PEdiatric Access through Resource Linkage (PEARL)
PEARL is a Community/Patient Navigation Pilot Program for Pediatric Surgical Patients at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital at Mission Bay
Our goal is to support socially vulnerable pediatric surgical patients by:
- Bridging gaps in care through tailored, non-clinical support
- Addressing social drivers of health that impact surgical outcomes
- Enhancing care coordination between families, providers, and community resources
Grounded in principles of equity, family partnership, and implementation science, PEARL aims to reduce disparities and improve the surgical journey for children and their caregivers.
- Food Insecurity
- MyChart Enrollment
- Language Interpretation
- Non-Medical Surgery Logistics
- Housing
- Parking + Transportation Support
Step 1
Find a convenient time to speak with a trained PEARL navigator
Step 2
Answer screening questions to identify priority needs we can help address
Step 3
Get connected with convenient, local resources that target your identified needs
Step 4
A PEARL navigator will follow up with you to offer additional support if needed
Housing Instability
Transportation Access
- Medi-Cal Covered Non-Emergency Transportation to Appointments
- Parking Vouchers
Team Bios
Alondra Aguilar (she/her/ella)
PEARL Patient Navigator/Medical Student
Alondra is a second-year medical student in the Joint Medical Program (JMP) at UC Berkeley and UCSF. She is from Napa, California, and is fluent in English and Spanish.
Lauren Balerki Puplampu (she/her/hers)
PEARL Patient Navigator/Medical Student
Lauren is a second-year medical student in the Joint Medical Program (JMP) at UC Berkeley and UCSF. She is from Dallas, Texas.
Sabrina Sedano (she/her/ella)
PEARL Patient Navigator/Medical Student
Sabrina is a fourth-year medical student and research fellow in the PRIME-US program at UCSF School of Medicine. She is from Los Angeles, California, and is fluent in English and Spanish.
Philip Herrera
PEARL Consultant/Health Advocates Project Manager
Philip is the Managing Director of the Health Advocates Program at ZSFGH and is a San Francisco native. He supervises program operations and coordinates partnerships with community organizations. He provides expertise for the design and implementation of PEARL.
Lan Tuyet Vu, MD (she/her/hers)
PEARL Medical Director/Pediatric Surgeon
Dr. Lan Vu is a pediatric surgeon at UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital. In addition to leading the PEARL program, she is the Medical Director of Surgical Quality and Safety at the children's hospital and surgeon lead of the LIFE program (Long-term Infant to Adult Follow and Evaluation).
email: [email protected]
phone: 415-353-8360