Celebrating National Doctors' Day

Dr. Parminder Wadhwa of American Health Network in Indiana is a board-certified family medicine physician. Her dedication, kindness and compassion have led to long-lasting relationships with patients and their families.

Talking about herself does not come easily for Dr. Parminder (Parmi) Wadhwa, but colleagues rave about her caring nature, commitment to patients, and ability to connect with others. One tangible reminder of the special relationships that she has developed with patients over the years is a pickle.

Nearly four years ago around Christmas, a patient gave Parmi a pickle ornament, saying, “This is from my family to yours, and I hope this becomes a family tradition for you, too.”

The idea is to hide the ornament in the Christmas tree and to have family members try to be the first to find it.

Parmi, who was touched by the gesture, says that it has become a tradition for her own family, with her two kids eagerly asking to search for the pickle ornament every year.

“It meant so much to me that my patient included me in her family tradition,” she says.

A childhood curiosity

Ever since she was a child growing up in India, Parmi wanted to be a doctor — leading her to become the first physician in her family.

“In kindergarten or first grade, I was always thinking to myself, ‘The person has a headache, and the doctor gives them a pill. How does the pill know it needs to go to the head?’ That planted the seed in my head that I needed to become a doctor to find out how these things work.”

Parmi earned her medical degree from Government Medical College in Chandigarh, India, and then moved to the U.S. to be with her husband, completing a family medicine residency at Grand Rapids Medical Education Partners in Michigan. Next, they moved to Indiana where she joined American Health Network (AHN) nearly nine years ago.

Parmi recently transitioned from AHN’s clinic in Kokomo, Indiana, to the Carmel site nearly 40 miles away to be closer to home and to spend more time with her children. The transition was bittersweet.

“It was very hard for me because I had taken care of many of the patients for a long time, and they were also attached to me,” she says. “We had a lot of tears in my last few weeks there, but I was touched by the outpouring of support and appreciation notes from my patients.”

Seeing the whole person (and their whole family)

While Parmi began her career with a focus on obstetrics/gynecology, she eventually transitioned to family medicine. Women’s health issues are still close to her heart, she says, and as a family medicine physician, she continues to provide a variety of preventive care services for women.

Parmi was drawn to family medicine because it gives her the opportunity to provide holistic care.

“I wanted to take care of both physical and mental health, while seeing the person as a whole,” she says. “Patients may come to me for their high blood pressure, but at the same time, they can talk about stomach pain. I appreciate the opportunity to address a variety of their health issues and concerns. If you want to do everything, family medicine is the place to be.”

In addition, continuity of care is especially important to Parmi. She focuses on building strong relationships with patients and supporting them throughout their care journey. As a bonus, that sometimes means she is also able to care for multiple generations of families.

“I see one patient, and then the next thing I know, I’m seeing their whole family — their mom, dad, kids, uncles and aunts,” Parmi says. “Seeing the family dynamics and being able to provide continuity of care for my patients inspires me and keeps me going.”

A recipe for success

Robin Abresch, a patient service representative at AHN, is one of Parmi’s many fans. In addition to previously working alongside her at AHN’s Kokomo site, Robin has referred many of her family members to see Parmi.

“In a world that is trying to focus more on patient care, Dr. Wadhwa already has the recipe for success,” Robin says. “I have looked up to her for her love and devotion to her patients, and for how wonderful she is in caring for women. The female patients gravitated to her because she is very caring and understanding of issues unique to women.”

Parmi prioritizes being a good listener, while showing kindness and compassion to everyone.

"If a patient comes in and feels that the doctor did not listen to them, anything you say to that patient is not going to be seen as valid. As a doctor, being a good listener is a must,” she says, adding that “compassion drives everything.”

Parmi’s love of medicine shines through in all that she does and in the lasting impact she’s had on others.

“I love being a physician and taking care of my patients,” she says. “Being at work is my happy place.”