Community Regional is moving away from pediatric care, raising concerns for parents

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- A Clovis mother is raising the alarm about specialty pediatric care in the Valley after she was told her child's Community Regional Medical clinic was shutting down.

She said many parents will be left searching for new providers, as the hospital system confirms it is moving away from pediatric care.

Aubrey Gillen spends a lot of time raising awareness about Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS), a genetic disorder both she and her 9-year-old son live with.

EDS can cause cardiovascular issues and neurological symptoms, and it often requires the care of multiple specialists.

"We really need access to a neurologist, a cardiologist," said Gillen. "And then also an allergist. Those are probably the most common that we would see, as well as either rheumatology or someone with expertise in orthopedic impairments."

Gillen is the chairperson of the Clovis/Fresno EDS group, which includes about 200 members.

Like Gillen's son, many of the children in the group receive care at the pediatric specialty clinic at Community Medical Centers, at both the Fresno and Clovis campuses.

Gillen said she found out at her son's appointment in late July that the clinic is shutting down.

Patients received a letter from Community Health that said they will help with individualized support to maintain care, whether with their existing provider at a new location or a new provider.

If they choose to find a new provider, they're directed to reach out to their pediatrician or primary care provider for a referral.

Gillen said she and other parents are now worried about finding care for their kids.

"It's a huge impact on that centralization of care, but also just access," said Gillen.

Community Health said this transition will happen over the next six months, and then it will no longer have outpatient pediatric specialty care clinics at either campus.

In a statement to Action News, Community Health said that Valley Children's Healthcare has leased the clinic space to provide pediatric outpatient services on the campus beginning next year and that Community Health would be focusing primarily on adult services.

Valley Children's confirmed it is leasing the space and gave Action News a statement that read in part, "is exploring options to maintain continuity of care for kids as Community Health System transitions away from operating its pediatrics outpatient clinics."

Community Health said the 18 clinicians and 44 team members affected will have the opportunity to transition to other providers or other positions within the system.

They did not say how many patients would be impacted.

Gillen said some patients might be burdened by having to seek specialty care outside of the area, in the Bay Area or L.A., like she has had to in the past.

She's working on a clinic day to connect EDS patients with local providers and resources, with more information to be released later.

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