In honor of the opening of Joe DiMaggio Children’s Health Specialty Center in Wellington on February 18, we are happy to introduce our listeners to today’s guest, Dr. Mauricio Flores, the hospital's newest pediatric endocrinologist. Dr. Flores will be seeing patients at the new Wellington facility, so we wanted him to discuss his role and provide some insights to parents about healthy growth in children.

Before our main guest's topic, our coffee chat segment discussed the potential link between synthetic chemicals in beauty products and early puberty in girls.

Coffee Chat

• (3:40) Are synthetic chemicals causing early puberty? (Source: Scientific American)

Main Topic

• (11:20) Healthy Child Growth
• Guest: Mauricio Flores, MD, pediatric endocrinologist at Joe DiMaggio Children Health Specialty Center in Wellington

One of the most respected names in pediatric care and the resources of one of South Florida’s largest children’s hospitals will soon be available in Wellington, making it easier for Palm Beach county children and families to access care for specific medical needs.  

The Joe DiMaggio Children’s Health Specialty Center in Wellington is scheduled to open Monday, February 18, with medical professionals in six specialties - endocrinology, pulmonology, otolaryngology, orthopedics, general surgery, and neurology - welcoming patients.

Comprehensive imaging (MRI and ultrasound), outpatient surgery, and rehabilitation services will also be available at the more than 30,000 square foot, freestanding facility.

The Joe DiMaggio Children’s Health Specialty Center in Wellington is one of three locations in Palm Beach County that provide specialized pediatric care. The other two are Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital physician offices in Boca Raton.

“We’re proud to have earned a reputation for high quality, patient and family-centered care and we’ll bring that same level of service to families in Wellington,” said Caitlin Beck Stella, MPH, CEO of Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital. “At the Joe DiMaggio Children’s Health Specialty Center in Wellington, we’ll be an extension of the care area pediatricians provide, often working in collaboration with them to improve the health of local children.”    

Stella says the specialty center will feature online scheduling and the same kid-friendly décor and “Power of Play” philosophy as Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital, the 226-bed hospital in Hollywood. The children’s hospital was the first pediatric facility in the world to receive Planetree’s Person-Centered Organization designation.

An “Open House” for the community to tour the specialty center and meet its staff is set for Saturday, March 16. Joe DiMaggio Children’s Health Specialty Center in Wellington is located at 3377 N. State Road 7, on 441 between Lake Worth Road and Forest Hill Boulevard.

Tamela Huyler
Manager of Community Relations
Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital

Q: You’ve been a Memorial employee for less than a month, yet your first major task has been to manage the Tour de Broward. Are you daunted?

A: With any new position there’s a learning curve, especially in an organization as vast as Memorial, but that’s where the fun is.

Q: What are your immediate expectations for your new position and responsibilities? What long-term aspirations do you have?

A: I’m in the throes of Tour de Broward, so I think that will be the majority of my experience and exposure – to continue the successes of the Tour de Broward event and continue to grow the Joe DiMaggio brand within the community.

The Tour de Broward has done extremely well over the past 10 years. It’s steadily increased the amount of money that it has raised, as well as its participation numbers. I definitely want to continue to grow on that success and not reinvent the wheel, because what they’re doing is working. With any event, a fresh eye will bring new ideas and new changes, and that’s what this year is.

Last year they were able to break the $500,000 mark. Within the next few years we’d like to break the $750,000 fundraising goal. That’s my aspiration for Tour de Broward. For Joe DiMaggio, we have a lot of established programs and events within the Broward County area. We’re currently expanding into the Wellington region and growing all of the successful efforts that have taken place in Broward County into the Wellington region.

Q: Is your background in community programming?

A: I worked at Nova Southeastern University as assistant director for special events and community relations for eight years. I did my master’s studies in human resource management at Nova Southeastern University.

Q: Where did you grow up?

A: I grew up in Hollywood, Florida. I was born at Memorial. I moved for a small time to Indiana, but the snow and I did not mix, so I quickly came home.

Q: Other than the familiarity of being born here, what drew you to Memorial? Did you always want to work in a healthcare setting?

A: Memorial does such good within the community and has such a great reputation that many people within the South Broward region have some connection to Memorial and want to be a part of it.

This position brings me full circle. I actually did my undergraduate studies in pre-medicine and then decided to change paths. I felt like the healthcare aspect aligns my love for science and medicine with my experience in event planning, community relations and my personal history with Memorial and Joe DiMaggio. It was the perfect trifecta of a position that aligned all of my past experiences into one role.

Q: It’s early, but what have been some of the highlights of working at Joe DiMaggio?

A: The genuine, warm welcome was great. Everyone goes out of their way to help you and to make you feel at home, so it feels like you’re coming into a family, as opposed to coming to work for a job.

Q: Any last words to share with your colleagues?

A: If you have not registered for Tour de Broward (February 24), be sure to do so.