The Pediatric Nephrology Clinic of the UT Medical Group, Inc., is staffed by the
Pediatric Nephrology Division of the Department of Pediatrics, University of Tennessee, Memphis.  All of our nephrologists are board certified in both pediatrics and pediatric nephrology and see children with all types of medical kidney problems, kidney stones, high blood pressure, and abnormalities in body fluids, salt and/or acid balance.

Each nephrologist tries to see the same child at each clinic visit to maintain continuity of care and communications. However, it is likely that you and your child will see each of the staff nephrologists over a period of follow-up visits. Each child's diagnostic plan is discussed by the entire group of physicians at weekly rounds. Your child might also be seen by medical students or physicians in training to be pediatricians or pediatric nephrologists before he/she is seen by the staff nephrologist. This exposure to inquiring young physicians will result in perpetual re-examination of your child's problems and be beneficial to you and your child. The nephrology doctors will work with your child's primary physician to provide the most effective and efficient health care for your family. Results of each visit, as well as laboratory test and/or xrays, will be sent to your child's primary physician.

CLINICS
Patients with acute or chronic kidney problems are seen in the nephrology clinic by appointment only on Tuesday or Thursday mornings, between the hours of 8:30 am and 12:00 noon.  Clinic for patients who have received a kidney transplant is held each Monday afternoon, between 1:00 pm and 4:00 pm.   To schedule an appointment, please call our appointment secretary at (901) 448-2070.  If you cannot keep your appointment, please call us as soon as possible (preferably atleast 24 hours in advance) so that we can reschedule your appointment in a timely fashion or work in another patient in that time slot.  All  clinics are held on the first floor of the Physician's Office Building of LeBonheur Children's Medical Center at 777 Washington Avenue.   Parking is located on the west side of the Physician's Office Building.
 

OTHER AVAILABLE SERVICES

Depending on your insurance, most lab tests and x-rays can be performed at the LeBonheur Children's Medical Center out-patient lab, located on the ground floor of the Physician's Office Building.

Also available to you and your child are the services of a nephrology nurse specialist, a nephrology research nurse, a nutritionist, a social worker, and a home-training dialysis nurse. The nephrology clinic also has access to a wide selection of reference materials concerning kidney disease in children. Please feel free to ask the nurses or the doctors if specific information regarding your child's kidney problem is available.
 

WHAT TO BRING

At your child's first clinic visit, you may be asked to bring a timed urine collection (if your child is toilet trained). This is generally collected over a 12 hour period. The nephrology nurse will tell you how to collect this. After arriving at the clinic, your child will be asked to collect a fresh urine sample for a routine urinalysis. If your child is not toilet trained, a urine bag will be placed on him/her as soon as possible after arriving at the clinic. This urine will be examined by the doctor and/or laboratory personnel. If your child has a history of urinary infections or if you think he/she has one at the time of the visit, please tell the nurse so that a urine culture can be obtained at the time of the urinalysis.

On your child's first visit, you should bring copies of any tests, lab results, doctor's visits, or other medical information that might be helpful to the kidney specialists in treating your child, if your child's primary care doctor has not already done so.

Additionally, it is important to bring a current referral from your child's primary care doctor. We will be unable to see your child without a current referral.
 
 

If no one can be reached quickly by telephone in an emergency situation, take your child to your family physician or to the LeBonheur Emergency Department.