SAN DIEGO: Children’s to Launch Urgent Care in Underserved Neighborhood

      In an effort to expand access to pediatric health care, Children's Hospital & Health Center in San Diego is looking for a site in City Heights to establish a day clinic and urgent care facility in conjunction with the Mid-City Community Clinic, the San Diego Union-Tribune reports. Meg Norton, Children's vice president for marketing and managed care, said a "very high number" of children are treated after hours in the emergency room, and "could be treated less expensively in a clinic setting closer to home." Both the Children's and Mid-City boards have approved the project, and Children's has allocated $200,000 to purchase a building. A large number of primary care providers have left the low-income, multi-ethnic area in recent years. Mid-City Director Roberta Feinberg said, "It's pretty astounding how medically underserved the area is." County Health Director Dr. Robert Ross said, "Mid-City is probably the most ethnically diverse neighborhood in the county, with lots of immigration issues and access-to-care problems." The Union-Tribune reports that Social Advocates for Youth would also work out of the proposed facility, providing "an array of social service programs to go along with the clinical ones" (Clark, 7/2).