Dr. Joseph Elisha knows a good fit when he feels it. He enjoys the ease and comfort of the desert at home, at work, and at large, exploring the great outdoors. “Every time I go hiking, there’s a spot at the top of the trail with sweeping views of the Coachella Valley,” he says. “It reinforces the reasons I’m here. It is a peaceful place with spectacular natural scenery.”
This was impossible to find on the west side of Los Angeles, where he moved with his family from Iran in 1979.
Elisha, owner/director of Desert Cities Anesthesia Professionals at El Mirador Surgery Center in Palm Springs, completed his undergraduate training at UCLA and graduated from Harvard Medical School before returning to UCLA for his residency. “At the time, coming from a busy metropolitan area, the desert seemed very appealing,” he says. “I was attracted to the natural beauty and the serenity of this area. That was about 21 years ago.”
Elisha, who has five children, is still only a couple of hours from the rest of his family in L.A. But he never feels homesick: El Mirador Surgery Center, he says, is “a family environment. I work with a lot of people that I’ve known for 20 years. We are all very close and that makes our work together that much more enjoyable.”
The area’s small-town feel made it easy for Elisha to form close bonds with friends and still enjoy “destination” amenities. “I’ve made so many memories here with family and friends,” he says. “It’s a very high quality of life for me and for my staff.”
VIDEO: Dr. Joseph Elisha talks about his practice at Desert Cities Anesthesia Professionals.