>> THE EXPERTISE THAT'S AVAILABLE HERE IN THE
PEDIATRIC THYROID CENTER AT CHOP IS MULTIPLE,
MULTIPLE LAYERS, WHICH I THINK LEAD TO SPECIAL CARE
AND SPECIAL RESULTS.
>> WE ALL WORK VERY CLOSELY TOGETHER TO MAKE SURE THAT
WE REALLY COME TOGETHER AS A TEAM AND GIVE THE BEST CARE
THAT THE PATIENT REALLY REQUIRES.
>> THE DISCIPLINES INCLUDE SURGERY AND THE SURGEONS WHO
ACTUALLY REMOVE THE TISSUE.
>> WE HAVE ENDOCRINOLOGISTS WHO ARE WORLD FAMOUS IN WHAT
THEY DO IN TERMS OF THE OWN ENDOCRINE GLANDS.
COUPLED WITH THAT, WE HAVE A VERY GOOD COLLABORATION
BETWEEN ENDOCRINE AND ONCOLOGY.
>> RADIOLOGY --
>> EVERY SINGLE OPERATION IS DONE WITH THE PEDIATRIC
ANESTHESIOLOGIST.
>> -- AND THE PATHOLOGY AS WELL.
>> NURSING IS A VERY IMPORTANT COMPONENT BETWEEN DISCIPLINES.
>> IT'S KIND OF A SINGLE POINT OF CONTACT.
>> IN TERMS OF GETTING ALL THE INFORMATION NEEDED
TO HAVE THE PATIENT EVALUATED IN THE THYROID CENTER.
>> PROVIDING THE PATIENT WITH THE EDUCATION
AND THE CARE COORDINATION TO FACILITATE THE MORE
DIFFICULT MEDICAL SYSTEM.
>> WE HAVE PATIENTS WHO ARE REFERRED LOCALLY,
REGIONALLY, NATIONALLY, AND EVEN INTERNATIONALLY,
WHO WANT THAT SORT OF EXPERTISE FOR THEIR CHILDREN,
BUT COMING FROM SUCH A DISTANCE LEADS TO SPECIAL
NEEDS FOR LODGING AND ADVICE AND FINANCIAL SUPPORT
IN SOME CASES.
>> WE'RE FORTUNATE IN THIS CENTER TO HAVE A SOCIAL
WORKER INVOLVED IN THE CARE OF THESE PATIENTS WHICH
IS VERY IMPORTANT SO THE PATIENT IS NOT ONLY CARED FOR
IN TERMS OF WHAT THEY NEED MEDICALLY,
BUT ALSO WHAT THEY NEED EMOTIONALLY.
>> FOR A CHILD GOING THROUGH THIS PROCESS,
WE HAVE ACCESS TO CHILD LIFE SUPPORT.
THE CHILD LIFE SPECIALISTS PROVIDE EXPERTISE IN MANY
OF THE PSYCHOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF GOING THROUGH AN OPERATION
THAT A CHILD AND A FAMILY REALLY NEED.
>> ONE OF THE ADVANTAGES OF WHERE CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL
OF PHILADELPHIA IS LOCATED IS THAT WE'RE ADJACENT
TO THE HOSPITAL OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA.
>> WE WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THEM AND CAN CULL ALL
THEIR EXPERTISE, WHETHER IT BE IN PATHOLOGY OR OTHER
ASPECTS OF CARE THAT WE CAN NOW APPLY TO CHILDREN.
>> AND WHEN THE CHILDREN ARE OLD ENOUGH AND THEY'RE YOUNG
ADULTS, BECAUSE WE SEE KIDS UP TO AGE 23,
WHICH AREN'T REALLY KIDS, THEY'RE YOUNG ADULTS
BUT THE TRANSITION OF CARE THEN IS EASILY SET IN PLACE.
>> IT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR THE PATIENT AND THEIR FAMILY
TO BE VERY INVOLVED DURING THE ENTIRE PROCESS.
>> THE TEAM WAS ALL REALLY HELPFUL IN EXPLAINING IT,
LIKE, GETTING US THROUGH IT BECAUSE WE NEVER
EXPERIENCED ANY OF THIS BEFORE.
>> IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A LOT MORE DIFFICULT TO GET
THROUGH THIS IF WE DIDN'T HAVE THAT THYROID CENTER
SUPPORTING US.
>> THEY REALLY NEED TO UNDERSTAND THE PROCESS.
AND WE ENCOURAGE THEM TO WRITE DOWN QUESTIONS,
TO BRING THEM IN, AND WE GO THOUGH THEM.
WE'VE GONE THROUGH LISTS SOMETIMES AS LONG AS
15 TO 20 QUESTIONS LONG, AND THAT'S WHAT WE WANT.
WE WANT THEM TO READ.
WE WANT THEM TO BE INFORMED.
>> I DID FEEL LIKE I WAS PART OF THE TEAM EFFORT.
BECAUSE IT STARTED OUT OFF WITH DR. BAUER DIAGNOSING ME,
BUT THEN HE GAVE ME THE OPTIONS AND ALL THE DOCTORS
WERE WILLING TO WORK WITH ME NO MATTER WHAT ROUTE I TOOK.
>> THE FAMILY AND THE PATIENT PROVIDE A VERY
IMPORTANT PART OF THAT TEAM FOR US BECAUSE THEY KNOW
THEIR CHILD BEST.
THE CHILD KNOWS THEMSELVES BEST.
>> FROM THE BEGINNING TO THE END,
WHEN YOU HAVE YOUR FIRST APPOINTMENT ALL THE WAY
THROUGH THE SURGERY, THEY SEEM TO BE,
YOU KNOW, VERY MUCH ALL IN COMMUNICATION AND WILLING
TO COMMUNICATE WITH YOU AND BACK WITH YOUR CONCERNS.
>> EVEN THOUGH THERE'S A CERTAIN WAY TO TREAT
A DISEASE, THE PATIENT IS NOT A DISEASE.
THE PATIENT IS A PATIENT.
>> WHEN WE LOOK IN THE MICROSCOPE,
IT'S NOT JUST LOOKING AT THE PIECE OF TISSUE.
IT'S REALLY BEARING IN MIND THAT THIS IS SOMETHING
THAT COMES FROM AN INDIVIDUAL.
IT COMES FROM A CHILD.
IT COMES FROM A CHILD WITH A FAMILY.
>> THE FAMILIES INSPIRE ME AND HUMBLE ME AND EDUCATE ME
AND REMIND ME THAT WE DON'T HAVE ALL THE ANSWERS,
BUT FINDING THEM IS IMPORTANT.