Today we’d like to introduce you to Aida Khanum
Aida, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
My families call me Dr. Khanum, Dr. Aida, or Dr. K. I am a Baylor trained board-certified multilingual Pediatrician in Houston/Bellaire, TX with more than 20 years of experience and a range of International and local experiences. I am a traveler, amateur dancer, movie buff, wife, daughter, and mother. It is amazing how motherhood changed so many things in my life. I have trained and worked in some great and well-known places but what I really want you to know about me is that I am a mother just like many of you.
I have 3 boys with my oldest heading out to college later this year, and my youngest in middle school. I am a wife to a successful banker who moved to Houston for me as I was still in training when we met. I have travelled to various parts of the world – Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Africa, Europe and Central America – but I am proud to call Houston my home.
People often ask me how it is that I speak so many languages? Well, my mother was Swiss and father South Asian and they really believed in raising global citizens, so they made the effort to talk to us in their native languages. As a result, I grew up speaking English, Urdu and German and since I developed a love for languages, I learnt Spanish and basic French as an adult.
When I started my practice nearly 10 years ago my children were younger, and I too struggled with finding time to juggle motherhood, the house and my own work. I realized after having my own children that traditional medical practices aren’t serving families the way they should. I felt all families, particularly first-time mom’s and busy working families just were not able to get the care they wanted and needed. Frustrating phone trees, the lack of appointment availability and the push to go to the urgent care (where you are seen by non-pediatric, non-physician providers,) crowded waiting rooms where you wait for hours, less than 10-minute appointments and those surprise bills are simply unacceptable in today’s world. I decided to create a new practice where I could offer my patients what I wanted for my own family! A Personalized and a Proactive approach to care with Direct access to me and where I Respect your Time and offer Transparency on all costs.
My concierge practice Pediatric Pod Concierge Pediatrics is a membership-based practice designed for families who prefer a more personalized and accessible approach to healthcare for their children. Parents gain a trusted partner in their child’s health, ensuring a proactive and nurturing approach to growing up healthy and happy.
My practice is a great fit for first time parents who really want to have someone available to walk them through that adjusting period with a newborn, families with demanding schedules who appreciate flexible appointment times and shorter wait times, those with children who have chronic health issues or special needs looking for more focused and attentive care and families looking for the peace of mind that they have immediate access to medical advice. Overall, my practice is for anyone seeking a higher level of service and tailored healthcare for their children. Families partner with me to address the health of their children through evidence-based medicine recommendations. Even if your child is healthy today, I would say the time is now to establish a relationship with a doctor who cares and helps you lay the foundation for your child’s good health. My practice panel size is small, so I recommend joining now when space is still available.
I also have a passion for improving the lives of children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). I witnessed firsthand the challenges faced by families navigating the complexities of developmental disorders. Recognizing a critical gap in timely diagnosis and intervention, I became increasingly aware of the detrimental effects that delays in receiving a proper diagnosis can have on children with ADHD and Autism. Many children struggle with education and social interactions due to being undiagnosed, leading to frustration for both the children and their families.
Driven by a commitment to making a difference, I started offering ADHD and Autism evaluations at my practice with no wait times. Families do not need to be a member of the concierge practice to schedule these evaluations. This initiative allows for early identification, personalized care plans, and timely intervention strategies tailored to each child’s unique needs.
Through community outreach, I have become an advocate for awareness and education surrounding ADHD and Autism, empowering parents and educators with the tools and knowledge they need to support affected children. I believe that every child deserves the opportunity to reach their full potential, starting with accurate and timely diagnosis.
I am a parent just like you, and I care about my patients just like I care for my own children. I want the families in my practice to know that I am walking alongside them on their child’s health journey as I have been there myself and understand what they are going through.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Starting a concierge practice can be an exciting venture, but it also comes with its own set of challenges and struggles.
One of the primary challenges I’ve encountered in establishing my concierge practice has been effectively educating potential families about the unique value of my services, especially in a landscape where many are accustomed to traditional insurance models. Families are so used to not getting appointments and sitting in the urgent cares being seen by a non-physician and paying large amounts of money that they do not realize there is another better way to get care which will save them time and money.
Many individuals believe that having insurance alone suffices for their healthcare needs, often overlooking the personalized and proactive care that a concierge model provides. It’s crucial to convey that concierge medicine enhances their healthcare experience by offering more accessibility, longer appointment times, and a focus on preventive care often saving families money in the long run as health care needs are taken care of as they happen.
Through education, I have highlighted the benefits that go beyond insurance coverage, such as same-day appointments, direct text communication, and a tailored approach to health management. By helping families understand that concierge care can complement and elevate their existing insurance benefits, I hope to foster a greater appreciation for this model and demonstrate how it can lead to better health outcomes and overall satisfaction.
Joining my concierge practice offers families the best of both worlds. They pay a flat, affordable monthly membership which covers the concierge perks (no copay/deductible and total price transparency) and then the insurance covers the expensive things like vaccines, labs, medications and subspeciality care/ER care if needed.
We are the only type of practice that does not look at the insurance status, as families can have private insurance, Medicaid or no insurance and we can still invite them to join. Families in my practice have commercial insurance, Medicaid and many are uninsured, and they joined as they love the perks of the practice, the ability to get their vaccines at my location and the discounted lab and pharmacy access saving them time and money at the same time as getting them top quality care.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
When I started my practice nearly 10 years ago my children were younger, and I too struggled with finding time to juggle motherhood, the house and my own work. I realized after having my own children that traditional medical practices aren’t serving families the way they should. I felt all families, particularly first-time mom’s and busy working families just were not able to get the care they wanted and needed. Frustrating phone trees, the lack of appointment availability and the push to go to the urgent care (where you are seen by non-pediatric, non-physician providers,) crowded waiting rooms where you wait for hours, less than 10-minute appointments and those surprise bills are simply unacceptable in today’s world. I decided to create a new practice where I could offer my patients what I wanted for my own family! A Personalized and a Proactive approach to care with Direct access to me and where I Respect your Time and offer Transparency on all costs.
Pediatric Pod Concierge Pediatrics is a membership-based practice designed for families who prefer a more personalized and accessible approach to healthcare for their children. Parents gain a trusted partner in their child’s health, ensuring a proactive and nurturing approach to growing up healthy and happy.
My practice is a great fit for first time parents who really want to have someone available to walk them through that adjusting period with a newborn, families with demanding schedules who appreciate flexible appointment times and shorter wait times, those with children who have chronic health issues or special needs looking for more focused and attentive care and families looking for the peace of mind that they have immediate access to medical advice. Overall, my practice is for anyone seeking a higher level of service and tailored healthcare for their children. Families partner with me to address the health of their children through evidence-based medicine recommendations. Even if your child is healthy today, I would say the time is now to establish a relationship with a doctor who cares and helps you lay the foundation for your child’s good health. My practice panel size is small, so I recommend joining now when space is still available.
I also have a passion for improving the lives of children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). I witnessed firsthand the challenges faced by families navigating the complexities of developmental disorders. Recognizing a critical gap in timely diagnosis and intervention, I became increasingly aware of the detrimental effects that delays in receiving a proper diagnosis can have on children with ADHD and Autism. Many children struggle with education and social interactions due to being undiagnosed, leading to frustration for both the children and their families.
Driven by a commitment to making a difference, I started offering ADHD and Autism evaluations at my practice with no wait times. Families do not need to be a member of the concierge practice to schedule these evaluations. This initiative allows for early identification, personalized care plans, and timely intervention strategies tailored to each child’s unique needs.
Through community outreach, I have become an advocate for awareness and education surrounding ADHD and autism, empowering parents and educators with the tools and knowledge they need to support affected children. I believe that every child deserves the opportunity to reach their full potential, starting with accurate and timely diagnosis.
I am a parent just like you, and I care about my patients just like I care for my own children. I want the families in my practice to know that I am walking alongside them on their child’s health journey as I have been there myself and understand what they are going through.
Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
I joined the women’s chamber of commerce and women’s entrepreneur group to learn more about the different businesses run by women entrepreneurs in the area. I made some great friends and amazing connections and learnt many new things about business. These connections helped me relook at ways to improve the patient experiences for families in my practice.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.pediatricpod.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pediatricpod?igsh=cG11Mm14eTk4YWs2&utm_source=qr
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pediatrichouston?mibextid=LQQJ4d
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@pediatricpod.pediatricclin4715?si=SollgWxXITtQCc7y
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@pediatric.pod?_t=8ks6WU81arC&_r=1
