CHOC – and our pediatric subspecialists – are proud to partner with pediatricians throughout Southern California 
to enhance the delivery of pediatric care. Together, we’re committed to securing bright futures for children. We’d like to take a moment to introduce you to one of our community partners, Saint Joseph Heritage Medical Group. In today’s Q & A, we learn what this group considers their best practice, how they encourage teamwork, and more.
What is one of your group’s best practices?
One of our “best practices” is the responsible use of antibiotics. While we appreciate how scary and frustrating it is for parents to have a sick child, we use antibiotics only when appropriate and educate parents about supportive care for viral infections. We think that it is better to take the time to educate parents about their child’s disease than to expose a child to unnecessary medication.
How has technology enhanced your practice?
We were early adopters of an electronic medical record (EMR). As a multi-site group with a pediatric dedicated urgent care, we find an EMR an invaluable tool. Having a central location for patient information makes it easier for us to provide great care to our patients in any location. Technology has also allowed us to offer more comprehensive preventive care to our patients. We believe strongly that good preventive care makes for healthier communities.
How is team work encouraged in your practice?
We function as one cohesive department in a large multi-specialty medical group. We have formal meetings every other month to share best practices, to improve efficiency, and to improve clinical work flows. We keep in touch with each other by email when important information comes up between these meetings. We also participate in journal club quarterly in order to keep ourselves up to date with new clinical guidelines. We are a handy resource for each other and will often sit down together to talk through a complicated or unusual case.
Fictional physicians have graced the small screen for years. Which TV MD gets your group’s vote for “top doc” and why?
Our vote for “top doc” is definitely Disney Junior’s Doc McStuffins. She is inquisitive, compassionate and creative. She makes doctor visits for preschool-aged kids fun and non-threatening.
With pediatric offices in Santa Ana, Orange and Tustin, Saint Joseph Heritage Medical Group is comprised of the following board-certified pediatricians: Dr. Sinda Althoen; Dr. Connie Bartlett; Dr. Reema Basu; Dr. Marc Bennett; Dr. Robert Frankel; Dr. Paul Genser; Dr. Lisa Hoang; Dr. James Kim; Dr. James Morley; Dr. Sarah O’Loughlin; Dr. Melissa Rosin; Dr. Taylor Tran; Dr. John Winkelman; and two urgent care pediatricians Dr. Paul Ziesmer and Dr. Naho Taguchi. In addition to providing comprehensive preventive care, the group also has physicians who specialize in various medical conditions such as asthma and allergy, behavioral health and adolescent care.
