For the patients who receive care from James B. Kim, DO, it is clear why many have continued to seek his physical medicine and rehabilitation expertise for decades: He cares about and earns the trust of each patient.
“A patient is not a diagnosis or a room number,” said Dr. Kim, a physical medicine and rehabilitation doctor (physiatrist) and medical director of occupational medicine at Good Shepherd Rehabilitation. “Each patient has a name, and I respect each person and work to develop a long-term doctor-patient relationship.”
Dr. Kim, who sees outpatients at his offices in East Stroudsburg and Wind Gap, earned his medical degree from New York College of Osteopathic Medicine and completed a residency at King’s County/Downstate Medical Center and State University of New York, both in Brooklyn, New York. He is certified by the American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and the Department of Labor and Industry (for impairment rating evaluations).
In this Q&A, Dr. Kim talks about his career, his practice and his dedication to patients.
Why did you become a physical medicine and rehabilitation (PM&R) doctor?
Dr. Kim: When I was young, I was into martial arts, physical fitness and being active. I was in the gym a lot, and I became focused on physical performance — musculoskeletal, kinetics, function. I considered becoming an orthopedist, but I didn’t enjoy surgery or being in the OR (operating room) in medical school. So, when a physiatrist came to my medical school to give a lecture, he spiked my interest in physical medicine and that’s the route I took with my residencies.
What was your early career like?
Dr. Kim: My private, solo physiatrist practice in the Poconos started in 1991. What I did then is completely different than the medicine I practice now because there were no outpatient rehabilitation, pediatric rehabilitation or pain management specialists at that time. I was the only full-time physiatry practice in the area, so I filled all those roles for many years. I also had admitting privileges at what was then Pocono Medical Center (PMC), so I was seeing inpatients and outpatients.
What conditions do you treat?
Dr. Kim: Throughout my career, I have been willing to take on all aspects of physical medicine and rehabilitation care. As a general physiatrist, I see people with amputations, brain injuries, spinal cord, strokes and other physical traumas and musculoskeletal injuries. I am one of few doctors in the Poconos who sees patients with amputations, and the area prosthetic/orthotic clinics often refer their patients to me.
I’ve been certified as an impairment rating evaluator since 1999 and continue to be a proponent for helping injured workers. As medical director of occupational medicine, I often provide physical medicine and rehabilitation care to patients who have challenges with their worker’s compensation and insurance coverage.
What is your favorite part of your work?
Dr. Kim: I truly enjoy interacting with my patients. When a patient makes an appointment with me, they see me – not a fill-in doctor or physician assistant. I get to know them and they get to know me. I run my offices like an old-time family physician because I believe in treating people with respect and dignity. Many of my patients have been seeing me for decades for continuous and new health issues.
How long have you been affiliated with Good Shepherd?
Dr. Kim: More than 20 years ago, I began working with inpatients at Good Shepherd Rehabilitation units within Pocono-area hospitals. I took care of those patients as an independent practitioner, and many of them continued under my outpatient care.
I officially became part of the Good Shepherd Physician Group in 2017. My East Stroudsburg and Wind Gap practices and my office team are now part of Good Shepherd.
In addition, I see patients three mornings a week in Effort, Pa., as a Good Shepherd PM&R consultant, working with patients and residents who receive subacute short-term rehabilitation.
How do you work with the physical, occupational and speech therapists at Good Shepherd?
Dr. Kim: I work closely with the therapists at Good Shepherd’s Stroudsburg, Slate Belt and Easton-area outpatient sites. I generally refer to those sites because of the convenient proximity for my patients. There are times I refer to Good Shepherd’s Allentown or other outpatient locations if a specialized therapy or therapist can make a difference for my patient.
Because of my long history with Good Shepherd, I have excellent working relationships with the outpatient and inpatient therapists throughout the network. They know they can call my office and talk to me directly about a patient – and vice versa. That open line of communication benefits our patients’ care and outcomes.
To learn more about Dr. Kim or to schedule an appointment, call 1.888.44.REHAB (73422).