Health needs will change throughout someone’s life. For example, a newborn’s first visits look very different from a teenager’s check-up. Pregnancy brings its own questions, concerns, and milestones. Adults may seek preventative care, support with ongoing conditions, or guidance through changes that come with age.
At WFMC Health, providers care for patients through many of these different stages. Although each season brings new needs, the foundation of good care remains consistent: listening, education, trust, and an understanding of the person behind the appointment.
Beginning With Children and Families
Pediatric care begins at birth and continues through years of rapid growth and change.
Nitish Jagpal, MD, cares for children from the newborn stage through age 18. His work includes well-child visits, sick visits, sports physicals, asthma and skin concerns, ADHD management, and mental health care.
For Dr. Jagpal, one of the most rewarding parts of pediatrics is having the opportunity to watch children reach new milestones over time.
“Watching kids go through different stages of growth and development is really rewarding,” he said.
Those stages bring different needs for both children and their families. Parents of newborns might come to the appointment with lots of questions, while older children and teenagers begin taking a more active role in conversations about their health.
Emily Nebzydoski, MD, also cares for children from birth through adolescence. She works to create an environment where parents feel comfortable asking questions and young patients feel safe speaking honestly.
“I just hope that [parents] feel heard and that they’re comfortable with me caring for their child, and they feel like they can ask me anything,” she shared. “And same thing going into adolescence. I really try to make sure they know they can tell me anything and that nothing’s really surprising to me.”
Strong pediatric care starts with supportive parents and gradually expands into helping young people understand their own health, ask questions, and build confidence in speaking with a health care provider.
Supporting Adolescents and Adults
The transition from childhood into adulthood brings new responsibilities and new healthcare needs. Family medicine typically includes preventive care, acute concerns, and the ongoing management of health conditions. It can also give providers and patients time to establish familiarity across repeated visits.
Amy Whitsa, PA-C, provides family medicine care for patients ages 12 and older. Her work allows her to support adolescents as they grow into adulthood and continue caring for patients through later stages of life. Amy values the relationships that develop through that continuity.
“I love seeing patients on my schedule and getting excited to chat with them and then see how they’re doing,” she said.
Over time, a provider can learn more than a patient’s medical history. They often come to understand the person’s goals, routines, concerns, and the circumstances that influence their health. That understanding can make care more personal and help patients feel more comfortable returning with new questions as their needs change.
Caring for Women of Every Age
Women’s health also evolves across many stages.
Devin Salazar, MSN, CNM, provides prenatal care as well as a broad range of women’s healthcare.
“I provide the full spectrum of women’s health care,” she said. “That includes care from the first period that a girl gets through her adolescent and reproductive years.”
She added, “And then I also provide perimenopausal care. So women who are at the other end of the reproductive health journey. [I] really enjoy providing that full spectrum of care for women in the community.”
Women’s health care can include questions about menstrual health, contraception, pregnancy, postpartum recovery, or changes that occur later in the reproductive years. Having access to a provider who understands the full journey can help patients receive care that reflects where they are while also considering what might come next.
Walking Alongside Patients During Pregnancy
Pregnancy is a distinct season of life that often brings both excitement and uncertainty.
Devin provides prenatal care from the first prenatal appointment through the time a patient goes into labor. She also sees patients after birth for postpartum care.
Through Centering Pregnancy®, patients with similar due dates can receive prenatal care in a group setting. The program creates extended time for education, questions, and preparation.
“I really like to be able to sit and get to know people and provide a lot of education and answer questions,” Devin said.
Devin has heard participants say they felt more prepared because of the program, and she has seen connections continue after babies are born.
“Once everybody has had their babies, we always do a reunion where women and their babies get to come back and we get to hear about everyone’s experience and meet all the newborns,” she said. “Those are really very sweet, special times.”
Full-Scope Care for Individuals and Families
Some patients value having a family medicine provider who can care for a broad range of ages and health needs. Oleg Balter, MD, was drawn to WFMC Health in part because of the opportunity to practice full-scope family medicine.
“I get to do everything here,” he shared. “It’s great.”
That breadth creates variety for the provider and flexibility for patients. Family medicine can include preventive visits, ongoing condition management, procedures, and care during unexpected illnesses or changes.
Dr. Balter also appreciates the possibility of caring for people over many years.
“I like the idea of family medicine where you can see people longitudinally for a long time,” he said.
This kind of ongoing care gives providers the opportunity to see how a person’s goals and needs evolve. A concern that matters in one season may become less important later, while new priorities emerge with changes in age, family, work, or overall health.
Care That Adapts With You
No two stages of life are exactly alike.
Children need care that helps them feel safe while supporting their parents. Adolescents need non-judgmental space to begin asking their own questions. Pregnancy and reproductive health require education, preparation, and support through significant changes. Adults benefit from preventive care and ongoing guidance as their needs evolve.
At every stage, patients deserve care that recognizes both where they are and what matters to them.
WFMC Health’s team includes providers across pediatrics, family medicine, women’s health, behavioral health, and related services. That range helps patients and families find support through many different seasons without losing sight of the relationships and values that keep care personal.
Healthcare changes across a lifetime, but compassionate care can remain a steady source of support through each new chapter.