Palm Springs health clinic expands pediatric services for valley children [Sponsored]

If you are a parent in the Coachella Valley who’s had to wait weeks to get an appointment with a pediatrician for your sick child or you’ve had to miss work to drive your little one out of the valley for health care, a local medical clinic offers another option.

Earlier this year, Desert Physicians Medical Group Health (DPMG) in Palm Springs began offering expansive pediatric services to address a significant need in the community. The clinic now has three pediatricians on staff and plans to add more medical personnel, according to principal investigator Dr. Gemma Kim.

Dr. Kim explains why her team made the change, the services they offer, and types of payment that are accepted in an episode of “Healthy Desert, Healthy You,” a weekly health and wellness podcast produced by the Desert Healthcare District & Foundation.

DPMG Health recently occupied space vacated by a former pediatrics clinic at Las Palmas Medical Plaza in Palm Springs, which is owned by the Desert Healthcare District & Foundation. With the pediatric services that DPMG Health provides through the mobile clinics it operates for the District & Foundation, it has expanded local opportunities for pediatric care.

The valley’s need for pediatric services is well-documented. The Huron Report, a 2023 clinical and social needs assessment commissioned by the District & Foundation, identified the need for 236.5 physicians in primary care and specialties.  It revealed that pediatrics has one of the largest gaps between the current volume of providers and the target number needed.

The Huron Report based its findings on a projected population growth in the Healthcare District, which encompasses the entire valley. The District was expected to grow 2.1 percent by 2027, primarily driven by younger families.

Starting in 2022 and considering the population growth in five and 10 years, the gaps in pediatricians were:

2022: -69.7

2027: -71.0

2032: -72.4

“The Huron Report has been and continues to be an important reference for the Healthcare District,” CEO Chris Christensen said. “Its findings on our local physician shortage across all specialties, with an emphasis on pediatric care, align with our vision statement to achieve optimal health at all stages of life for all District residents. We are committed to working with College of the Desert, OneFuture Coachella Valley, our area hospitals and other community partners to identify programs and services to help ensure that residents have the medical providers they need.”

Will Dean is the director of communications and marketing for the Desert Healthcare District & Foundation ([email protected]).