Health.usnews.com. Archived from the original on March 30, 2013. Retrieved February 15, 2019.
24. "Press Room". Choc.org. Archived from the original on February 16, 2019. Retrieved February 15, 2019.
25. "ANCC Magnet Recognition Program - American Nurses Credentialing Center - ANCC". Archived from the original on October 21, 2012. Retrieved October 20, 2012.
26. "Lantern Award Recipients". Ena.org. Archived from the original on October 20, 2018. Retrieved October 19, 2018.
27. "Best Children's Hospitals". U.S. News & World Report. 2022. Archived from the original on May 29, 2013. Retrieved June 15, 2021.

External links

• This hospital in the CA Healthcare Atlas A project by OSHPD

33°46′53″N 117°51′55″W / 33.78139°N 117.86528°W / 33.78139; -117.86528

• Hospital buildings completed in 1964
• Children's hospitals in the United States
• Hospitals in Orange County, California
• Buildings and structures in Orange, California
• Hospitals established in 1964
• Pediatric trauma centers