A Powerful Partnership: Providence Southern California is Perfectly Paired with a Medicare Advantage Plan

When looking for a primary care provider, what matters most? Is the choice of doctor important, or do accessibility and convenience matter? And what about how you’re treated? We all prefer to be treated with compassion, dignity and understanding. If choosing between these options seems difficult, then Providence might be the best option, offering the best of all health worlds combined with award-winning care.

With 11 hospitals and 130 outpatient locations across Southern California, Providence provides comprehensive, easily accessible and convenient care, when and how our patients want to receive it. That said, Providence family physician Daniel Kim, M.D., who has practiced for 21 years at Providence St. Jude Heritage Medical Group in Fullerton, states the secret to finding a good provider is actually pretty simple. Find one who provides excellent clinical care, with compassion and empathy.

“Giving excellent, quality care - it’s at the heart of everything that Providence doctors do,” said Dr. Kim. Providence’s reach is impressive with a network of 2,500 physicians stretching from the Antelope Valley to South Orange County. However, it’s the philosophy of patient-centered care that makes Providence providers and hospitals consistently ranked among California’s best.

Founded 100-plus years ago, and steadfast in its mission to serve the poor and vulnerable, Providence is also focused on providing the kind of care patients want, from urgent care to telehealth to technology-enhanced tools, including the Providence app.

And while it may seem counterintuitive, Dr. Kim says that the use of these technologies has increased Providence’s ability to provide personal care, rather than create anonymity, especially with senior patients.

“By leveraging technology, it helps us take care of the 80% of patients who are comfortable using technology for their health care needs. This frees me up to give more personal attention to patients who need or prefer in-person care,” said Dr. Kim.

This personal touch is central to Providence’s mission of improving a patient’s wellness, whether they are just beginning their health journey or are first-time users of Medicare Advantage. Providing primary care for a Medicare Advantage plan member offers clear advantages over many health systems given its reach and depth.

Furthermore, Dr. Kim says that a Providence primary care physician can serve as a “health concierge” to help new patients navigate a sometimes-confusing landscape of care. And because Medicare and Providence’s goals are aligned - centered on patient wellness - the first appointment with a Providence doctor will help take the guesswork out of short and long-term health goals. “We’ll focus on how to be healthier and show you what people are eligible for,” said Dr. Kim.

In 2020, health decisions were being made on an as-needed basis, and for many recent Medicare recipients, the rush to receive any coverage during lockdown or the focus on more serious and immediate health matters often made the choice in a primary care provider a foregone conclusion. In 2021, as vaccination rates increase and options for care become more varied and accessible, it’s an excellent time to reevaluate your health plan coverage, including your network of care (doctors and hospitals).

“You have so much choice within this, and you have all of Providence within this plan, you don’t have to worry,” said Dr. Kim, who summarized Providence’s role as both a health coverage leader and patient-focused individual care when coupled with a Medicare Advantage plan.

“Everybody’s been overwhelmed since the start of the pandemic - physicians and patients alike. At the end of the day, I can choose to go home, or I can choose to respond to every patient and take care of all of them. I think every doc here, without exception, would do the latter - I think that’s reflective of the way you can expect to be treated by any doctor at Providence.”