We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Christina Ralko. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Christina below.

Christina, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Was there a moment in your career that meaningfully altered your trajectory? If so, we’d love to hear the backstory.

I worked as a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner in various settings, but I became disillusioned with the constraints of traditional healthcare. The brief 10-15 minute scheduled visits left me feeling rushed and unable to establish meaningful connections with my patients and their families. Witnessing providers being forceful with their opinions, sometimes shaming parents, added to my discontent. An unexpected opportunity arose in Michigan when the Department of Defense offered me a chance to assist in a humanitarian mission. I left my stable job for the unknown, leading to an extraordinary experience in Operation Allies Welcome. This mission rekindled my passion, primarily through the impactful home visits. After returning home and working in various roles, I recognized the need for a better healthcare model. Reflecting on my positive experiences with home visits, I decided to start my practice, Your Way Pediatrics, in 2022. The goal is to make quality pediatric care accessible by adopting a mobile practice model. I aim to offer direct provider-patient contact, free from time constraints, providing a more individualized and personalized touch to pediatric care. The result is Your Way Pediatrics, where our motto is “Because every parent should have the final decision in their kids’ care.”

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Your Way Pediatrics is on a mission to deliver top-notch pediatric care directly to patients in their homes, making healthcare accessible and affordable while prioritizing the well-being of the youngest patients. The goal is to break down barriers to healthcare, ensuring every child can thrive. Your Way Pediatrics is revolutionizing healthcare by bringing it directly to you.

Families have two options: a monthly membership or a flat fee per visit, chosen to provide the best quality healthcare. A monthly membership grants access to scheduled well-visits, unexpected sick visits, and consultations for pediatric concerns. Virtual visits are also available for accessible healthcare, even during vacations. With direct contracting, I offer high-quality, personalized care, including well-child checks, sick visits, mental health, telemedicine, and direct access via text, phone, or email between visits.

This unique practice provides pediatric primary and urgent care in the privacy and comfort of your home, catering to patients of all ages, from newborns to adolescents. In your child’s familiar surroundings, I offer comprehensive services typical of traditional pediatric primary care, with more extended visits, predictable costs, minimal wait times, and direct provider access, reshaping the healthcare landscape.

No intermediaries stand between you and your provider. I am always your point of contact when you have a question or concern – there are no gatekeepers here. I maintain a dedicated phone line for direct patient communication, utilizing Jane EHR to access records, prescriptions, billing, and more easily.

Your Way Pediatrics ensures healthcare revolves around your family, consolidating well visits, sick visits, blood draws, diagnostic testing, and instant medication prescriptions at one location and with one provider. The motto “Because every parent should have the final decision in their kids’ care” reflects my commitment to empowering patients and parents. I provide knowledge and recommendations, allowing them to make the final decision on healthcare without judgment. I encourage parents to take control of their child’s healthcare, free from the constraints of insurance dictation. When I lack answers, I facilitate outside consultations in a timeframe that suits your needs, eliminating the weeks of uncertainty often associated with referrals.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

My practice has been built on patient feedback, availability, flexibility, and responsiveness.

Before I started my practice, I observed many flaws in conventional medicine; one specifically that I decided to make the focal point in my practice – parents have the final decision in their child’s care. Too many times I witnessed providers pushing their own beliefs and judgement onto parents; this led to parents uncomfortable giving antibiotics, consenting to vaccinations because if they didn’t, they would be cut loose from the practice, and leaving an appointment feeling guilty and unsure that they did something wrong for their child’s treatment plan. In my practice, there is only one way – it’s your way!

As a solo provider, I wear many hats, and with that comes many responsibilities, but I am always available for my patients and families no matter what. If your child needs to be seen at 10o’clock at night – that’s okay. A typical 9-5 office schedule doesn’t work well for everyone; this is where I bridge the gap. I am available 7 days a week no matter what. If I can save a concerned mom from taking an unnecessary trip to the emergency room at 3am by providing reassurance on a phone call – I will do it. What does a parent do on a holiday if your child is sick; your options are usually being seen urgent care or a hospital right? Now, there is Your Way Pediatrics; yes, we are open on holidays! Just because it is a holiday or a weekend or 10’o’clock at night doesn’t mean your provider shouldn’t respond. I pride myself on being responsive as much as possible. No question is ever considered “stupid.” It’s never “too late at night” to call me. I always get back to my patients and families and it’s on the same day. There is no receptionist that you must leave a message with and then wait until the next day for the provider to receive that message; it’s just me. You get direct access to your provider.

Google reviews have also played a crucial role in bolstering the practice’ reputation in the community. Positive reviews on Google not only serve as testimonials to the quality of care the practice provides but also acts as powerful endorsements for potential new patients seeking pediatric services. Every interaction, whether positive or constructive, helps refine our services and improve the overall patient experience. By actively listening to our patients and implementing changes based on their suggestions, Your Way Pediatrics has fostered a strong sense of trust and loyalty within our market.

Overall, commitment to transparency, communication, and continuous improvement has been instrumental in building and maintaining Your Way Pediatrics’ reputation as a trusted mobile pediatric practice within our community.

Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?

While I cannot recommend specific books, there are many educational programs, online forums, and webinars that incorporate Pediatric Functional & Integrative Medicine. These platforms facilitate ongoing learning, collaboration, and exchange of best practices, allowing me to stay up to date on the latest developments in pediatric functional medicine and continuously refine my approach to patient care.

Comprehensive courses are offered by the Institute for Functional Medicine and the Elite Nurse Practitioner. It has been instrumental in deepening my understanding of pediatric functional medicine principles and protocols. By incorporating evidence-based strategies for optimizing children’s health and wellness, resources such as these have equipped me with the knowledge and tools necessary to deliver personalized and effective care to our young patients.

I believe there is an intricate connection between the mind and body and emphasize the importance of addressing underlying physiological imbalances for optimal mental health. It has shaped my approach to pediatric care by highlighting the significance of functional medicine in treating the root causes of various childhood ailments. My practice empowers families to take an active role in their children’s health journey, fostering a collaborative and holistic approach to pediatric care. Parent education is just as important as patient education; parents are their children’s voice.

Overall, these resources have not only informed my management decisions but also inspired a paradigm shift in my critical thinking, reinforcing my commitment to delivering patient-centered, evidence-based care that addresses the underlying determinants of health in children.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.yourwaypediatrics.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yourwaypeds/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/YourWayPeds/