Tag Archive for: Patient Relationships

Community-Centered Care Is the Throughline: Dr. Jen O’Bryan on Independent Pediatrics in Times of Change
Dr. Jen O’Bryan has been practicing independent pediatrics since 2005. She sheds light on the challenges and rewards of independent practice, the power of community-based pediatrics, and how to navigate a shifting healthcare landscape.

A Victory Against Anti-Vaxxers: Dr. Eve Switzer’s Story
Despite misinformation spread by anti-vaccine activists, social media bullies, and internet trolls, Dr. Eve Switzer understood that vaccines in childhood (and beyond) are too important to overlook. So instead of backing down, she stood up for vaccines – and won.

Advice to My Younger Self: Independent Pediatricians Reflect on the Early Days
Taking the leap into independent practice can be both exciting and daunting. These successful independent pediatricians reflect on their early days in practice, shed light on what’s at the heart of their practice of medicine, and share advice they’d give to their younger selves in those early days of independent practice.

Continuously Evolving in Independent Practice with Dr. Hiral Lavania
When Dr. Hiral Lavania opened her independent practice, she put creating a positive work environment first. This approach has helped her maintain a thriving independent practice through the ups and downs of COVID-19 and healthcare worker shortages. She reflects on the importance of clear communication, work-life balance, and continuing growth and education as a pediatrician.

Online Safety is Self-Awareness: Creating Healthy Cultures at Work and at Home
Increasingly, families are looking to pediatricians for education on how to create healthy boundaries around digital media use. What do families and pediatricians need to know in order to support kids in practicing online safety? What is online safety, and what does it look like in practice? Marissa Maldonado, CEO of Proda Technology, speaks to these questions and shares her thoughts on starting generative conversations at home with children of any age, as both an IT professional and a parent.

The Vaccine Machine Drives Bloom Pediatrics to New Heights
The Vaccine Machine, the brainchild of Dr. Katie Schafer and colleagues at Bloom Pediatrics, started a journey that led them to connect with the community in lasting ways they didn’t expect. Saying ‘yes’ and jumping in with only the beginnings of a plan – and a firm commitment to a good cause – taught the team to think outside the box and lean into the unknown.

Eating Disorders and the COVID-19 Pandemic
In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of children in the United States presenting with an eating disorder skyrocketed. We talk to a range of eating disorder experts across the country about what they’ve seen over the past three years and how pediatricians are critical partners in both treating patients and advocating for improvements to the system.

The Changing Face of Adolescent Health: Caring for Girls in Post-Roe America
The overturning of Roe vs. Wade presents unique challenges for adolescents, from parental consent laws to mental health concerns. Dr. Trish Hutchison and Dr. Melisa Holmes, founders of Girlology, speak to the cultural moment and the need for patient education in the face of political upheaval.

Gender-Affirming Care is Whole-Person Care: Integrating Behavioral Health and Independent Pediatrics
Transgender and gender-diverse (TGD) youth are increasingly reaching out to pediatric providers for support—be it medical care, education, or referrals to specialist. Yet some providers feel less than prepared to meet the needs of TGD youth and their families. Licensed therapist Theresa Hall speaks to the unique experience of TGD youth in the healthcare system, and how pediatricians can best support them.

Pediatricians and Autism Spectrum Disorder: The Path to a Medical Home
An expert in the field of early brain and child development, Dr. Colleen Kraft has in many ways helped to steer the conversation about how to best care for children who experience developmental differences like autism spectrum disorder. She is focused on an important message: Primary care pediatricians can and should be a driving force on the team caring for a child with ASD. They are key to getting kids into services as early as possible, which helps to improve outcomes.