Tenet hospitals are economic engines in their communities, creating jobs and generating significant tax revenue. Desert Regional Medical Center — the 385-bed hospital in Palm Springs with the region’s only Level 2 trauma center and Level 3 neonatal intensive care unit — is also a center of opportunity.
“Most opportunities for employment in healthcare continue to be in nursing,” says Carolyn Caldwell, Desert Regional’s president and CEO, adding the hospital is an easy sell to physicians her team recruits. “We start by telling them, number one, all the wonderful things that desert has to offer. When my husband Daniel and I were out and I was interviewing for this opportunity four years ago, we were blown away by how warm and friendly everyone was. It’s a great community with lots of art and activity. It’s a great place to raise a family. It’s just a great place to live.”
And then she tells them about what the hospital has to offer, including a Comprehensive Cancer Center, Joint and Spine Pavilion, robotic instrumentation in the operating rooms, and five residency programs.
“We’ve attracted a lot of top-notch talent to our hospital,” says Caldwell, who also serves as president of the Palm Springs Chamber of Commerce. She points out the hospital employs more than 2,000 people and pays $200 million a year in salaries, wages, and benefits. “They buy homes, cars, and other goods and services. It’s important for us to have a strong business community that works together.”
VIDEO: Carolyn Caldwell, president and CEO, Desert Regional Medical Center.