Saint Agnes opens new rheumatology clinic in Fresno

Saint Agnes Care has opened a new outpatient rheumatology clinic in North Fresno, adding another specialty option for patients whose joint pain, stiffness, swelling and immune-system disorders can take months to diagnose and years to manage. The clinic, at 1510 E. Herndon Ave., Suite 230, is accepting new patients and is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The clinic’s phone number is 559-450-6592.

The move matters in Fresno County because rheumatology care is often hard to access close to home. Saint Agnes said the new service is meant to bring evaluation and follow-up visits into the Central Valley instead of sending patients elsewhere for specialty appointments. For working families, seniors and people living with chronic pain or autoimmune disease, that can mean less time on the road and fewer delays before treatment starts.

Saint Agnes Care Rheumatology is overseen by Shelley Kaur Dhillon, MD, MS, who is listed by Saint Agnes as board-certified in internal medicine and fellowship-trained in rheumatology. Saint Agnes also lists her internal medicine residency at Saint Agnes Medical Center and her rheumatology fellowship at the University of California, Irvine. The clinic is set up to see patients with joint, muscle, bone and immune-system conditions, giving local residents a place to be evaluated when symptoms do not fit neatly into a single diagnosis.

The opening comes as specialty medicine nationwide continues to struggle with access. The American College of Rheumatology has said its 2022-2027 strategic plan includes tools to support workforce expansion and retention, reflecting pressure on the field’s supply of doctors. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says rheumatoid arthritis is best diagnosed and treated early to help avoid joint damage, worsening symptoms and complications, a reminder that delays in specialty care can carry real consequences.

Sonya Pizzo, vice president of the Saint Agnes Medical Foundation, said the opening reflects Saint Agnes’ commitment to expanding local specialty care and avoiding the delays that can come when patients have to travel or wait longer for appointments. Saint Agnes Medical Center introduced the service on Feb. 11, 2026, as part of Saint Agnes Care, its nonprofit subsidiary, and framed the clinic as another step in keeping more advanced care within Fresno rather than beyond it.