Desert Healthcare District awards grant to Planned Parenthood to expand healthcare access

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) - In an effort to expand community access to specialty care services, Desert Healthcare District & Foundation awarded a grant of $236,555 to Planned Parenthood of the Pacific Southwest.

The grant primarily will fund 50 percent of the salary of the organization's first Coachella Valley-based physician. The staff addition is expected to expand sexual and reproductive healthcare access, including among low-income and traditionally underserved patients across desert communities.

In recent years Planned Parenthood has increased efforts to remove barriers to access, streamline care, and improve community health outcomes. These efforts began with a renovation and expansion of its Rancho Mirage health center, followed by the hiring of an obstetrician-gynecologist, purchase of new equipment for diagnosis and treatment, and staff training to operate the equipment.

With a new physician, funded in part by the grant, the Rancho Mirage clinic will provide consultations, screenings, diagnosis and treatment for a variety of healthcare needs.

"Through this grant, the District is also addressing a significant health-care challenge in the Coachella Valley," said Chris Christensen, Desert Healthcare District & Foundation CEO. "Bringing on this one physician will enable a local facility to increase patient volume and offer a broad range of lifesaving services."