Choosing a pediatrician is one of the most important decisions you make as a parent. As our children grow we may find that the practice that we chose when we were pregnant or when we had toddlers does not fit our family anymore. If you are choosing a pediatrician as a new parent or looking for a new pediatrician, getting to know the personality of the practice and the doctors helps to make the process easier. When we interview a new pediatrician we are often focused on questions about vaccines, philosophy, office hours, policies that we don’t take the time to see if the practices personality matches our personality. As a mom of three, I have experienced outgrowing the practice that you started with as infants. I have also experienced the desire to have a doctor who hears me, not just listens to me but really hears me. We want to feel like our pediatrician is our partner, not our parent telling us what to do and how to parent. Recently, Novant Health Pediatrics Symphony Park opened in the Mint Hill area and offers something that we find to be unique and welcome in our area. This practice offers parents a place that is geared towards building lasting relationships with patients and parents. They are focused on treating the whole child, caring for the physical health and general well-being of their patients. We are excited to introduce to the doctors at Novant Health Pediatrics Symphony Park, the doctors in this practice are experienced long time doctors in the Charlotte area. We sat down with Dr. Bean, Dr. Richter, Dr. Scannell, Dr. Shulstad and Dr. Van Voorhis to get to know them better, learn about the practice and find out what makes Novant Health Pediatrics Symphony Park unique, how they stay current with trends in pediatrics, their thoughts on kids and electronics, what they are reading and what they would be if they weren’t doctors. We think you will love getting to know this great group of doctors!
What is your practice philosophy?
We created this practice in order to focus on personalized relationships with our families. We strive to create an intimate, close-knit environment with more access to care. We work hard to foster an authentic partnership that maximizes the health and well-being of the child AND the family. We want patients and their parents to feel a personal connection in every interaction they have with anyone on our team; from your first phone call to the clinic to the checkout after your visit.
What is something unique about Novant Health Pediatrics Symphony Park?
We are a group of experienced physicians who have practiced in Charlotte for a number of years. We can help navigate the pediatric healthcare landscape through our strong relationships with pediatric specialists in both area hospital systems. We all genuinely like each other and love working together! We purposely created our new practice to foster collaboration and conversation, even down to sharing one giant office space. In an era of physician burnout and corporate dissatisfaction, we are grateful for the opportunity to build a practice we are proud of with people we have fun with. Honestly, we laugh together – a LOT!
What do you read to stay up to date with pediatrics?
Staying current can be a challenge, but we enjoy it! We consistently read UptoDate and American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) publications, such as Grand Rounds and Pediatrics in Review. Every Wednesday, we do the online “Question of the Week” from the board of pediatrics together, which is actually quite fun! Each year we attend a formal conference on various pediatric subjects and we collaborate with the local and state pediatric communities through the Charlotte and North Carolina Pediatric Societies.
Honestly, we have probably learned the most by sitting together in our office discussing patient problems. We have enjoyed this so much that we designed our new office so we continue to share a communal workspace.
What is the one question parents don’t ask when interviewing your practice but you wish they would? (all age groups)
Knowing how best to communicate with your doctor is important. In this era, there are so many ways to get your questions answered, such as reaching out through the MyChart website or app and electronic record communications. Of course, you can still go the traditional route by calling and speaking with our triage nurse. When we are not in the office, we trust our partners to make great decisions for our patients.
Other good topics to ask about in practice interviews are vaccine policies, late and no-show policies, after hours/weekend care, hospitalization care, and other supplemental programs that may be offered by the clinic. Overall, we think it is most important just to understand and trust the philosophy of the practice you choose.
There is a lot of rumbling going on in the World Health Organization (WHO) about the increase of depression in teens and children due to electronics. Do you see this spill over with your patients? Any tips for parents?
Absolutely. Without question advancement in technology has changed the game when it comes to children’s health and psychological development. Addiction to electronics can lead to a sedentary, socially-isolated lifestyle where teens are more tuned into what’s happening on their phones than with the people in the same room. Social media has made it possible to quantify social standing for teenagers based on the number of likes and comments they receive. This way of measuring ones worth can contribute to anxiety and depression and feelings of not being good enough. There has been a significant spike in anxiety and depression, even in young school-age children. However, when used responsibly, technology can also make us more informed, connected and inspired.
We offer these tips to parents:
- Limit exposure to technology of all types in infants and toddlers.
- Monitor the games and apps that your child plays and downloads. Turn on parental control for app downloads so that you have to give sign off.
- Follow your kids on all social media platforms where they have an account. Many kids and teens now have private second accounts, specifically on Instagram (‘finstas’), where they post content that only approved followers can see. These accounts often fly under the radar.
- Be aware of new trends and new apps that may be harmful for your teen. Always do your research.
- Know who your teen is watching on YouTube and following on Instagram, Twitter, etc. Some channels and social media influencers may seem harmless, but watch their content every now and then and stay aware of the messages your teen is receiving.
- Be aware of the potential problems and TALK frequently to your children and teens about the appropriate use of technology
What is one thing parents of newborns worry about but they really shouldn’t? Toddlers? Preschool? Elementary? Teen?
When it comes to newborns, we get lots of questions about poop. It is typically normal unless red, white or black in color. And going a day without a bowel movement is not cause for concern.
Toddler parents are concerned about their child skipping meals, but this is developmentally appropriate and okay.
Preschool years often give parents anxiety about their child’s academic success and developmental growth compared to their peers, but it’s still a bit too early to predict. Preschool kids learn best from play time!
Don’t worry about athletic training and serious coaching when it comes to your elementary schooler. Let them have fun! It’s great that they’re being active.
To the parents of teenagers – it’s okay to worry about everything. We are always worried, even about our own teenage children.
What are you reading for fun now?
Dr. Bean – “Hunger Games”
Dr. VanVoorhis – “Originals” by Adam Grant
Dr. Shulstad – Bleacher Report
Dr. Scannell – “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix” with my daughter. For myself, “Small Great Things” by Jodi Picoult
Dr. Richter – “Ahab’s wife”
What is something that may surprise your patients about you?
Dr. Shulstad – I showed horses as a kid
Dr. Bean – I was a windsurfing instructor in college
Dr. VanVoorhis – I have coached my son’s soccer team for 7 years
Dr. Scannell – I love college football. Like really love it.
Dr. Richter -- I worked as a pediatrician in New Zealand for one year
If you were not a pediatrician what would you be?
Dr. Shulstad – Soccer Coach
Dr. Scannell – Coffee Connoisseur. Or Wine Sommelier -- it’s a toss-up.
Dr. VanVoorhis – Landscape Architect
Dr. Bean – Commercial Airline Pilot
Dr. Richter – High School Biology and Spanish teacher
Meet the doctors!
Dr. Bean
Medical School:
Univ. of Cincinnati College of Medicine 1998
Residency:
UCLA Medical Center 2001
Board Certifications:
Pediatrics
Dad to 2 daughters ages 9 and 11
Dr. Richter
Medical School:
Baylor College of Medicine 1993
Residency:
University of California at San Diego 1996
Board Certifications:
Pediatrics
Mom to 2, a daughter 19 and a son 17
Dr. Scannell
Medical School:
UNC-Chapel Hill, School of Medicine 2006
Residency:
Carolinas Medical Center 2010
Board Certifications:
Pediatrics
Mom to 2 daughters ages 5 and 8
Dr. Shulstad
Medical School:
Medical College of Georgia 1996
Residency:
Medical College of Georgia 1999
Board Certifications:
Pediatrics
Dad to 4, 2 daughters ages 23 and 7 and 2 sons ages 22 and 20
Dr. Van Voorhis
Medical School:
University Of Florida - Gainesville 1998
Residency:
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine 2001
Board Certifications:
Pediatrics
Dad to 2, a daughter 14 and a son 12
Novant Health Pediatrics Symphony Park is located at
4105 Matthews-Mint Hill Rd, Matthews, NC 28105
They are open M-F 8 am-5 pm and offer sick hours (YAY!) on Saturday from 9 am-11:30 am
Get Social with Novant Health Pediatrics Symphony Park
