This article appears in the October issue of  400 Life.

The doctor’s office isn’t usually a kid’s first pick for a fun place to visit. Shots. Pricks. Strangers. Tongue depressors. But if your doctor’s office looks like a tree house, maybe those important visits can be a breeze. And feeling safe at the doctor’s office is one good habit to last a lifetime.

For Cumming residents, walking into Cumming Pediatric Group feels like that. A life-sized tree sculpture envelops the front desk, filling the lobby with pleasant sounds of birds chirping, friendly furry animal faces and colorful, vibrant murals on the walls; and the best part is that feeling comfortable at CPG goes beyond imaginative artwork. Panyavee Khan, MD, and her team are made of fun-loving, kind and compassionate physicians, nurses and administration who operate like a family — and treat their patients as an extension.

“It’s intrinsic in the people we hire — this ability to treat people like family,” said Khan, who has been with CPG for more than a decade. “It takes a special person to work with children, but you also have to be good at working with parents. Parents recognize kindness, compassion, authenticity and sincerity in our staff. That comes from being patient, level-headed, knowing how to diffuse certain situations, and being open and easy going.”

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Just ask one of their current 8,000 patients.

“There has never been a time that I have left this office that I didn’t feel like my kids were given the absolute best care,” said Kevia Elkins, mom of three patients at CPG. “As a whole, the staff here is loving and caring and genuinely wants what is best for my children. Trusting people with your children’s health is a big, sometimes scary thing. I have never been uneasy or unsure of the care we have received at Cumming Pediatrics.”

“I felt that when I first started here,” said Amanda Walburg, who does billing, public relations and marketing for the practice, and is also a mom of three young patients. “It’s always intimidating to find a new doctor for your kids, so when you start to form those bonds with the people that work at the office, that gives any parent a lot of security. When you find somebody that your kids like and will open up to, it’s a no brainer.”

“It is a comfort that when we are here we are surrounded by an office full of other moms,” added Elkins of the staff made up of 100% women. “The mothering instinct is always running in the background of everything that occurs in caring for my children. Even on days when they know a shot or finger prick is coming, [my kids] know that the staff/doctors/nurses here love them and are only doing what is best for them. They look forward to hugs and high fives and stickers and suckers. Everyone knows their names and encourages their bravery. As a parent, it’s a huge deal to see others cheer for and encourage your children. It’s an even bigger deal to know that your kids can feel it too.”

“I feel like despite our size, we know our parents and we truly know our patients,” said Walburg. “We see them in the good times and the bad times, and that creates a bond.”

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Making what could be scary just a little bit fun, patients also look forward to this time of year, when Khan spearheads a massively detailed transformation of the office into Hogwarts. (And Halloween isn’t the only time of year that the office plays up Harry Potter — taking the Sorting Hat Quiz is part of the interview process. Hint: they’re looking for Hufflepuffs).

Informative, meaningful aspects exist for parents, too, such as new parent orientation nights, canned food drives and community service opportunities. The staff knows a family’s situation and can make check in and check out efficient.

“All of us have different personalities, but we practice from the same viewpoint — treating people like humans, and family,” said Khan about her current team of practitioners. “We grow with our patients, and we know them and what’s going on in their lives. It’s part of the intrinsic personality of being able to know our patients as more than a chart. We tailor our advice and management based on that relationship.

“We’re all on the same page,” added Khan, who opened this location five years ago. “We’re all moms, we’ve encountered the same issues with work and home and weaving the two together, and we all work together from that standpoint. I think that shows how we support each other, not just here, but in life in general.

“I hope that it comes across in the same way to our patients’ families,” she continued. “It’s deeper than the Hippocratic oath — it’s compassion, it’s treating everybody like family, empathizing with what’s going on in each family’s life. It’s from the heart.”

With heart comes loyalty. Max Elkins, age 5, said, “I love [Dr. Khan] and I know she loves me.” His older sister, Avery, age 7, added, “[Dr. Khan] is gentle, kind, super smart, helpful and caring.” Max’s twin brother Hudson says the treehouse makes him feel like he’s playing outside, instead of visiting the doctor.

But it’s not just the patients who are loyal. The staff at CPG have been together for a long time — they’ve moved away, and moved back, helped get each other through continued education, celebrated achievements and come together through tragedies. 

“Doing this is just a part of me,” Khan said. “I love making a difference in people’s lives — especially younger people. I love witnessing the kids grow up, the ages and stages that you have to go through. To be able to help along the way is important to me.”

Story by Jennifer Colosimo for 400 Life.