As we inaugurate our blog, it seems appropriate to start with an immense thank you to the families who have made North Suburban Pediatrics a very special place for two generations. We are ever mindful of the trust you place in us and deeply grateful for the privilege of caring for your children. You challenge us, you inspire us, and we learn from you every single day. Thank you.
I accepted a position at North Suburban Pediatrics at age 28 which I will retire from someday. That in itself is a rare honor. So quickly a career became a calling as the great privilege of pediatric practice sank in.
To our patients, I remember meeting you and your parents in the hospital the day you were born. This is what I am thinking about as we do your college physical. For that I owe you a deep thanks. You have no idea how special that is, but your mom does as we share a moment in the waiting room.
To the parents, you have trusted us with the most important gift of your lifetime, the health of your children. The gratitude for that goes beyond words.
This practice was created in 1968 by Dr. Downey and Dr. Burnstine. It retains the “old school” model of one-on-one relationships between pediatrician, parent and child from birth to adulthood. We have avoided corporate buyout, which has allowed our vision of ideal patient care to remain the priority. Being an independent practice allows us to emphasize personalized care.
Building these relationships allows for better medical care, as we know your medical past, your entire family, and your goals and challenges. These relationships are also very personally gratifying. My life is so much richer for having known you. I have learned so much from meeting families from all over the world, and from the knowledge shared by devoted parents.
It can be very hectic to meet our dual goals of fitting in every ill child who needs to be seen and making each visit as complete and effective as possible. We apologize for the times you have had to wait. We hope you go home with all of your questions answered and a feeling that you received the full attention you deserve. We want you to let us know when we fall short.
As long as three year old boys come in wearing superman capes and four year old girls wear sparkly shoes, we will keep up our commitment to being as good as we can be. We will continue striving for the highest quality pediatric care, providing availablility early, late, and on weekends and, thanks to you, finding deep joy in our work.
Written by: Dr. Eileen Beaty