Progressive Health Services

When Suzann Gage, a volunteer clinician at Progressive Health Services, was 19 she studied fine arts at Illinois State University. During that time she became active in Self-Help Clinics. Inspired by this work she left Illinois in 1973, traveling on the plane for the first time in her life, to join like-minded women at the Los Angeles Feminist Women’s Health Center where she worked for 11 years. Since that time she received her credentials as a nurse practitioner, OB/GYN, nutritionist, acupuncturist and an herbalist.

Her main focus has always been on the subject of wellness and health education through an integrated medical practice, incorporating the best of mainstream medicine and alternative and holistic medicine. She encourages people to participate in their health care and learn about their bodies, which is what a lot of her patients come looking for.

In 1985, Suzann co-founded Wholistic Health for Women, a 501 c (3) located in West Hollywood. It was during this time that HIV testing had just become available. For many years people believed that the risk of HIV and AIDS only existed amongst gay men. Suzann believes that Magic Johnson was one of the key people instrumental in opening the world to the risk of HIV to the public at large. The organization decided to diversify their clientele by opening up the clinic to both men and women and adopting a new name: Progressive Health Services. In an effort to meet the needs of the changing environment, Progressive Health Services became the second clinic in Southern California to offer HIV testing and greatly streamlined the process by offering walk-in service and test results in within 3 days, something unheard of in those days. Currently Progressive Health offers 15-minute HIV results! They also provide comprehensive walk in STD screening as well.

Suzann continues to serve a diverse population of people from early teens through adulthood. Most of her patients are uninsured or under-insured and they come seeking confidential health care. Her patients find their services affordable and reasonable for the amount of time spent with a person. The most popular health services people seek are annual physical exams, comprehensive lab testing, Pap smears, fertility services, acupuncture, and nutritional consultations.

In 2001 Progressive Health Services relocated their main headquarters to San Diego. After living in Los Angeles for almost 30 years, Suzann decided to move to San Diego as well. In seeking out a visible central location for the clinic, El Cajon Boulevard was a great choice. Progressive Health Services is located inside a bright and cheerful craftsman house with a lovely rose garden and white picket fence. Suzann often receives complements from the neighbors for helping to improve the area, and based on the extensive amount of work she’s done in the field of health and wellness, she is also doing a lot to improve people’s lives.

Progressive Health Services - 2141 El Cajon Boulevard