As part of their evolving community partnership, Saint John's Health Center and UCLA Health System and Santa Monica-UCLA Medical Center and Orthopaedic Hospital, have announced that Dr. Curtis Hunter will partner with Saint John's heart program. In this capacity, Dr. Hunter will be part of a combined team to include Dr. John Robertson, director of cardiovascular surgery at Saint John's, to provide heart surgery to patients in Santa Monica and other West Los Angeles communities. Dr. Hunter continues to be on staff at UCLA's hospitals in Santa Monica and Westwood.

"This agreement provides a framework to offer better health care for patients in our common service area," said Posie Carpenter, chief administrative officer of Santa Monica-UCLA Medical Center and Orthopaedic Hospital. "UCLA's strength lies in a union of research, teaching and excellent patient care. We believe there is significant potential to collaborate with Saint John's in these areas, and this is one example of how this partnership will benefit patients in our mutual service areas."

"Dr. Hunter's arrival helps ensure patients can count on outstanding heart surgery services without leaving Santa Monica," said Lou Lazatin, CEO of Saint John's Health Center. "This relationship combines the strength of our two long-standing heart programs for the well-being of our entire community."Dr. Hunter is board-certified in thoracic surgery and general surgery. He is an assistant clinical professor of surgery and director of cardiothoracic surgery services at Santa Monica-UCLA Medical Center and Orthopaedic Hospital. In addition to cardiothoracic surgery, Dr. Hunter's clinical interests include adult acquired cardiovascular disease, thoracic aortic disease and research in optimizing outcomes in cardiac surgery.

Dr. Hunter received his undergraduate and medical degrees from the University of Utah, followed by general surgery residency training at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, and cardiothoracic surgery training at Boston University Medical Center. Dr. Hunter previously was at Boston Medical Center, where he served as assistant professor of cardiothoracic surgery, director of thoracic endografting and director of cardiothoracic critical care.