For many physicians, medicine is a calling. For Dr. Loren Kaiser of WVU Medicine, it’s a homecoming. Dr. Kaiser is a graduate of Wheeling Park High School and earned a bachelor’s degree and medical degree from West Virginia University. She completed her residency at WVU Medicine’s Department of Pediatrics and has practiced medicine at Wheeling Hospital ever since. She now treats patients in the same office that her childhood pediatrician, Dr. Wang, once occupied, a full-circle moment connecting generations of care.

“I’m very lucky to have been able to return to my hometown to practice medicine. I love being able to be a part of my friends’ lives and their kids’ care,” she says.

The most rewarding aspect of Dr. Kaiser’s role is taking care of new moms and their babies.

“Being able to help families through such a wonderful, but sometimes stressful, time is so rewarding,” she says.

Dr. Kaiser, other pediatricians, nurses, and staff all collaborate to provide a support system for new parents and children. She emphasizes that the team at WVU Medicine Pediatrics is there to provide help, from recommendations of baby gear to lactation and mental health support.

“Making sure that our new moms have what they need to succeed is one of my favorite things about my job,” says Dr. Kaiser.

Practicing medicine in the Ohio Valley, a region that is largely rural, has its own challenges. For many families, routine pediatrician checkups require longer travel times than those in the suburbs or living closer to the hospital. She knows that for families with young children, convenience is everything. The office staff works to limit the need for office visits, scheduling sibling appointments together and offering telemedicine appointments when appropriate.

Soon, Ohio Valley families will have even more convenient access to quality pediatric care, with the new WVU Medicine Children’s Robert Sonneborn Family Pediatric Outpatient Center, slated to open in 2026. This new comprehensive children’s care center is located at 500 Medical Park, the former Continuous Care Center site.

The new facility will be a destination for pediatric outpatient care, with 37 exam rooms, pediatric lab and imaging, after-hours clinic, and Austin’s Playroom, a safe and engaging place for children to play while waiting for appointments. This will be the first outpatient location for Austin’s Playroom, an initiative started and funded by the Mario Lemieux Foundation. The use of kid-friendly design elements will also serve to make the new outpatient center a welcoming and friendly place for families to visit.

“Our new facility is going to be amazing! Everything will be in one place for families, including labs and X-ray. No more pushing a stroller all over the hospital with other kids in tow just to get some labs drawn,” says Dr. Kaiser.

She notes that the outpatient center will be focused on convenience, with easier parking, separate entrances for sick and well patients, evening hours, and easier access to specialists.

“Keeping everything under one roof, as will be in our new facility, will make for a more streamlined experience for families,” she says.

WVU Medicine promises an unwavering commitment to innovating and improving pediatric medicine for the health and convenience of the local community. Care providers like Dr. Kaiser prioritize making their littlest patients feel safe and comfortable, so that their first interactions with healthcare professionals are positive.

“The more comfortable my patients feel at their appointments, the more likely they are to take an active role in their own health. This, hopefully, translates to a stronger investment in their health into adulthood,” says Dr. Kaiser.

When healthcare systems prioritize patient care, communities become healthier. Pediatricians like Dr. Kaiser and WVU Medicine Pediatrics hold the future health of a community in their hands.

Sponsored content brought to you by WVU Medicine.