Our Providers
Meet the Care Team
Board-certified nephrologists and advanced practice providers with subspecialty expertise in complex kidney disease, cardiorenal syndrome, and resistant hypertension. Affiliated with Hoag Hospital Newport Beach.
Physicians
Nephrologist · Founder · Chair, Division of Nephrology, Hoag Hospital
Eric A. Wechsler, MD, FNKF
MD, FNKF
Dr. Eric Wechsler is a board-certified nephrologist and internist who has practiced nephrology for more than 20 years and founded Southern California Kidney Associates in Newport Beach in 2008. He has been twice elected by the medical staff to serve as Chair of the Division of Nephrology at Hoag Hospital Newport Beach, where he also serves as Chief of Dialysis Services. He earned his medical degree at the University of Miami, where he received the Alpha Omega Alpha Doctor-Patient Relationship Award, and completed his residency and fellowship at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. At Hoag Hospital Newport Beach, he has been voted Physician of the Quarter. His clinical focus is the complex intersection of kidney disease with the heart, liver, and metabolic system — cardiorenal syndrome, hepatorenal syndrome, glomerulonephritis, nephrotic syndrome, and the medical management of kidney and multi-organ transplant patients.
Clinical Focus
Nephrologist · Co-Founder · Co-CEO
Kambiz Vahabzadeh, MD
MD
Dr. Kambiz Vahabzadeh — known to his patients as "Dr. V" — is a Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Southern California Kidney Associates. He grew up in Palos Verdes, California, in a family steeped in medicine. His father was a cardiologist with a Beverly Hills practice for nearly 30 years; his mother was a CCU nurse. He attended UCLA, where he majored in physiological sciences and contributed to published research in lipids and atherosclerosis, before earning his medical degree at the University of Michigan Medical School. He returned to Southern California for Internal Medicine training at Cedars-Sinai, worked as a hospitalist for three years, then completed his Nephrology Fellowship at Cedars-Sinai — where he was honored as a "Circle of Friends" recipient. As Co-Founder and Co-CEO, Dr. Vahabzadeh has helped shape the practice into one of Orange County's leading nephrology groups. He has built a reputation for exceptional patient-centered care at Hoag Hospital Newport Beach, earning a Vitals Patient Choice Award in his first year of practice and being voted Physician of the Quarter in three separate departments at Hoag. He holds 5-star ratings on Vitals, Practicefusion, and Healthgrades.
Clinical Focus
Nephrologist
Paul Ozuzun, MD
MD, FASN
Dr. Paul Ozuzun was born and raised in Pasadena, California. From a young age he knew he wanted to go into medicine — driven by a genuine desire to help others. He attended UCLA, majoring in Physiological Sciences, before completing his medical degree at Ross University. He then returned to California for his Internal Medicine internship and residency at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital, where he earned both the Best Resident Teacher and Best Resident Teammate awards. Dr. Ozuzun went on to complete his Nephrology fellowship at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, gaining extensive experience with complex nephrology cases and kidney transplant patients. It was during his fellowship that he met his wife, a Newport Beach native — and after getting married, he joined Southern California Kidney Associates in Orange County. In his first year of practice, Dr. Ozuzun was voted Physician of the Quarter for the critical care department at Hoag Hospital Newport Beach.
Clinical Focus
Advanced Practice Providers
Our nurse practitioners and physician assistant work alongside the physicians to provide continuous, coordinated nephrology care — managing follow-up visits, monitoring programs, and ensuring nothing falls between appointments.
Our Care Team
Behind every physician visit is a team of dedicated nurses, medical assistants, and care coordinators who ensure that your care is continuous, coordinated, and responsive. Our team manages medication refills, lab result communication, prior authorizations, and coordination with your other specialists — so that nothing falls through the cracks.
Ready to see a specialist?
Our team is accepting new patients in Newport Beach. Call us or request an appointment online.