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Celebrating 20 Years of Salud Para Niños with Dr. Diego Chaves-Gnecco

Released: 8/9/2022

In this episode of That’s Pediatrics, our experts talk with Diego Chaves-Gnecco, MD, MPH, founder and program director of Salud Para Niños (Health for the Children), the Spanish language clinic at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh.

Specifically, our experts discuss:

  • The creation of the Salud Para Niños program at UPMC Children’s and its continual growth over the past 20 year (1:27)
  • Bringing visibility and giving a voice to the Latino community in Pittsburgh (3:04)
  • The different types of volunteers who support the program and the continuity clinic for residents (5:20)
  • If Spanish language skills are needed to volunteer (6:50)
  • The role of pediatricians as the voice for children and communities who cannot speak for themselves (7:54)
  • What can be done in terms of advocacy to support underserved and underinsured or uninsured populations in Pennsylvania (8:37)
  • Spanish phone line resources available at UPMC Children’s and the need for more bilingual physicians, medical assistants, and patient representatives who can answer the phones (10:50)
  • Recommendations for providers who would like to increase their language skills (12:28)
  • The vision for the growth of Salud Para Niños in the next few decades (14:10)

Salud Para Niños at UPMC Children’s Hospital

Salud Para Niños (Health for the Children) was created in 2002 at UPMC Children’s Hospital as the first pediatric bilingual clinic in southwestern Pennsylvania. Salud Para Niños offers culturally and linguistically competent primary care and immunizations for children and families as well as activities oriented toward prevention and empowering community members about their own health. Some of the activities and services offered include a Spanish phone line, a bilingual literacy program, injury prevention programs, Hispanic car seat checks, and participation in fairs and events related to health promotion and prevention. For more information, please call 412-692-6000 Option 8 (during business hours).

Meet Our Guest

Dr. Chaves-GneccoDiego Chaves-Gnecco, MD, MPH, FAAP, is program director and founder of Salud Para Niños at UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh. He is also an associate professor of Pediatrics at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. Dr. Chaves-Gnecco obtained his medical degree from the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana where he held a position as Instructor of Physiology and Pharmacology at the School of Medicine. He completed his residency in Pediatrics at Hospital Universitario San Ignacio, Clínicas Infantiles Cafam and Colsubsidio. Dr. Chaves-Gnecco's clinical and academic interest include the diagnosis and treatment of children with autism and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), providing care to families and children with disabilities, providing care to children from minority and underserved populations and addressing barriers to health care access.

Meet Our Hosts

Allison WilliamsAllison “Alli” Williams, MD, is a pediatric hospitalist and is certified by the American Board of Pediatrics. She is a member of the Paul C. Gaffney Division of Pediatric Hospitalist Medicine, medical-surgical co-management team director, and assistant professor at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. Dr. Williams received her medical degree from Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine at Florida International University in Miami, Florida, and completed her residency at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh. Her clinical interests include non-RSV bronchiolitis, febrile neonates, and the enhanced of patient care through medical-surgical co-management.

Sameer AgnihotriSameer Agnihotri, PhD, is director of the Brain Tumor Biology and Therapy Lab and an assistant professor at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. Dr. Agnihotri earned his bachelor’s degree in biology, specializing in genetics, followed by his doctorate degree in medical biophysics, both at the University of Toronto. While there, he used genetic screens to identify novel drivers of glioblastoma, an incurable brain tumor. He subsequently completed his post-doctoral fellowship at the Arthur and Sonia Labatt Brain Tumor Research Centre at the Hospital for Sick Children, in Toronto, and the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Division of Neuro-oncology Research, also in Toronto. Dr. Agnihotri’s lab studies pediatric and adult high-grade gliomas.

Disclaimer

This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not medical care or advice. Clinicians should rely on their own medical judgements when advising their patients. Patients in need of medical care should consult their personal care provider.