Posts

A young girl is focused on her tablet device

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.

An Essential Space for Women in Pediatrics

The Women in Pediatrics Retreat was founded by Katrina Skinner, MD, FAAP, an independent pediatrician who runs her own practice in Fairhope, AL. While skill-building is certainly part of this event, Women in Pediatrics prioritizes creating a space where women pediatricians can connect, practice vulnerability, and walk away with a newfound sense of confidence and self-compassion.
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Parental Choice, Public Health, and Vaccine Hesitancy in Tennessee

A government mandate in Tennessee has prohibited the Department of Health from doing vaccine outreach and education to Tennessee youth. What does this mandate signify about the relationship between the Tennessee legislature and the medical community? And how might the mandate impact independent pediatricians? Dr. Suzanne Berman, an independent pediatrician in Crossville, TN, speaks to the issue with an on-the-ground perspective.
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“Come Learn With Me:” Teaching the Next Generation of Pediatricians

Dr. Chris Peltier wants to help community pediatricians fall in love with teaching. He’s learned through more than two decades of experience how rewarding it is to help medical students and residents learn the art and science of pediatrics. He also knows it is possible to effectively teach while still meeting business objectives and offering top notch patient care.
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Tackling Taboo Topics: Girlology Brings Families Together to Support Girls’ Health

In the 17 years since its founding by Dr. Melisa Holmes and Dr. Trish Hutchison, Girlology has grown into a company with national reach focused on sharing information about health and adolescence with families.

Cracks in the System: Child Food Insecurity and COVID-19

Proper nutrition and food security are essential to the healthy development of a child—physically, emotionally, and psychologically. Dr. Steven Abrams, Chair of the AAP Committee on Nutrition, discusses the lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic on how the U.S. is failing food insecure families, and how we can do better.
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Getting Resourceful, Staying Close: Small Town Healthcare for a Growing Community

In November 2019, The Independent Pediatrician visited Skagit Pediatrics in Mount Vernon, Washington. The managing pediatricians shared the story of the practice’s history, growth, and how despite consistent change, their independent culture has thrived after nearly 40 years.
A parent and his toddler explore a digital tablet

Finding the Middle Way with Kids and Digital Media

The impacts of digital media use on children, both positive and negative, are increasingly visible as Generation Z comes of age. How do different types of media affect childhood brain development, and what can pediatricians do to help kids build healthy relationships with their screens?

Resilience, Relationships and Community: Fostering Wellness and Preventing Burnout

Several independent pediatricians offer their own stories and strategies to foster wellness and prevent burnout, a syndrome that affects over 40 percent of pediatricians nationally.
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Rural America’s Invisible Patients, Part III: Appalachia

Increased access to pediatric care for rural poor populations could alter the course of a child’s life, and widespread access could change a community’s future. This part of the series highlights the challenges faced by Appalachian communities in securing access to pediatric care.