Photo credit to Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital
Less than a year after Indio leaders broke ground paving the way for the new Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital – Indio Outpatient Pavilion, construction crews are working “feverishly” with plans to open the facility soon.
The Children’s Hospital will house a pediatric specialty clinic, pediatric urgent care and the SAC Health System, offering primary and specialty care to families in the area. Plans were officially unveiled Nov. 1, 2016, for the new building, which will be located near the city’s civic center, which is 70 miles east of Loma Linda University Health’s central camp.
“The east end of the valley has a large population of kids,” said Indio Mayor Elaine Holmes. “For Indio to be in a position to provide specialty services close to home without having to drive to Indio is a tremendous opportunity.” With more than 135,000 children living in the desert re gion, the Indio Outpatient Pavilion will be a welcome addition to the Coachella Valley. Many of their parents are working class. Often they will have to miss work if their child is sent to Loma Linda. It takes financial toll, Holmes said. Transportation can also be a hardship, to say nothing of being separated from your child, she added. “My heart just breaks for some of these families,” Holmes said. “We want our kids to have every chance to live a full and productive life. To me, it’s the most wonderful thing to happen in Indio. It is a privilege and a blessing.”
In a prepared statement, Loma Linda University Health President Dr. Richard H. Hart, said, “Our hospitals and clinics are where our beliefs are put into action, where our knowledge, our expertise and our compassion come together to restore lives and families.” Hart added that this new outpatient pavilion is a central part of Loma Linda’s comprehensive strategy for wholeness. “It is a bold vision. A vision of what is possible when we come together as a community to create the future for our children and their families.” He shared that Loma Linda University Health’s longstanding partnership with SAC Health System continues to grow and announced that the clinic will be joining in on the move to Indio to provide whole family care to the community.
The SAC Health System has been working with Loma Linda University Health to provide health care to families for more than 56 years in the San Bernardino community. “The needs of this community are unique and complex,” Scott Perryman, senior vice president and administrator, LLUCH, said in a prepared statement. “We are honored to bring you the best care this region has to offer right here to Indio where we can serve the highest population of children in the Coachella Valley.” Perryman said that focus groups were conducted with residents and parents of children in this region and revealed the need for a dedicated pediatric urgent care and crucial pediatric specialty services like pulmonology, neurology, cardiology and endocrinology to name a few. “Our plan is to bring you those services in late 2017 with the intention of growing the spectrum of care over time,” Perryman stated, “ultimately, making this region a fully integrated partner in our pediatric health network.” With this variety of services, the Indio clinic will be able to accommodate more than 60,000 unique pediatric visits each year. Additionally, this project will create more than 40 new employment opportunities.
The pavilion will also offer an outpatient pharmacy and retail space. The construction and design teams designated to the project are Hanna Construction and Callison RTKL architects.
