Dr. Miriam Parsa, Chief Pediatric Medical Officer at Cottage Children’s Medical Center

Summary

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Becker’s Healthcare Podcast

Guest: Dr. Miriam Parsa, Chief Pediatric Medical Officer at Cottage Children’s Medical Center
Host: Chris Sosa
Date: September 27, 2025

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Episode Overview

In this episode, Chris Sosa sits down with Dr. Miriam Parsa, Chief Pediatric Medical Officer and pediatric rheumatologist at Cottage Children’s Medical Center in Santa Barbara, California. The conversation centers on Cottage’s burgeoning partnership with Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA), aimed at enhancing pediatric specialty care across California’s Central Coast. Dr. Parsa discusses the motivations behind the collaboration, its anticipated impact, challenges like workforce shortages, and the lessons she’s learned in leadership.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

Dr. Parsa’s Background and Role Evolution

• Dual Roles: Dr. Parsa emphasizes her identity as a pediatric rheumatologist and details her progression into the administrative leadership as Chief Pediatric Medical Officer.
• Unexpected Opportunity: She describes how, although not seeking a leadership position, the retirement of her predecessor and encouragement from her colleagues led her to step into an administrative role.
  • Quote: “I always introduce myself first as a pediatric rheumatologist, even though I have two jobs at the moment.” (01:16)
  • Quote: “I really wasn't looking into a leadership position… it just happened to be that my predecessor... retired... and really encouraged me to consider this administrative opportunity because I love the work that we're doing here. It's quite inspirational.” (01:32)

Lessons Learned in Administration

• Complexity Beyond Patient Care: Dr. Parsa shares how transitioning to administration revealed the intricacies behind healthcare delivery, organizational mission, and financial challenges in the industry.
  • Quote: “I've learned so much about the process, about what goes on beyond patient care, the complexity behind it.” (02:32)
  • Quote: “I don't take for granted that I work in an institution that is mission driven and that is a rare commodity these days, considering the pressures that we face in health care, financial pressures. I've learned that this isn't easy.” (02:46)

Partnership Genesis and Goals with CHLA

• Historical Context: The groundwork for collaboration with CHLA began before Dr. Parsa’s tenure, motivated by the challenges faced by sole providers on the Central Coast.
• Objectives:
  • Strengthen "depth" of local specialty care through coordinated support and possibly joint hires.
  • Ensure families have access to robust local care, but also a dependable pathway to more advanced specialty services when needed.
  • Create a consistent feedback loop so that patients can return to local providers seamlessly after subspecialty treatment at CHLA.
  • Quote: “What’s best for the families is to provide local care the best we can, and when we can't provide that local care, to have a consistent partner.” (03:58)

Exciting Aspects of the Collaboration

• Educational Opportunities: Leveraging CHLA’s extensive specialty resources for joint training of nurses and physicians, as well as potential expansions in residency education.
• Streamlined, Family-Centric Care: Enhanced care coordination and opportunities for bringing patients “back home” to local care.
  • Quote: “CHLA is a tremendous organization with hundreds of specialty specialists... So we'd like to take advantage of that educational opportunity for nurses, for physicians.” (04:49)
  • Quote: “We are just very family centric here. So... having a reliable partner will allow us to bring them back when it's time for them to come back.” (05:09)

Advice for Other Systems Pursuing Partnerships

• Mission Alignment: Ensure both organizations share a clear, patient-focused mission from the start.
  • Quote: “Making sure both organizations’ missions align. And on day one, that was very clear with CHLA and Cottage.” (05:52)
• Administration-Clinician Unity: Prioritize strong relationships and open communication between administrators and clinical leaders.
• Relationship Building: Facilitate regular meetings and encourage units to know their counterparts in the partner organization for seamless care hand-offs.
  • Quote: “Relationship building comes up frequently when we are having these joint calls… really that relationship building, I think is really going to be paramount and foundational to the success of this relationship.” (06:38)

Collaboration Logistics

• Site Visits & Digital Meetings: Initial collaboration predominantly via Zoom, emphasizing the importance of forming relationships at every unit level. In-person visits are limited due to geography and logistics.
  • Quote: “So far it’s just been through the site interviews, but we have a lot of work to do... Zoom, that is so much easier to start with.” (07:16)

State of Pediatric Care and Workforce Shortages

• Workforce Challenges: Dr. Parsa highlights concerning trends in pediatric specialty training—specifically, fellowship shortages—and the imperative to maximize limited human resources.
  • Quote: “The state of pediatric care is a bit tenuous when we're talking about workforce shortages… as a pediatric rheumatologist, we had about half of fellowship programs filled.” (08:20)
• Strategic Partnerships as a Solution: Stresses that such collaborations are efficient and pragmatic responses to limited resources.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “I don't take for granted that I work in an institution that is mission driven and that is a rare commodity these days...” — Dr. Miriam Parsa (02:46)
• “What’s best for the families is to provide local care the best we can, and when we can't provide that local care, to have a consistent partner.” — Dr. Miriam Parsa (03:58)
• “Making sure your administration is aligned with the clinicians... The clinical leaders as well as the administrative leaders... were open and listened to us.” — Dr. Miriam Parsa (06:11)
• “Relationship building... is really going to be paramount and foundational to the success of this relationship.” — Dr. Miriam Parsa (06:38)
• “We have to be efficient with limited resources and this program development... strategic partnerships are an efficient way to work with the resources we do have.” — Dr. Miriam Parsa (08:35)

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• Dr. Parsa’s Background & Stepping Into Leadership: 01:08–02:25
• Lessons Learned in Administration: 02:25–03:03
• Origins of CHLA Partnership: 03:03–04:22
• Excitement About Collaboration & Future Opportunities: 04:22–05:32
• Advice for Systems & Partnership Ingredients: 05:32–07:06
• How the Partnership Functions Logistically: 07:06–08:13
• Challenges in Pediatric Workforce & Role of Partnerships: 08:13–08:53

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Tone & Closing Notes

Dr. Parsa speaks with humility, gratitude, and enthusiasm, emphasizing mission alignment, relationship-building, and patient-centered care. She is candid about the challenges facing pediatric medicine but optimistic about the role of strategic partnerships in overcoming them.

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Useful for anyone considering pediatric healthcare leadership, systems collaboration, or seeking insight into the future of regional pediatric care delivery.

Transcript

[Athenahealth Representative]

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[Chris Sosa]

Welcome to the Becker's Healthcare Podcast. I'm Chris Sosa, your host, and I'm thrilled to be joined today by Dr. Miriam Parsa. She is a pediatric rheumatologist and the Chief Pediatric Medical Officer at Cottage Children's Medical center in Santa Barbara, California. She joins us to discuss her organization's work with Children's Hospitals, Los Angeles. Miriam, thank you for joining us today.

[Dr. Miriam Parsa]

Thank you for having me. It's a privilege to talk about the work that we are doing and will be doing.

[Chris Sosa]

Excellent. Miriam, for those in our audience who are not familiar with you and your work, could you just please introduce yourself and tell us a bit about your background?

[Dr. Miriam Parsa]

Yes, no problem. I'm a pediatric rheumatologist and I always introduce myself first as a pediatric rheumatologist, even though I have two jobs at the moment. I came here about 11 years ago and I've been the sole practitioner here covering three counties, but actually probably a little bit more as we get referrals from these other counties as well. But I'm speaking to you today as the Chief Pediatric Medical Officer, and I assume this role almost three years ago now, and I really wasn't looking into a leadership position being the sole pediatric rheumatologist. However, it just happened to be that my predecessor, Dr. Steve Barkley, retired a few years ago and he really encouraged me to consider this administrative opportunity because I love the work that we're doing here. It's quite inspirational. I again appreciate this opportunity to share the great work that we're doing in the partnership with CHILE that's allowing us to talk today.

[Chris Sosa]

Miriam, is there anything that you've learned about yourself so far having jumped into this administrative role?

[Dr. Miriam Parsa]

Great question. I've learned so much about the process, about what goes on beyond patient care, the complexity behind it. I don't take for granted that I work in an institution that is mission driven and that is a rare commodity these days, considering the pressures that we face in health care, financial pressures, I've learned that this isn't easy.

[Chris Sosa]

That's the perfect segue, I think, into what we talked about or mentioned at the top. Miriam, and that is the work that you and your organization are doing with Children's Hospital Los Angeles. So let's get into that. Could you let us know how that collaboration with their organization evolved?

[Dr. Miriam Parsa]

Yes, this happened actually predated me started the conversation with administration several years ago. So there are, you know, several sole providers such as myself, that's providing care for many families along the Central Coast. We understand that that's a challenge. And so we really were looking forward to developing a partnership that would allow us to make the care here locally a little bit more robust. So, number one, it probably would be subspecialty to support in creating that depth. I'd say the other part is that we know we can't take care of all complex diseases and problems here. What's best for the families is to provide local care the best we can, and when we can't provide that local care, to have a consistent partner. And that was another great reason. We want to keep our patients, but we understand we can't keep all patients here because of our size.

[Chris Sosa]

Miriam, I'm also curious what changes with respect to this collaboration are exciting you most?

[Dr. Miriam Parsa]

There's a lot. It's almost overwhelming, all the potentials. I think I had mentioned first creating depth to my colleagues, and that will be through potentially joint hires, a little bit more streamlined coordinated care, also opportunities for additional training. CHLA is a tremendous organization with hundreds of specialty specialists at this coronary care hospital. So we'd like to take advantage of that educational opportunity for nurses, for physicians. We have a pediatric residency program here which will stay at the cottage campus. However, maybe there is some interest in the future in additional educational opportunities. We also are just very family centric here. So we want to take care of our patients here. And so having a reliable partner will allow us to bring them back when it's time for them to come back.

[Chris Sosa]

Miriam, clearly this partnership is something you're very much looking forward to, and hopefully many people at your organization are able to take advantage of this. As someone who's gone through this partnership and locking it all down, what advice would you give to other systems that are pursuing similar partnerships?

[Dr. Miriam Parsa]

Yeah, several things come to mind. I would say first, making sure both organizations missions align. And on day one, that was very clear with chla, that CHLA and Cottage, we take care of every Pediatric patient that needs care locally. The second really is making sure your administration is aligned with the clinicians. We have a great relationship. The clinical leaders as well as the administrative leaders, they really were open and listened to us. I think that's really important. And lastly, relationship building. Relationship building comes up frequently when we are having these joint calls. They CH really needs to know who we are in the excellent work that we're doing here. And so that starts with Zoom meeting. So within PEDs, we've had every unit meet and that will continue. So when there is something that comes up with a picky patient, my PICU knows who to call on the CHLA side. So really that relationship building, I think is really going to be paramount and foundational to the success of this relationship.

[Chris Sosa]

You mentioned the Zoom meetings, Miriam. So how often are you on the grounds of CHLA and vice versa? How often does that exchange take place?

[Dr. Miriam Parsa]

We were at CHLA through the interview process of the quaternary care. It started with an rfi. We had a consultant help assist with the process. So far it's just been through the site interviews, but we have a a lot of work to do, as stated. And so Zoom, that is so much easier to start with. You're anticipating some on site visits, but you know, with LA traffic, that's not the easiest thing to do.

[Chris Sosa]

No, for sure. Thankfully, you know, digital means allow you to collaborate much more efficiently than that. But I was curious because, you know, you are in the same state and yes, you're tens of hundreds of miles apart, but, you know, I'm sure that part of this collaboration means seeing each other's work, you know, firsthand. Does that make sense?

[Dr. Miriam Parsa]

That's right, yeah.

[Chris Sosa]

Miriam, is there anything else about your partnership that you want to tell the audience about?

[Dr. Miriam Parsa]

That the state of pediatric care is a bit tenuous when we're talking about workforce shortages. You know, as a pediatric rheumatologist, we had about half of fellowship programs filled. So we have to be efficient with limited resources and this program development, I think this strategic partnerships are an efficient way to work with the resources we do have.

[Chris Sosa]

That makes sense. Miriam, thank you so much today for joining us and adding your insights. We know our audience cannot wait to hear them. We can't wait to share. Share them with them. Miriam, I'm very much looking forward to the next time our paths cross.

[Dr. Miriam Parsa]

Thank you, Chris, so much.

[Athenahealth Representative]

At athenahealth, we know your ambulatory practice wants healthier, a healthier business, healthier care teams and healthier patients. But the complexities of modern healthcare tech make it hard for you and your care teams to focus on what matters most. That's where athenahealth can help our AI native All in one solutions reduce administrative burdens and streamline billing and payments, and deliver critical insights when clinicians need it most. That means fewer clicks, more time for patients, and stronger bottom lines. Practicing medicine is complex, but running a practice can be that much simpler with Athenahealth. See how simpler is [e-mail].