Community Regional Medical Center and Clovis Community Medical Center will begin phasing out pediatric specialty care services over the next six months. This decision, announced by Community Health System, aims to allow the organization to concentrate more on adult healthcare services.
In response to this shift, Valley Children’s Hospital has expanded its clinic space at Community Regional Medical Center. The hospital plans to initiate pediatric outpatient services in downtown Fresno early next year, addressing the community’s ongoing demand for specialized pediatric care.
Valley Children’s Healthcare is dedicated to maintaining access to pediatric specialty care in the Central Valley. According to spokesperson Zara Arboleda, the hospital is actively collaborating with families and their primary care physicians to facilitate the transition of care from Community Health System to Valley Children’s.
“We are working closely with impacted families and their primary care physicians who want to move their child’s care to Valley Children’s as Community Health System transitions away from operating its pediatric outpatient clinics,” Arboleda stated.
As the transition unfolds, Valley Children’s and Community Health System will assist patients and their healthcare providers in securing referrals for specialty treatment. Many services that patients currently receive at Community Health System will be available at Valley Children’s Hospital, which is equipped to handle complex pediatric cases, including tertiary and quaternary level care.
The decision to discontinue pediatric specialty services at Community Health System stems from financial challenges, including cuts in federal and state healthcare spending. “We constantly evaluate the mix of individuals we serve, patient care trends, and community health needs to help us determine how we can best invest in high priority healthcare services in our community,” said Danny Davis, division president of hospitals with Community Health System.
Davis emphasized that while the health of children in the Central Valley remains a priority, the capacity of other providers in the region influenced the decision. “The health of the children of the Central Valley continues to be important to us, but as we considered the healthcare landscape, we saw capacity for other providers to support this patient population,” he added.
In addition to impacting patients, the transition will also affect staff. Community Health System will offer opportunities for 18 clinicians and 44 team members impacted by the discontinuation of pediatric services to transfer to other positions within the organization or to other healthcare providers.
Valley Children’s Hospital aims to ensure that children in the Central Valley receive the necessary specialty care during this period of transition. By expanding its outpatient services, the hospital is positioning itself as a key provider for pediatric care in the region. The collaboration between Valley Children’s and Community Health System exemplifies a coordinated effort to secure the best possible outcomes for children in need of specialized healthcare.
