UH Ahuja Internist Leads Seamless Team of Caregivers
August 17, 2023
UH Clinical Update | August 2023
Visiting a physician for treatment of a sore throat as a young girl in her home town in Sri Lanka put Priyadharshini Umapathy, MD, on the road to becoming a physician.
Priyadharshini Umapathy, MD“As a child, when I visited a doctor, I was so inspired,” she recalls. “I was so inspired by his demeanor, his calm and gentle way of talking to and examining me. In fact, he asked me, ‘What do you want to be when you grow up?’ And I said, ‘I'd like to be a doctor like you.’”
“Since childhood, it has been my passion,” she says. “My uncle was a surgeon, so he also inspired me. My mother was very supportive in my journey to become a physician.”
Journey to Northeast Ohio
Dr. Umapathy completed the medical degree at the University of Colombo in Sri Lanka. She and her husband, also a graduate from the same medical school, completed post-graduate studies in the United Kingdom and hoped to return back to their homeland. “But the civil war underway at the time in Sri Lanka made that impossible,” she says.
“It was not a suitable situation for us to go back, therefore we came to Cleveland to live in proximity to my brother,” Dr. Umapathy says.
After completing residency in internal medicine at St. Luke’s Medical Center and St. Vincent Charity Hospital, Dr. Umapathy joined a practice in Bedford and also joined the medical staff at UH Ahuja Medical Center as an independent physician. In fact, she’s been a presence there since the hospital opened – 12 years ago.
Excellence at UH Ahuja
Dr. Umapathy credits the supportive working atmosphere at UH Ahuja Medical Center for her long tenure there.
“We work with the nurses, nurse practitioners and other ancillary staff in a friendly and supportive environment so we’re able to give the best care to patients,” she says. Dr. Umapathy attributes her success to the support from nurse practitioners.
Jessica Goldstein, MD, Chief Medical Officer at UH Ahuja, agrees – and she gives much credit for this positive atmosphere to Dr. Umapathy.
“Dr. Umapathy received the annual Ahuja Provider UH Core Values award from our Internal Medicine APPs,” she says. "Dr. Umapathy encompasses UH Core Values by providing compassionate, evidence-based care for her patients. She follows many of her own office patients in the hospital, and the trusted relationship with her patients is obvious. The Internal Medicine APP enjoys working with Dr. Umapathy because of her openness, collaboration, respectful communication and understanding of her patients' needs.”
In recognition of this excellence, UH Chief Executive Officer Cliff A. Megerian, MD, FACS, Jane and Henry Meyer Chief Executive Officer Distinguished Chair, recently named Dr. Umapathy a “Dinner with the Doc” honoree, specifically calling out her exemplary professionalism.
Approach to Patient Experience
Today’s internal medicine patients are different in some ways than their predecessors, Dr. Umapathy says.
“It's challenging in the present environment,” she says. ”Patients are well-informed and very knowledgeable about their medical conditions and new approaches to treatment and have many questions. But what has not changed is that physicians need to listen to them. What are their concerns and priorities? That is the most important thing.”
It’s also crucial to formulate a plan for each patient, especially those who get admitted to the hospital following a visit to the ED, Dr. Umapathy says.
“In the morning, we discuss a plan with the nurse practitioners. What are we going to do today? What other testing needs to be done? What other consultants need to be involved? Talking with the patient and family explaining what we are doing is so important.”
“When a patient comes through the Emergency Department, from that time onwards, I’m thinking about future plans like discharge, follow up, etc., how I can make the transition from hospital to home as smooth as possible,” Dr. Umapathy says. “What resources that we can make available so the patient feels comfortable and safe going home?”
Dr. Goldstein and others have noticed this attention to the need for current information – both on the part of patient families and the caregiving team.
“Dr. Umapathy is proactive in addressing patient needs and manages her patient progression and discharge planning efficiently,” she says. “She fosters a sense of belonging among the Internal Medicine team by rounding early and maintaining a high level of communication throughout the day.”
Congratulations to Dr. Umapathy on her “Dinner with the Doc” honor.