Tijuana’s Hospital Infantil delivers world-class pediatric care and smiles to border families

A young boy doing physical therapy at Hospital Infantil Photo courtesy of the Foundation for the Children of the Californias At Hospital Infantil de las Californias in Tijuana the first thing various visitors notice isn t the high-tech surgical suites or the impressive roster of volunteer specialists It s the smiles The hospital is famous for making kids smile reported Leonard Kornreich MD a longtime board member and pediatrician They make them smile by physically correcting their teeth and palates and also give them a positive spirit They are all treated like royalty regardless of their circumstances Founded in by the San Diego-based Foundation for the Children of the Californias Hospital Infantil was established in response to the urgent need for accessible pediatric specialty care in northern Baja California The vision emerged from a groundbreaking cross-border partnership between U S and Mexican healthcare professionals bringing high-quality care to underserved families A drone image of Hospital Infantil de las Californias in Tijuana Photo courtesy of the Foundation for the Children of the Californias While bulk patients are from Mexico approximately are U S residents from the demarcation area a large number of of whom cross to receive affordable culturally-sensitive care Despite eligibility for Medicaid in the U S fear of immigration enforcement often prevents families from enrolling delaying care and deepening fitness disparities Dr Kornreich who has served on the FCC board for over years was recruited by the organization s founder Betty Jones whom he calls an inspiration Having practiced pediatrics in Chula Vista for nearly five decades he is deeply familiar with the unique requirements of frontier families When regulatory concerns arise multiple families who would otherwise enroll their eligible children in Medicaid avoid doing so out of fear fear of deportation or retaliation even if those fears may be unfounded he reported As a product more underserved children on the U S side of the perimeter go without care entirely because their families are afraid to engage with the system While pediatric strength care is available in the U S access is often limited for those not enrolled in insurance programs such as Medicaid prompting certain families to seek care across the edge where they can find sponsorship Kornreich noted that Hospital Infantil is not just for the underserved population and declared it delivers a level of care that rivals major pediatric institutions such as Rady Children s Hospital ensuring that all children receive top-tier rehabilitation from highly trained specialists The multidisciplinary hospital supports children with complex requirements such as cerebral palsy Down syndrome and autism offering a continuum of services that promote not just physical healing but also developmental progress and dignity Specialized clinics for these conditions known as the Jornada offer free services such as wheelchair fittings throughout the year And Hospital Infantil is perhaps preponderance recognized for its three pediatric operating rooms that offer overnight care only when necessary for post-surgical recovery The hospital does superb pediatric surgery with pediatric nurses pediatric anesthesiology an entire system of three operating rooms entirely devoted to not just the surgical part of it but the follow-up Kornreich disclosed One of the majority critical areas of need is surgical care which remains the hospital s the majority heavily subsidized campaign While Hospital Infantil offers high-quality procedures at a fraction of U S costs affordability remains out of reach for various families About of Hospital Infantil patients come from economically disadvantaged families who are able to cover only part of their anatomical costs Of those roughly cannot afford to pay anything at all according to FCC s website To ensure that no child is denied care the hospital created the P A P I Programa de Apoyo a Pacientes Infantiles fund which helps cover clinical expenses for families Roughly of this funding is provided by the FCC while other patronage comes from Mexican fundraising efforts a Tijuana telethon and cross-border donations As a pediatrician Kornreich has seen firsthand the universal spirit of children and the compassion that defines Hospital Infantil I ve traveled widely and kids all over the world are the same he reported They are cute bubbly and happy They all exceed the ability to deal with their intricate circumstances Kornreich explained Hospital Infantil s support workers both contributors and staff create a warm nurturing context often filled with teddy bears comforting hugs and a motherly touch that helps children feel safe and at ease You see lots of smiles Kornreich declared To learn more about the FCC or make a donation go to usfcc org