Eating Disorders Program
The Torrance Memorial Eating Disorders Medical Unit provides acute care services for adolescents and young adults (ages 13-26) who are experiencing medical complications as a result of a severe eating disorder. Our program is designed for individuals who are too medically unstable to enter treatment at an outpatient or residential treatment program.
The goal of our program is to stabilize each patient and treat any medical conditions they are experiencing so they can safely move onto the next phase of their treatment. This includes supervising and managing the refeeding process to avoid or minimize the harmful effects of refeeding syndrome.
Multidisciplinary Expertise
With over 20 years experience in treating adolescents and younger adults with eating disorders, our Eating Disorders Program offers hope for these high-risk patients. Because the cause and effect of these conditions is emotional and behavioral as well as physical, our expert interdisciplinary team of professionals includes specially trained physicians, nurses, nutritionists, psychologists, family therapists and other support staff, led by our Medical Director, Dr. Linda Schack, one of the few physicians in the US with expertise in the medical stabilization of patients with eating disorders.
When necessary, our team can access the expertise of other medical specialists at Torrance Memorial, such as cardiologists, gastroenterologists and on-site intensive care physicians, to address complications arising from your eating disorder or the refeeding process.
Private, Personal & Compassionate Care
We treat the whole individual, both physically and emotionally, and our approach is tailored specifically for each patient. We understand that an eating disorder impacts the entire family, not just the patient, and our services include individual and family therapy and support. We work closely with each patient and their family to determine their best pathway forward after discharge. Our goal is to get each and every one of our patients well enough to enter into the next phase of their treatment—safely and with the greatest chance for success.
Your assigned team of professionals will evaluate your physical and emotional health and determine whether you have an eating disorder, a medical illness or a combination. Based upon our diagnosis, we will create a treatment plan completely customized to your individual needs.
Your individualized treatment program will include the following:
- Daily monitoring and evaluation by a physician expert in the treatment of eating disorders
- Laboratory testing and cardiorespiratory monitoring
- Round-the-clock care and support from experienced nursing staff
- Personalized nutrition plans created by our master's level dietitian
- Treatment for stomach and intestinal conditions that may be interfering with eating
- Individual psychotherapy sessions
- A psychiatric assessment and medication recommendation if needed
- Weekly family therapy and educational sessions
- Vitamin and mineral supplements as necessary
- Complementary medicine when indicated
- On-site emergency and intensive care if needed
- Comprehensive discharge planning
- Continued outpatient support
Your care will be provided at Torrance Memorial Medical Center, recently named among the top 3% of California hospitals by U.S. News and World Report.
All of our patients have private rooms with TV, Wi-Fi and their own bathroom.
Admissions Process
The adolescents and young adults that are admitted to the Torrance Memorial Eating Disorders medical unit are referred by residential and outpatient programs, health care providers, and family.
Learn more about the admissions process
Insurance
It is important to note that admission to a hospital stabilization program allows patients to use their medical insurance benefit, thus preserving their behavioral health coverage for the residential, partial hospitalization, or intensive outpatient programs to which they will be transferred upon achieving medical stabilization.
