When it comes to practicing pediatric medicine in the Inland Empire, Dr. Sushil Anand wants to ensure his patients are provided culturally sensitive health care regardless of their background or family status.

It’s this personal approach that caught the attention of parents around the Inland Empire, from Eastvale to Corona to Upland.

“My philosophy is not just to treat the sickness of the child, but to address the social determinants that can affect their needs,” said Dr. Anand from his Upland-based Sunshine Pediatrics office before receiving the Optimal Care Award at the 2025 Mission Conference hosted by Inland Empire Health Plan.

The annual conference recognizes the work individuals and organizations do to live out IEHP’s mission to heal and inspire the human spirit. Dr. Anand is one of two Optimal Care Award recipients—a conference first. Previously, the award was given to entities that exemplified world-class care and outcomes in preventive care, chronic care or hospital care. Organizers expanded the pool to include an individual provider who also demonstrated:

• Clinical care and outcomes that exceed national benchmarks and consistently follow best practice.
• Care that is seamlessly coordinated from prevention—across the whole care continuum.
• Care that is built on cultural humility and respectful, holistic, human-centered experiences.

Dr. Sushil Anand interacts with a member of his team inside Sunshine Pediatrics of Upland on April 29.

Dr. Anand’s commitment to his patients’ well-being is at the core of his practice. Not only is he the co-founder of American Pediatrics, but Dr. Anand is also affiliated with several area hospitals, including San Antonio Community Hospital and Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center. He is also an associate professor of pediatrics at UC Riverside and a proud dad to Anya and husband to Kay.

Dr. Anand believes that when a child is well, they will grow up to become changemakers in the communities they call home, and that will uplift their families for generations to come. One important partner in making this vision possible: IEHP.

“IEHP has been an excellent partner for us,” said Dr. Anand. “They have provided us with the resources we need to connect to families and bring them in for their well-child visits, vaccinations and preventive care needs.

“I don’t think we could have gone from one practice to now seven [without IEHP], and we hope to continue this partnership forever,” he said.

Learn more about the Living the Mission Awards and IEHP’s Mission Conference at https://missionconference.iehp.org

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