Face to Face With Our Subacute Medical Director

Dr. Achar, MD, FCCP

Helping patients breathe easier is one of the most rewarding parts of Dr. Pankaja Achar’s role as Subacute Medical Director here at White House Healthcare. “Shortness of breath is such a common and frustrating problem. If you can’t breathe, you can’t live,” she says.

Although well-versed and trained in many areas of medicine, Dr. Achar chose to specialize in pulmonology, and takes pride in supporting patients of our Respiratory Care Program. Indeed, White House is fortunate to have a leading Pulmonologist as our Subacute Medical Director. From oxygen management to tracheostomy care, assisting patients during such a critical time in their recovery and seeing their progress is why Dr. Achar went into medicine in the first place.

Every day, Dr. Achar sees the benefit of White House’s specialized respiratory program. Devoted to patient care and eager to immediately address any issues that arise, Dr. Achar’s focus is on patient’s comfort and safety. Our specialized services involve active monitoring and close, personalized care during suctions, nebulizer treatments, CPAP/BiPAP, 02 saturation monitoring, and other treatments. This high level of care has been critical to positive patient outcomes.

In addition to caring for patients, Dr. Achar enjoys being actively involved in regular rounds with the charge nurse, unit manager and physical therapy director. During this time, staff can truly get to know the needs of each patient and learn their stories. Together, this specialized team discusses patient care, assesses wounds and creates personalized treatment plans for each resident.

It’s a fast-paced environment but Dr. Achar, who is certified in pulmonary, internal, and critical care medicine, loves the challenge and rewarding experience, which has inspired her outlook on patient care over the past 25 years.