Endocrinologist Sathya Subbiah has come to know her patients more like good friends and extended family members.
“I like to understand them as a person. I like to know their family background, where they work, and what they like to do. Long-time patients will bring in photos of their kids or new grandkids to show me. This brings us closer to each other and makes tackling health problems much easier,” Dr. Subbiah said.
Endocrinologist Sathya Subbiah, MD, is now seeing patients at the Family Medical Center in Mattoon. Endocrinology involves the endocrine system, its diseases, and its specific secretions known as hormones. Common medical problems that endocrinologists treat include diabetes, hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism, parathyroid, adrenal, and pituitary disorders. Dr. Subbiah prefers to get to know as much about patients as possible to allow her to make treatment plans that work best.
Dr. Subbiah grew up in south India and moved to the United States after she met her husband, who is a cardiologist in Champaign. Having parents that worked in the medical field influenced her decision to pursue medicine. Her mother was a professor in anatomy and completed research in pituitary gland. Her father was a surgeon who performed reconstructive surgeries for patients with leprosy and other diseases.
“My father was also an Indian army captain, where he met a lot of tribal people who had never seen a doctor before. Those stories were very inspiring and led me to medicine,” Dr. Subbiah said.
In 1990, Dr. Subbiah attended medical school at Madurai Medical College in India. After graduation, she completed an internal medicine residency at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. She then worked at the Carle Clinic in internal medicine before taking a two-year endocrinology fellowship at the University of Illinois-Chicago. Upon completion of the fellowship, Dr. Subbiah worked as an endocrinologist at Christie Clinic for 15 years.
The biggest health issue in endocrinology today is type 1 and type 2 diabetes. “Health physicals usually include testing for diabetes, so it should not be missed,” Dr. Subbiah said. “There is a greater awareness today with diabetes prevention and treatment, which makes me happy.
Management of diabetes is evolving rapidly. We now have continuous glucose monitoring devices, medications especially for type 2 diabetes which promote weight loss and reduce diabetic complications like eye and kidney disease.”
Dr. Subbiah has been familiar with Sarah Bush Lincoln for many years from her practice in Champaign. Many of her patients also received care at Sarah Bush Lincoln. These patients always had wonderful comments about SBL. “When I decided to move, it was a natural decision to come here,” Dr. Subbiah said.
Dr. Subbiah loves take long walks every day and play tennis with her son and daughter twice a week. She even takes lessons so she can keep up with her children’s skill level.
“Whatever I suggest to patients, I do for myself as well,” Dr. Subbiah said of her active lifestyle.
To schedule an appointment with Dr. Subbiah, call the SBL Family Medical Center at 217 234-7000. It is located at 200 Richmond Ave East in Mattoon.