The Central Valley has a shortage of primary care providers and Valley Children’s Healthcare is working to fill that gap.
One of the ways it’s doing so is by branching out and opening pediatric outpatient centers across the Valley to provide better access to patients. The latest center – Magnolia Pediatrics – is nearly complete on Herndon and Temperance avenues in Clovis.
“We’re committed to filling this gap throughout the region,” said Todd Suntrapak, President and CEO of Valley Children’s Healthcare. “When children have access to primary care, many health problems – including obesity and respiratory issues – can be identified much earlier, potentially avoiding more significant problems for the child down the road. Primary care is one of the most important components in the wellness of a family. Primary care providers – like pediatricians – are the main source of regular medical care, providing day-to-day management of a person’s health.”
Magnolia Pediatrics, Valley Children’s eighth primary care practice in the Central Valley, is set to open in July and will provide primary care services including wellness checks, immunizations and same-day sick-child visits.
“Our goal is to improve access to pediatric doctors and ensure all families in the 12 counties we serve are within 30 miles or 30 minutes from a Valley Children’s provider,” said Suntrapak. “While we are building new outpatient specialty care centers in Bakersfield [opening this October] and Modesto [opening February 2019], it is also important for us to increase services and access for families right here in the Clovis/Fresno area.”
The Clovis center will employ seven people with Dr. Mark Simonian serving as the lead pediatrician. Other staff includes a nurse practitioner, two medical assistants and three staff members.
In terms of location, Valley Children’s couldn’t have picked a better place to build. The facility fits right in as the entire area around Temperance/Highway 168 is quickly transforming into a medical campus with Clovis Community Medical Center announcing plans for an expansion, a new cancer center almost complete, and California Health Sciences University getting set to break ground on a medical school on the other side of 168 near Temperance and Alluvial.
“Valley Children’s has been a part of Central California’s healthcare landscape for nearly 70 years,” said Suntrapak. “The City of Clovis has done a really good job of creating a medical community. We look forward to continuing to be a part of the growth today and for years to come.”