Dr. Diane Nugent, of California, has been warmly welcomed as “Best in Medicine” by the American Health Council. Dr. Nugent has worked in the healthcare industry for more than 25 years, with the last 15 years being spent in her current role as Division Chief of Hematology for Children’s Hospital of Orange County.

Dr. Nugent discovered her passion for healthcare whilst she was volunteering at an STD clinic. Whilst assisting at this clinic she utilized her language skills and would help to translate Spanish into English. This would help both the staff and patients. The nurses that she worked alongside were passionate about providing the best care possible for their patients and this is something which she revered and motivated her. One of the nurses that she worked with recommended that Dr. Nugent should also pursue this path however she chose to take a different route and work in medicine. Dr. Nugent has completed both a BA and an MD and she received her MD in 1977 from the University of California Los Angeles.

Children’s Hospital of Orange County was established in 1964 and has always tirelessly cared for the children and young people that require assistance. This care is not only compassionate, but also incorporates cutting-edge innovations. Within the regional network of pediatric healthcare facilities, there is a hospital within hospital at Mission Viejo as well as an up to date institution in Orange that contains an impressive 279. Children’s Hospital of Orange County offers an impressive range of services that allow them to help any child that requires specialist care. They offer Hematology, Neonatology, Adolescent Medicine, Imaging, Emergency Care, Psychiatry and Surgery alongside many other areas.

The specialities of Dr. Nugent specifically include patient care, hematology, sickle cell and Medicine. Because of this, her daily tasks include that all children who require it, have comprehensive access to specialist hematology care – especially those with bone and blood disorders. This is in addition to her responsibility as the regional director for Sickle Cell Hemophilia and taking care of the 20-year grants. Dr. Nugent is honoured to have formed the Center for Inherited Blood Disorders. This is a pioneering organization that assists uninsured children. Her achievements in this field have been recognized as she was chosen as the National Hemophilia Foundation Physicians of the Year in 2005. This is in addition to being announced as one of the Best Doctors in America 2007-2008 and being chosen by Cal-Optima as the recipient on the Physician Circle of Care Award. She credits these achievements to always working towards a goal and being resilient.

In addition to the aforementioned awards, Dr. Nugent also works for the University of California as a clinical professor. For the Region IX MCHB Hemophilia Treatment Program, Dr. Nugent is the principle investigator. For the National Institutes of Health and National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, Dr. Nugent is the chair of review subcommittee.

To ensure she remains up to date with the latest innovations in care, Dr. Nugent is a member of a variety of professional bodies. These organizations include International Society on Thrombosis and Hemostasis, the American Society of Hematology and Hemostasis and Thrombosis Research Society. As part of her work with the International Society of Thrombosis and Hemostasis and the American Society of Hematology, Dr. Nugent is the head of program projects for the hematology committees.

Looking to the future, Dr. Nugent wants to be heavily involved with trialing new treatments for those with blood disorders. When she is not working, Dr. Nugent loves to spend as much time as possible with her loved ones.