Children's Hospital and Adventist in partnership to improve access to quality care

The two not-for-profit organizations purchased property together on Freeway 99 to build a medical plaza in Fowler that will feature pediatric and pediatric specialty care among other services such as adult health care, lab and medical imaging. The property is on the east side of the highway near the Merced Avenue off-ramp.

Visit this link to see a video of Carla Lopez of Dinuba talk about Dr. Joshua Warolin, a Children’s Specialty Medical Group pediatric gastroenterologist who cares for children at Adventist Medical Plaza in Dinuba

They’re also working together to bring more pediatricians and pediatric specialists to rural communities and expand neonatal-intensive care services in Kings County. The Children’s pediatric neonatal intensive care unit in Hanford will expand from four to six beds when Adventist Health opens its new Family Birth Center in Hanford in 2016.

“We’re very grateful for this partnership to benefit our families,” said Wayne Ferch, president and CEO of Adventist Health / Central Valley Network. The network operates medical centers in Hanford, Selma and Reedley in addition to 31 Community Care clinics in 21 towns and other services.

“Children are healthier when they have easy access to their care providers,” added Todd Suntrapak, president and CEO of Children’s Hospital Central California, one of the largest children’s hospitals in the nation, with 356 licensed beds and a medical staff of more than 550 physicians.

The first Children’s Specialty Medical Group physician to serve in an Adventist Health clinic is Dr. Joshua Warolin, a board-certified pediatric gastroenterologist who cares for children with digestive, nutrition and liver conditions at the Adventist Medical Plaza in Dinuba. Previously, South Valley families would drive to Warolin’s office at Children’s Hospital in Madera to see him.

Dinuba resident Carla Lopez, who took her 2-year-old daughter to Warolin, said she has a lot of confidence in Children’s Hospital specialists. “When I heard that he’s actually from the Children’s Hospital … I was glad to know that he was here. It made me feel comfortable. … He’s a great doctor.”

The Fowler project, an investment estimated at more than $10 million, and recruitment efforts demonstrate both organizations’ commitment to serve Fresno County and the Valley region, leaders said.

“We’re honored to serve Central California families and continually look for opportunities to improve the health and well-being of children through high-quality care,” Suntrapak said.  

Ferch added that Adventist Health will also continue to expand services for patients. “In addition to this project, we continue to upgrade and add services in Selma, Reedley and other communities throughout our region,” he said.