Edinger Medical Group marks 60 years of patient-centered care

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In an ever-changing world, it’s comforting to know some things stay the same. One thing that hasn’t changed is the exceptional, personalized health care Edinger Medical Group has provided patients throughout Orange County for 60 years.

Edinger Medical Group (EMG) has grown from a small, two-doctor practice in 1961 to a thriving medical group with 10 physicians specializing in internal medicine and family medicine, three nurse practitioners, and a clinical staff dedicated to providing a comprehensive health care experience for patients at its Fountain Valley and Huntington Beach locations.

Over the years, EMG has added patient-care coordinators, senior-care coordinators and a diabetic-care coordinator to further enhance services for its patients. It has navigated the advent of HMO’s, several office moves and the onset of technology and the digital age.

Yet, throughout incredible periods of growth, EMG has maintained its 1960s mentality of the small family practice specializing in multigenerational care.

“The key is that the physicians stay involved,” said Linda Ealy, who started working as a file clerk for EMG as a teenager in 1967 and recently retired after many years as office manager. “They don’t just see the patients and let the staff handle things. They stay involved in the community and they stay involved with the patients’ care from beginning to end.”

That’s one of the reasons EMG earned Integrated Healthcare Association’s Excellence in Healthcare Award for the 17th consecutive year. EMG also was ranked the number one private medical group by Orange County residents for the fifth year in a row and was the highest-rated group for clinical quality of care when compared to 228 other medical groups throughout the state.

In-house services

Ealy noted another reason EMG stands out is they’ve kept most services in-house, making it convenient for patients. In-house services include appointment scheduling, insurance billing and referrals to specialists. X-rays, echocardiograms and other tests are done in-house as well.

In the hospital? Not to worry — EMG’s care extends to hospital visits with the physicians rotating the role of hospitalist each week. Once the patient is about to be released, EMG is right there, too, with a case manager to assist with the transition.

“One of the benefits of being an Edinger Medical Group patient is trusting that everything’s going be taken care of when you’re in need of care,” Ealy said. “Knowing someone is going to help you and you don’t have to figure out how to handle things is reassuring for our patients.  You just call EMG, and if they don’t know the answer they will find out.”

Physicians like working at Edinger Medical Group because being part of a larger group allows them to have a personal life, Ealy said. “They’re human, too, and they have things that go on with family just like everybody else. It’s comforting knowing that they’ve got their partners that will take care of their patients and a staff that will make sure that happens.”

Storied history

Dr. Wilfred Cohen and Dr. Malcom Stoler opened their practice on Edinger Avenue and Springdale Street in Huntington Beach in 1961. While neither physician might have imagined what Edinger Medical Group would one day become, both had a vision of how they wanted their practice to grow. One by one, they began adding physicians and services, and EMG soon became a multispecialty group with internists, pediatricians, OB/GYNs and a surgeon.

During the early years, EMG specialized in family practice, catering to those working at Boeing, McDonnell Douglas and other large companies in the area.

“It was one-stop shopping for the whole family, from grandparents on down,” Ealy recounted. “That was our niche, and it was very convenient for everybody.”

When Fountain Valley Hospital opened in the early 1970s, EMG opened an office in the 100 building, while keeping its Huntington Beach location. When the group outgrew its Fountain Valley office, it moved to a larger space in the 1800 building of the hospital.

Today, Edinger Medical Group has locations at 9900 Talbert Avenue in Fountain Valley and 18682 Beach Boulevard in Huntington Beach. The practice has continued to grow through the challenges of HMO’s, changing demographics and the advent of digital technology.

“When we started in the 1960s, we were caring for a lot of employees who worked at some of the larger companies such as Boeing, and they were having families,” says Lara McKenna, Executive Director of Business and Patient Relations at Edinger Medical Group. “As our community started to age, we’ve been, in some cases, serving four generations of family members here at EMG because we had that longevity.”

Overcoming adversity

One of the greatest challenges to hit Edinger Medical Group was the COVID-19 pandemic. After the initial shutdown in March 2020, they were able to quickly pivot to virtual appointments. “The front office staff learned how to walk people through orientation, so they were ready for online appointments, the scheduling team learned how to schedule virtual appointments. It wasn’t business as usual, but it went almost without a hiccup as we eased our patients back into the office,” Ealy said.

Ealy is most proud of the nearly 3,000 seniors who were vaccinated through EMG. “They were so excited. To see the look on their faces that they were out and getting that vaccine, it brought tears to so many of our eyes.”

It’s another example of how EMG puts patients first, McKenna said. “People come back to us and continue with us because of the way we treat them,” she said.  “We first treat you like a human and then get into why we’re treating you as a patient. I do think that’s why we’ve been so honored in the community and why so many people recognize our name.”