Columbus Regional Hospital - Health Matters

Mor a Hpita 5 CRHEALTHCARE.ORG "The goal of Southeast Pediatrics is to provide the best level of care every single day for every single child, regardless of their insurance status or income level. The health of children should be addressed as extremely important, and we will try to meet every need of our patients and their families." JUGTA KAHAI, MD, FAAP, PEDIATRIC MEDICAL DIRECTOR AT SOUTHEAST PEDIATRICS An Advocate for Children Jugta Kahai, MD, FAAP, pediatric medical director at Southeast Pediatrics, has been caring for underserved kids in North Carolina for nearly 20 years. After completing a residency and fellowship in pediatric critical care at State University of New York at Buffalo, Dr. Kahai came to Brunswick County and established one of the only local clinics for specialized pediatric care. "Pediatrics has always been an interest for me," Dr. Kahai says. "Adults can verbalize very clearly what their medical needs are, but kids can't. There is often a gap between the care kids need and what they receive, and I wanted to be a physician that provided that care for kids." "The primary goal is to make this a medical home for kids," says Jugta Kahai, MD, FAAP, pediatric medical director at Southeast Pediatrics. "Instead of being scattered among different sites and providers, children in our community can turn to the clinic for all of their medical needs." A medical home model of care focuses on several key qualities: • Patient-centered care. Children and their families are partners with their physician in ensuring good health. • Comprehensive services. As a medical home, Southeast Pediatrics can address acute care, chronic problems, prevention and wellness as well as mental health needs. • Hospital support. As a partner with Columbus Regional Healthcare System, Southeast Pediatrics can coordinate care across multiple levels. Everyone benefits from the medical home model, especially children with chronic conditions. Because Southeast Pediatrics is equipped to handle the day-to-day needs of most conditions, this means less travel to specialists and more time spent with families and support systems. "Children can have primary needs taken care of here, and perhaps follow up with a specialist elsewhere once or twice a year," Dr. Kahai says. "I'm trained to handle conditions from asthma to diabetes, so any conditions children have can be managed here." MEETING NEEDS AND FILLING GAPS One of the benefits Dr. Kahai brings to the community is a focus on mental health for children. "Eighty percent of the time, mental health care is managed by a primary care provider," Dr. Kahai says. "Unfortunately, most pediatricians aren't well-trained in providing mental health care, so there's an innate discomfort there. I'm trained to deal with pediatric illnesses, such as attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, depression, bipolar disorder and autism. This has been an unmet need, both historically and in our community, and I passionately advocated for it and felt it should be a major focus." Dr. Kahai and the team at Southeast Pediatrics can also manage the health of children with special needs, premature babies who do not need a ventilator, children who have withdrawal symptoms, and other serious conditions. By providing these advanced services, Southeast Pediatrics can continue to keep children close to home. Southeast Pediatrics is located at 612-36 Jefferson Street in Whiteville, and is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. To make an appointment, call 910-640-4064. JUGTA KAHAI, MD, FAAP

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