Caring Touch
By Contributor
By Contributor
As a little girl growing up in Bangalore, India, Dr. Samyukta “Sam” Koppula has memories of her father rushing her late at night through the streets of the city—arriving at her doctor’s house and banging on the door to wake him so she could receive an emergency injection to relieve an attack of asthma.
The experience of being one of few children in India suffering from asthma led Dr. Koppula to complete medical school in Bangalore and immigrate to the United States, where she began practicing medicine over 30 years ago.
Dr. Koppula initially practiced for ten years as an internist, and her time treating a broad range of patients and ailments provides the foundation for her work today as an immunologist.
“I bring a general knowledge about the whole human body to my practice,” she says. “It gives me the confidence to treat a range of disorders and provide diagnosis of other issues that might be unrelated to allergies.”
After completing an allergy and immunology fellowship at Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke’s Medical Center—one she started when her youngest son was just four weeks old—Dr. Koppula joined a practice in Chicago part time, but soon developed some specific ideas about how she wanted her patients to experience her care.
She enrolled in a one-year program at the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University to immerse herself in the business side of starting her own office, and for 10 years has been practicing out of locations in Willowbrook and Oak Park.
“I wanted to be really good at what I do, to be able to adapt to the latest technologies but also to use the ‘first principles’ of science and genetics,” she explains.
Dr. Koppula points to Elon Musk as an inspiration for bringing innovation rooted in science and technology to her practice.
“Most people are surprised by how large a role genetics and family history plays in immunology,” Dr. Koppula says. “I’m fascinated by the complexities and challenges of the subject and how we use natural remedies to treat allergies and other diseases.”
Ten years into her practice, Dr. Koppula remains focused on using the latest tools and research to offer the best quality of service to her patients. A few years ago, she invested in a top-of-the-line system to ensure allergy shots were dispensed with the highest level of accuracy, and is committed to meeting the short-term and long-term needs of those she is treating.
“For me, it is all about design, from the way my staff are trained to the physical space to the fact I don’t wear a doctor’s coat,” she says. “I don’t want my patients to be intimidated by the experience, and I’m always asking if I’m doing the right thing; for parents, am I treating your child like I would want my child to be treated?”
Experience as an internist also compels Dr. Koppula to bring a holistic approach to her work. While providing the latest medicines and treatments is an important component of high-quality care, she emphasizes good nutrition and consistent exercise to cut down on the negative effects of allergies. She is a certified yoga instructor and is starting a weight-loss program for her patients, encouraging them to better understand the psychological aspects of their disease.
“I have very high compliance levels with my patients. They are committed long-term to their treatment plans and when they see success they continue,” she says. “I’m always looking for feedback and we make corrections as we go. It is a partnership.”
The key to allergy treatment, Dr. Koppula said, is to understand that the body is not isolated organ to organ.
“Many things happen with the body that impact quality of life, and one can cause harm by not doing anything,” she says. “I’ve treated kids in speech therapy programs because their parents were told it was a hearing problem, when in fact the problem was allergies. Abdominal pain, colic, and other ailments can often be attributed to allergies.”
By applying her knowledge as an internist, remaining committed to new technology, and utilizing the latest medicines to treat immune disease, Dr. Koppula achieves the best results for those under her care.
The Praana Center for Asthma and Allergy is located at 6857 Kingery Highway in Willowbrook. For more information, call 630-323-8800 or visit drsamkoppula.com.
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