Today we’d like to introduce you to Deborah Burton, MD.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I am a Pediatric Ear Nose and Throat surgeon who trained in the U.S. Army while serving in Washington, DC, Honolulu, Hawaii, San Diego California, and San Antonio Texas. I moved to Atlanta in 1995 to join a large group private practice; however, in 2001, I branched out and founded a solo practice to better control the care provided to my young patients. Atlanta Kids ENT has always provided exceptional medical and surgical care for children and 10 years ago, I developed a robust allergy practice. By combining allergy testing and immunotherapy (allergy shots or drops) to control allergic disease, I have been able to significantly reduce the need for repeated surgery. I strongly believe in addressing the causes of the disease in addition performing surgery to reverse blockages. My practice also provides skilled hearing testing for children of all ages. The earlier that hearing loss can be diagnosed and treated, the greater the impact it has on childhood speech and learning.
As a mother who raised two daughters while running my solo practice, I became a champion for teaching parents how to keep their own children healthy. After I became an empty nester, I started a blog www.MommaAddict.com to share parenting and healthcare tips to young parents. My educational tips have been exceptionally well received over the past 9 months, and I have now amassed a social media following of about 15K! I intend to soon launch a podcast channel to share my 25 years of parenting and healthcare tips to a larger market.
I am physician dedicated to promoting the health and wellbeing for all, but especially as it pertains to the lives of children. I love what I do and look forward to my ongoing impact in the future.
Has it been a smooth road?
The decision to start a solo practice was an incredibly difficult one because I had no formal business training and only had significant skills in the practice of medicine. However, when my existing group began to fail, I had no choice. I spent hours in bookstores teaching myself how to write a business plan and met with bankers to get funding. In a 4-month period of time, I acquired sufficient funds to build out an office suite and hire staff.
Understanding the required technology (computers, servers, software, phone systems) to run the office was a chore I did not think would be a problem. But it was! I advise any new business owner to spend as much time researching technology as you do researching funding! Ultimately, I repeatedly needed to upgrade my technology because I spent the bulk of my time focusing on the actual business of medicine. In retrospect, I could have hired a consultant but with a startup company, funding was very limited.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Atlanta Kids ENT – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
Atlanta Kids ENT is a practice exclusively dedicated to providing care for children. Pediatric specialists in all fields have additional training which allows them to not only treat the problems children have today, but to understand the develop of kids and the disease process to discuss the problems that will be coming tomorrow. This is what I feel is my strongest asset. I spent extra time counseling parents about what we are addressing but I help them to understand that new problems in the future are likely. The disease process is discussed and preventative therapies are discussed even before new symptoms have actually started.
Because I have been in practice in the same location for 16 years, I have been honored when patients return many years later and thank me for tips which kept their kids healthy for longer periods of time. Once allergy was added into my practice, I have made tremendous strides in improving the quality of lives in my patients who had difficulty playing sports due to recurrent infections.
I am most proud of my ability to discuss my patient’s problems in a way that family members can understand. Every day someone tells me that they love the way I take the time to explain why things have happened, what I am going to do and what they need to do to best maintain health. No medicine or surgery alone fixes most ear nose and throat problems, so a plan that helps the parents understand their role in ongoing care is critical.
My practice in located in the southern most part of Marietta, not far from the new Atlanta Braves stadium. I am the only Pediatric ENT surgeon who practices full time in only Cobb County. Because of the length of time that I have been in my practice, I see patients from all over the Atlanta area. I am honored when patients drive for hours for a consultation because of recommendations from friends and family. It warms my heart when new patients tell me that they were told “Dr. Burton will fix your child or at least tell you what you need to do get your child on the right track”. This is why I do what I do!
Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
I love Atlanta because each region has its own personality. My family and I live near Interstate 400 so we are readily able to travel to destinations near interstate 75 or 85 and are a quick drive to downtown. We specifically chose our location so that we could personally enjoy all aspects of the city.
What I like least about Atlanta is that if you do not live near easy interstate highway access, it is incredibly hard to get around the city. Our transportation infrastructure has not been good. Over the past 10 years there has been more construction to attempt to fix these issues but we are far behind. As I mentioned, my office is near the new Atlanta Braves stadium. I chose that office location because it was a quiet sleepy little section in Marietta. Low traffic and not on anyone’s radar. People needed a specific reason to be in that area and I loved it. NOW…the entire city is focused on my previously quiet area. All roads have been widened and traffic is chaotic. Thankfully I am an expert at backroads. Anyone who moves to Atlanta needs to make many practice drives to different parts of the city to best understand how living in one area compares to living in another. Atlanta traffic can begin to rule your life!
Contact Info:
- Address: Atlanta Kids ENT
2550 Windy Hill Road
Suite 307, Marietta, GA 30038 - Website: www.akidsent.com (practice website); www.mommaaddict.com (blog website)
- Phone: 770-953-1414
- Email: info@akidsent.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mommaaddict/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mommaaddict/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/MommaAddict
Image Credit:
zocdoc.com
Getting in touch: VoyageATL is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
Katina Lakhan
August 10, 2017 at 4:41 pm
I love Dr. Burton she does magic with her God given hands!