Rady Children's Health

Rady Children's Health is a pediatric healthcare system serving children and adolescents in Orange County and the wider Southern California region. The organization is built around Children's Hospital of Orange County, commonly known as CHOC, and Rady Children's Hospital. Its flagship Orange facility, CHOC Hospital Main Campus – Orange, is a 334-bed pediatric acute-care hospital affiliated with the University of California, Irvine School of Medicine. The system also includes a hospital-within-a-hospital in Mission Viejo, primary-care and specialty-care clinics, more than 100 additional programs and services, and a pediatric residency program. The organization provides care for patients from infancy through young adulthood, with a broad range of pediatric specialties and subspecialties. Its clinical capabilities include emergency medicine, trauma care, surgery, imaging, laboratory and pathology services, and complex inpatient and outpatient treatment. The Orange campus contains a Level I Pediatric Trauma Center described as the only facility of its type in Orange County. The newer pediatric emergency department opened in 2013 as a dedicated pediatric facility and initially operated as an American College of Surgeons-verified Level II pediatric trauma center. CHOC's institutional history is associated with local business leaders Walt Disney and Walter Knott, who are credited in the organization's historical account as early founders or supporters. A major physical expansion occurred in 2013 with the opening of the Bill Holmes Tower. The seven-story, 425,524-square-foot addition expanded emergency, surgical, diagnostic, laboratory and inpatient capabilities while adding private rooms and family-oriented amenities. The surgery center within the expansion was named for Robert L. Tidwell following support from his estate. The Julia and George Argyros Emergency Department was also established as part of the project. The system's public profile has been reinforced by national pediatric hospital rankings, nursing recognition and quality awards. CHOC has been recognized by U.S. News & World Report in multiple pediatric specialty categories and has received Magnet designation for nursing excellence. It also received a Gold Level CAPE Award from the California Council of Excellence and, in 2017, the emergency department received the Emergency Nurses Association's Lantern Award. In November 2023, CHOC and Rady Children's Hospital announced plans to combine their organizations. The transaction received approval from the California attorney general in November 2024. The merger was completed effective January 1, 2025, creating Rady Children's Health. The combined system is intended to coordinate specialized pediatric care, research, clinical operations and community outreach across Southern California while improving access and reducing administrative duplication. CHOC remains a central operating identity and flagship facility within the new network.

Children's Hospital of Orange County, widely known as CHOC, developed as a pediatric healthcare institution serving Orange County and nearby parts of Southern California. The organization's historical account associates its founding with Walt Disney and Walter Knott, prominent local entrepreneurs connected with Disneyland and Knott's Berry Farm. Over time, CHOC expanded from a hospital into a broader pediatric network incorporating acute care, emergency medicine, trauma services, outpatient clinics, specialty programs, education and community-oriented services. The principal facility is CHOC Hospital Main Campus – Orange, a 334-bed pediatric acute-care hospital in Orange, California. The hospital is affiliated with the University of California, Irvine School of Medicine and treats patients from infancy through age 21. Its scope includes comprehensive pediatric specialties and subspecialties, allowing the institution to function as a regional referral center for complex children's care. The network also developed a Mission Viejo hospital-within-a-hospital and a wide range of primary-care and specialty-care locations. A defining phase of physical growth took place in 2013, when CHOC opened the Bill Holmes Tower. The seven-story, 425,524-square-foot addition represented a reported $563 million expansion and added a pediatric emergency department, operating rooms, laboratory and pathology areas, imaging and radiology services, private patient rooms and improved family amenities. The surgical component was named for Robert L. Tidwell after a $30 million contribution from his estate. The expansion also enabled the opening of the Julia and George Argyros Emergency Department on March 26, 2013. The 22,000-square-foot department was designed specifically for children and included rapid-evaluation and discharge rooms, triage suites and treatment rooms. It was described as an American College of Surgeons-verified Level II pediatric trauma center at opening. CHOC continued to build recognition through clinical quality, nursing and emergency-care achievements. The organization has appeared in U.S. News & World Report's national pediatric specialty rankings, including seven ranked specialties in the 2021–22 period, when it was also listed sixth among California children's hospitals. It received Magnet designation, the highest nursing-excellence recognition cited in the source material, and earned a Gold Level CAPE Award from the California Council of Excellence. In 2017, the emergency department received the Lantern Award from the Emergency Nurses Association for performance in leadership, practice, education, advocacy and research. The institution also participated in high-profile philanthropic and community activities. In 2020, Dwayne Johnson, Microsoft and Bill Gates arranged for Xbox Series X consoles to be donated to CHOC and 19 other children's hospitals, providing entertainment and recreation resources for hospitalized children. The most consequential recent development was CHOC's combination with Rady Children's Hospital. The organizations announced their intent to merge in November 2023. California attorney general approval followed in November 2024, allowing the institutions to proceed with coordinated clinical operations, research and outreach. The merger became effective on January 1, 2025, and the combined organization adopted the name Rady Children's Health. The resulting system is intended to be one of California's largest pediatric healthcare networks, with greater regional access to specialized services and a more integrated administrative and clinical structure. CHOC's Orange campus and related programs continue as important components of the merged system.

1. 2025Rady Children's Health launches

   The merger was completed on January 1, creating the combined Rady Children's Health system.

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2. 2024Merger receives California approval

   The California attorney general approved the proposed combination of CHOC and Rady Children's Hospital.

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3. 2023Merger intention announced

   CHOC and Rady Children's Hospital announced plans to merge their pediatric healthcare operations.

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4. 2020Xbox console donation

   CHOC received Xbox Series X consoles through a collaboration involving Dwayne Johnson, Microsoft and Bill Gates.

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5. 2017Emergency department receives Lantern Award

   The Emergency Nurses Association recognized the emergency department for performance in leadership, practice, education, advocacy and research.

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6. 2013Bill Holmes Tower opens

   CHOC opened a seven-story, 425,524-square-foot expansion that added emergency, surgical, diagnostic, laboratory and inpatient capacity and enhanced family facilities.

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7. 2013Dedicated pediatric emergency department opens

   The Julia and George Argyros Emergency Department opened on March 26 as a dedicated pediatric emergency facility in Orange County.

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A comprehensive regional pediatric healthcare network focused exclusively on children, adolescents and young adults, combining tertiary and emergency care with specialty clinics, education, research and community programs.

• CHOC Hospital Main Campus – OrangePediatric acute-care hospital

  The 334-bed flagship pediatric hospital in Orange provides inpatient and outpatient care across a broad range of pediatric specialties and subspecialties. It includes advanced surgical, diagnostic, laboratory, imaging, emergency and trauma capabilities and serves patients from across Orange County and Southern California.

• Julia and George Argyros Emergency DepartmentPediatric emergency and trauma care2013

  Opened in 2013, this dedicated pediatric emergency department was designed around children's emergency needs. The facility includes triage suites, rapid-evaluation and discharge rooms, and treatment rooms, and was described at opening as an American College of Surgeons-verified Level II pediatric trauma center.

• Pediatric specialty and subspecialty servicesSpecialty healthcare

  The network offers comprehensive pediatric specialties and subspecialties for patients from infancy through young adulthood. These services are delivered through the main hospital, outpatient clinics and more than 100 additional programs and services across the regional network.

• Pediatric residency programMedical education

  CHOC supports pediatric physician training through a residency program connected with its clinical and academic environment, helping prepare physicians for children's hospital and community pediatric practice.

• Mission Viejo pediatric hospital facilityPediatric hospital facility

  The regional network includes a hospital-within-a-hospital in Mission Viejo, extending pediatric services beyond the Orange flagship campus and supporting access for families in southern Orange County.

• 2020Xbox Series X hospital donation

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  Dwayne Johnson, Microsoft and Bill Gates collaborated to provide Xbox Series X consoles to CHOC and 19 other children's hospitals, offering recreational support to hospitalized children.

  Outcome. CHOC was among the beneficiary hospitals receiving the donated consoles.

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• 2023Decision to pursue merger with Rady Children's HospitalM&A

  CHOC and Rady Children's Hospital sought to strengthen pediatric access, coordinate specialized care and research, and streamline administration across Southern California.

  What changed. The institutions announced their intent to merge and began the regulatory and organizational process required to create a unified pediatric healthcare system.

  Aftermath. The combination received California attorney general approval in 2024 and was completed on January 1, 2025, under the Rady Children's Health name.

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• 2013Major campus expansion through the Bill Holmes TowerOther

  CHOC needed additional capacity for pediatric emergency medicine, surgery, diagnostics, inpatient care and family services.

  What changed. The organization opened a seven-story, 425,524-square-foot tower with expanded clinical and family facilities.

  Aftermath. The expansion increased the hospital's ability to provide specialized pediatric and emergency care and supported the opening of a dedicated pediatric emergency department.

  Reported expansion cost. $563 million (2013)

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• 2025Rady Children's Health begins operations after merger

  The merger was completed on January 1, 2025, and the combined organization began operating under the Rady Children's Health name.

  M&ALeadership change
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• 2024California attorney general approves CHOC–Rady combination

  Regulatory approval cleared the two pediatric institutions to align operations, research and community outreach as part of their planned combination.

  M&ARegulation
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• 2023CHOC and Rady Children's Hospital announce intent to merge

  Children's Hospital of Orange County and Rady Children's Hospital announced plans to combine their organizations into a major pediatric healthcare network serving Southern California.

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• 2020The Rock, Microsoft and Bill Gates donate Xbox consoles to CHOC

  Dwayne Johnson, Microsoft and Bill Gates collaborated on a donation of Xbox Series X consoles to Children's Hospital of Orange County and 19 other children's hospitals in the United States.

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1. Rady Children's Health
2. Children's Hospital of Orange County