Tri-City Medical Center

03/26/2026

This past week Tri-City Medical Center welcomed five new members into the TCMC family with the graduation of our 2026 Spring RN New Grads!

Over the course of their four-week didactic (classroom-based instruction) our new grads learned the important skills that their teams use day in and day out. These include: Cerner Training, Policies and Procedures, Hand-Off Communication, Compliance & Patient Experience, Quality, Regulatory Compliance, PreOp/Post Op Patient Care, Infection Prevention, Fall Prevention, Medication Administration and so much more.

From the classroom to the clinical space our new grads learned hands on about: Patient Systems Assessment and Skills: Cardiac, Pulmonary, Skin & Wound, Neuro/Stroke, Venous Access, Musculoskeletal & Patient Mobility, Psychosocial, Diet/Nutrition, Diabetes, GI, GU

We want to thank our incredible team of educators that ensure every new grad is prepared for all aspects of patient care and are equipped with the essential knowledge, confidence and compassion that will see them, and their patients, thrive at the bed-side.

03/24/2026

03/20/2026

This past week we celebrated the retirement of another Tri-City “Legend”, Lomi Taua.

With over Four-Decades of service with the Environmental Services Department (EVS), Lomi knows Tri-City inside and out and has seen it grow to the campus it has become today.

Assembly Room 2 was packed with her fellow employees, friends and family to share stories, hugs and laughs from over the years.

We cannot begin to thank Lomi for her service and time she has given to TCMC but we can ensure to carry on the legacy she leaves throughout the hospital halls and patient rooms she took such care of.

Happy Retirement, Lomi!

03/17/2026

From our family to yours, wishing you a happy, safe and luck filled Saint Patricks Day!

03/13/2026

It’s Pulmonary Rehabilitation Week!

For over thirty years Tri-City has been home to North County’s only Pulmonary Rehabilitation program! Our outpatient program is designed with community members in mind to help those with conditions such as; Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), asthma, bronchitis, emphysema, interstitial lung disease (ILD), idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), and other breathing disorders.

We are proud to recognize our incredible Pulmonary Rehab team. The department is led by Respiratory Coordinator, Akaesha Gee and our team of dedicated Registered Respiratory Therapists: John Bailey, Nick Hiatt, Arianna Saldivar, Eric Talley, Kevin Edwards and Sarena Orosco-Ramirez (not pictured). They are invaluable to our hospital and to the patient community we serve.

Our program focuses on improving quality of life through supervised exercise, education, and lifestyle changes. Our team also offers a maintenance program, allowing patients to continue their exercise routines and healthy lifestyle habits after graduating from Pulmonary Rehabilitation.

In January, we launched our Freedom from Smoking Program, which is the only program in North San Diego offering in-person group support for individuals ready to quit smoking.

Our team also hosts the Better Breathers Club, a free monthly support group open to the community, providing education, encouragement, and connection for those living with chronic lung conditions.

We are grateful for our Pulmonary Rehab team and the life-changing support they provide to our patients every day!

03/11/2026

Last week our hospital celebrated a “Legends” Retirement. ICU Manager Debbie ‘Deb’ Deruyter.

With a career spanning over 50 years in nursing, 15+ spent in our ICU, Deb brought a level of care that echoes throughout the ICU and the hospital as a whole. Over 100+ people came through Assembly Room 2 sharing countless stories, laughs and a few tears as our Tri-City family came together to honor, celebrate and thank Deb for her compassion and dedication to her team, our patients and our hospital.

These are the qualities she set that the ICU and Tri-City came to admire. Now, we promise to carry it on.

Congratulations and Happy Retirement, Deb!

03/03/2026

This month, Tri-City Medical Center, in collaboration with Tri-City Hospital Foundation, Orthopaedic Specialists of North County, and stryker , hosted the first, and largest, Lunch Wise event of 2026 at Ocean Hills Country Club, with over 200 attendees!

Featured presentations were delivered by our very own orthopedic surgeons: Dr. James Layson and Dr. Bayan Aghdasi of Orthopaedic Specialists of North County.

•Dr. Layson specializes in hip and knee replacement for the management of arthritis.
• Dr. Aghdasi specializes in minimally invasive spine surgery.

Attendees gained valuable insights into the latest advancements in orthopedic care and surgical innovation.

Our event sponsor, Stryker, elevated the experience with an interactive, hands-on demo of the Q-Guidance Spinal Robotic Suite, technology currently used at Tri-City Medical Center. Each demo gave residents a firsthand look at how robotic technology enhances precision and improves patient care through cutting edge innovation.

Thank you to everyone who joined us for this record-breaking event and we look forward to seeing you at our next Lunch Wise on May 7th. Stay tuned for details!

02/27/2026

Pet Therapy, Best Therapy! 🐾💕

A heartfelt thank you to our incredible Auxiliary Pet Therapy Dogs and their dedicated handlers for hosting the Valentine’s Kisses event in the TCMC lobby this past week!

More than 15 lovable Auxiliary pooches spread joy with kisses, cuddles, and wagging tails to our employees, patients, patient families, and everyone who passed by. Their presence brought smiles, comfort, and a little extra love to our halls.

We are so grateful to our Auxiliary volunteers for the compassion and warmth they share so generously. Because of you, everyone who walks through our doors feels welcomed, supported, and at peace.

Thank you for all that you do! 🐶❤️

02/24/2026

Today, Tri-City Medical Center proudly celebrates a major milestone in our commitment to delivering world-class healthcare close to home with the unveiling and ribbon cutting of our newly redesigned Emergency Department.

This transformational project would not have been possible without the generous support of the Tri-City Hospital Foundation (), the David C. Copley Foundation (), the the Conrad Prebys (), and donors like you who believe in advancing the health and well-being of North County.

We are thrilled to introduce this enhanced Emergency Department experience to our community. With the partnership and support of our incredible first responders, this investment will make a meaningful difference for patients and families for years to come.

02/14/2026

From our family to yours, we wish you a happy and heartfelt Valentine’s Day!

02/12/2026

At Tri-City Board Meeting last week, some very special guests stepped up to the podium: the Smack City 13U Pop Warner Football Team.

Head Coach Josh Galeai, along with Assistant Coaches Matthew Segi and Billy Walker, and several of the players, thanked the board for helping fund the team’s travel and their dream of a national championship.

For context: In the 2021/2022 season, Smack City qualified for the Pop Warner National Championships (the “Pop Warner Super Bowl”) but were unable to attend due to lack of funding.

This year, Smack City 13U put in the work practicing more than 10 hours a week on top of school and family responsibilities. They played 14 games during the 2025 season, finishing with an incredible 12–1 record and once again earning a spot at Nationals.

For this team, it was their final year in Pop Warner, their LAST chance at the National Title. Teams that qualify must quickly secure entry, by purchasing hotel blocks, within weeks.

Tri-City Leadership heard about the challenge and knew they had to step in. With TCMC’s support, they helped meet that need, sending the team to Charlotte, North Carolina from December 8–15.

The championship came down to three games against the best teams in the nation. The third and final matchup was especially intense, as their opponent, the Westchase Colts from Florida, was just as skilled.

In the end, Smack City 13U Pirates prevailed with a 6–0 victory, bringing home the National Championship! 🏆🏴‍☠️

02/09/2026

This Black History Month, we celebrate a historic milestone: 100 years of honoring Black history.

Created by historian, author, journalist, and educator Dr. Carter G. Woodson, in 1926 as “Negro History Week” has grown into the global month-long celebration we know today.

In the words of Dr. Woodson: “Those who have no record of what their forebears have accomplished lose the inspiration which comes from the teaching of biography and history.”

This Black History Month, we honor, remember, and carry forward the mission Dr. Woodson laid out for us all.