The Roggin Report is concluding its three-part investigation into a lawsuit involving Desert Regional Medical Center and Desert Physicians Medical Group, or DPMG, with allegations focused on doctors in training, patient care, resident housing and oversight of the residency program.
According to the lawsuit, some residents were allegedly assigned to mobile clinics, street medicine locations and other facilities without adequate supervision by attending physicians. The hospital also alleges some residents used the usernames and passwords of senior physicians when entering patient information and prepared medical notes that were later entered or signed under the names of other doctors.
Those allegations have not been proven, and DPMG, the Kims and other individuals named in the lawsuit have not been found liable.
The lawsuit also raises questions about medical records. Desert Regional says residents were instructed to use DPMG-controlled email and messaging accounts rather than hospital systems. When the relationship ended, the hospital says important patient, training and administrative records remained on a DPMG-controlled Google Drive.
Then there are allegations involving money and housing.
Desert Regional says residents were required to pay $2,300 each for a three-day retreat in Lake Arrowhead beginning in 2021. The hospital alleges Dr. Tae Kim instructed residents to make the payment and seek reimbursement from Desert Regional. The lawsuit also claims at least one resident was told that refusing to attend would be considered a resignation.
The lawsuit further alleges that medical graduates seeking residency positions were pressured to rent Palm Springs apartments owned by the Kims. One lease included in the lawsuit lists Dr. Tae Kim as the landlord, with monthly rent of $2,800 and a $2,800 security deposit.
But the investigation also raises questions for Desert Regional.
The hospital says it discovered significant misconduct in early 2024 and eventually removed the Kims from leadership positions. Yet some of the alleged conduct dates back years, including incidents that allegedly occurred before the hospital renewed a leadership agreement in December 2023.
That leaves some big unanswered questions: When did hospital officials know about the alleged problems? Why were important records stored outside hospital systems? And who was responsible for making sure the residency program was properly supervised?
At the center of the story are doctors in training, patients and public resources intended to bring more physicians to a community that needs them.
The lawsuit presents serious allegations, but the ultimate answers will have to come through evidence and the legal process.
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By: NBC Palm Springs
August 21, 2026
