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When a Pasadena resident is recovering from a stroke, joint replacement surgery, spinal cord injury, brain injury, or chronic pain condition, the clinical specialty that bridges acute medical care and full return to function is Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. For patients in the San Gabriel Valley, having a specialist who understands the full continuum of rehabilitation – from acute hospital rehab to outpatient follow-up – makes the difference between halfway recovery and getting back to the activities that matter.

Hill Medical Center is a Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation clinic at 333 North Hill Avenue, Suite 101, in Pasadena, California. The practice is led by Dr. Raffi Balian, Founder and Medical Director, who also serves as the Medical Director of the Acute Rehab Unit at Dignity Health Glendale Memorial Hospital. The clinic operates on a focused Tuesday and Thursday schedule and is conveniently located just off the Hill exit from the 210 Freeway.

Hill Medical Center Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation clinic at 333 North Hill Avenue in Pasadena, Los Angeles County, California

Clinic Snapshot

Detail	Value
Address	333 North Hill Avenue, Suite 101, Pasadena, CA 91106
County	Los Angeles
Specialty	Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (Physiatry)
Founder & Medical Director	Dr. Raffi Balian
Hospital Affiliation	Medical Director, Acute Rehab Unit, Dignity Health Glendale Memorial Hospital
Additional Credential	Qualified Medical Examiner (QME) since 2019
Languages	Armenian, Arabic, French, English
Hours	Tuesday and Thursday, 8 AM – 2 PM
Insurance	Most insurances accepted
Access	Conveniently located just off the Hill exit from the 210 Freeway
Phone	(626) 449-9911
Fax	(626) 449-9921
Email	hilda@hillmc.com
Website	hillmc.com

What Is Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation?

Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R) – also known as physiatry – is the medical specialty focused on restoring function and quality of life for people with physical impairments or disabilities from injury, illness, or chronic conditions. A physiatrist (the specialist) treats the whole person rather than a single organ system, coordinating care across orthopedics, neurology, physical therapy, occupational therapy, pain management, and other disciplines.

Patients commonly seen by a PM&R specialist include those recovering from or managing:

Stroke and other neurological events
Brain injury (traumatic and acquired)
Spinal cord injury and back pain
Joint replacement recovery (hip, knee, shoulder)
Amputation rehabilitation
Chronic pain conditions
Sports and musculoskeletal injuries
Workers compensation injuries
Cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation

PM&R bridges the gap between acute medical or surgical care and full return to function – the part of recovery that determines whether a patient gets back to walking, working, or living independently after a major medical event.

Who Is Dr. Raffi Balian?

Dr. Raffi Balian is the Founder and Medical Director of Hill Medical Center. He completed his residency training in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the University of Ottawa, Canada, and has built a career that spans both the outpatient clinic and the hospital-based acute rehabilitation setting.

Dr. Balian serves as Medical Director of the Acute Rehab Unit at Dignity Health Glendale Memorial Hospital – meaning he oversees the hospital-based inpatient rehabilitation program where patients transition after acute hospitalization. This dual role (private practice plus hospital medical directorship) gives him visibility across the full spectrum of rehabilitation care: from inpatient acute rehab through outpatient follow-up at Hill Medical Center.

Dr. Balian has been a Qualified Medical Examiner (QME) since 2019 – a California state designation that allows him to perform medical-legal evaluations for workers compensation cases. He is multilingual, speaking Armenian, Arabic, and French in addition to English – a meaningful feature for the diverse Pasadena and San Gabriel Valley patient communities. His listed strengths are attention to detail and compassion for the wellbeing of his patients.

How Does the Clinic Work with Doctor2me for Home-Based Care?

For PM&R patients who have difficulty traveling to the clinic, or who need primary medical care between rehabilitation visits, Doctor2me physicians visit patients directly at their home for routine checkups, chronic condition management, medication reviews, and other concerns that don’t warrant specialty referral.

For patients recovering from stroke, joint replacement, or major orthopedic surgery, in-home primary care visits can be especially important during the initial post-discharge weeks when mobility is limited and travel to clinics is difficult. Doctor2me serves the greater Los Angeles area, including Pasadena and the surrounding San Gabriel Valley.

What About In-Home Care During Rehabilitation Recovery?

Many PM&R patients – particularly those recovering from stroke, traumatic injury, or major surgery – benefit from in-home support during the early weeks and months of recovery. This can include assistance with daily activities (bathing, dressing, transfers), medication reminders, mobility support, transportation to therapy appointments, and companion care.

A Better Solution In Home Care is an in-home care provider in the Doctor2me network serving Los Angeles County – including Pasadena and the broader San Gabriel Valley. The agency provides caregivers for adults recovering from injury, illness, or surgery, or for older adults needing ongoing assistance to remain safely at home during rehabilitation.

For Hill Medical Center patients transitioning out of acute hospital rehab and into the outpatient phase of PM&R care, in-home support can be the critical bridge that lets recovery happen in a familiar environment.

What Hospice Options Are Available for Patients Whose Conditions Are Progressing?

While PM&R is fundamentally a rehabilitation specialty, some patients face progressive conditions where rehabilitation goals shift from full recovery to comfort, quality of life, and family support. For these situations, hospice care provides specialized end-of-life support focused on comfort, dignity, and quality of remaining life. The Doctor2me network includes two Medicare-certified hospice providers that serve Pasadena.

Westlake Village Hospice, Inc. is a Medicare-certified hospice in the Doctor2me network, serving Ventura, Los Angeles, and Orange Counties – a service area that includes Pasadena. Services include nursing services, home health aide, counseling, homemaker, medical social services, medical supply services, occupational therapy, physician services, physical therapy, short-term inpatient care, and speech pathology services.

LIEM Hospice is a high-acuity specialty hospice in the Doctor2me network founded in 2021, based in Burbank, serving the Greater Los Angeles Area. LIEM specializes in complex hospice cases requiring oxygen therapy, feeding tubes, wound care, and IV management – patient populations that some hospice agencies cannot fully support. The agency offers telehealth-supported care delivery.

For Pasadena patients and families weighing hospice options, having multiple providers in the Doctor2me network means a choice based on care philosophy, clinical complexity, and family preference – rather than accepting the first available hospice.

Where Is Hill Medical Center Located?

Hill Medical Center is at 333 North Hill Avenue, Suite 101, in Pasadena, California – the second-largest city in the San Gabriel Valley region of Los Angeles County, known for its history as the host city of the Tournament of Roses Parade and the Rose Bowl, the Norton Simon Museum, and the California Institute of Technology (Caltech).

The North Hill Avenue location is conveniently accessible just off the Hill exit from the 210 Freeway, making the clinic reachable from across the San Gabriel Valley. The location places Hill Medical Center within easy reach of Huntington Memorial Hospital, USC Verdugo Hills Hospital, and the broader Pasadena medical corridor.

For appointments, evaluations, or rehabilitation consultations, patients and referring providers can contact Hill Medical Center directly at (626) 449-9911 or by email at hilda@hillmc.com.

Hill Medical Center