News Release
The Department of Pulmonology at Phoenix Children’s, a top 40 specialty program ranked by US News & World Report’s Best Children’s Hospitals, is proud to announce Rajeev Bhatia, MD, MBBS as Pulmonology Division Chief at Phoenix Children's.
“Dr. Bhatia brings nearly 20 years of experience to Phoenix Children’s including training at top programs around the U.S. and capabilities caring for international pediatric populations,” said Jared Muenzer, MD, MBA, Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer for Phoenix Children's Medical Group. “We are proud to have him lead one of our health system’s largest teams, with ability to provide exceptional direction and care to children with a variety of respiratory conditions.”
Phoenix Children’s Department of Pulmonology treats more than 17,000 patients every year. Dr. Bhatia joins Phoenix Children’s from Akron Children’s Hospital of Ohio, where he had an eight-year tenure. His most recent position was Medical Director of the Clinical Exercise Physiology Lab in the Robert T. Stone Respiratory Center at Akron Children’s.
Dr. Bhatia is a member of the American Thoracic Society (ATS) and the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM,) and has authored and reviewed numerous medical articles.
Dr. Bhatia completed his residency at Infants and Children’s Hospital of Brooklyn, Maimonides Medical Center and a fellowship in Pediatric Pulmonology at Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles. In addition to holding memberships with several medical associations, Dr. Bhatia is actively involved in clinical research and delivers presentations at the national and international levels. He is one of few experts to exercise physiology of mitochondrial myopathy.
Dr. Bhatia comes to Phoenix with his wife Poonam Bhatia, MD, who is a Pediatric Neurologist and will join the Department of Neurology at the Barrow Neurological Institute at Phoenix Children’s. Dr. Poonam Bhatia is an accomplished Pediatric Neurologist and has been the Medical Director of the Tuberous Sclerosis clinic at Akron Children's Hospital since 2015. She completed residency in Pediatrics at Infants and Children’s Hospital of Brooklyn, Maimonides Medical Center, and she completed fellowship in Pediatric Neurology at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh. With a keen interest in movement disorders, Dr. Poonam Bhatia will be involved in Phoenix Children’s Movement Disorders Program. In addition, she is actively involved in clinical research.
“We feel honored and excited to have both of these talented physicians join Phoenix Children’s,” said Dr. Muenzer. “Dr. Poonam Bhatia is a wonderful addition to the neurology team and will have a positive impact on patient care and clinical research in this department.”
About Phoenix Children’s
Phoenix Children’s Hospital is Arizona’s only children’s hospital recognized by U.S. News & World Report’s Best Children’s Hospitals. For 35 years, Phoenix Children's Hospital has provided world-class inpatient, outpatient, trauma, emergency and urgent care to children and families in Arizona and throughout the Southwest. As one of the largest children’s hospitals in the country, Phoenix Children’s delivers care across more than 75 pediatric specialties. Recognized specifically for its patient-focused innovation, medical education, growth and research, Phoenix Children’s was named Business of the Year and Exceptional Innovator by the Greater Phoenix Chamber in 2018. For more information about the hospital, visit http://www.phoenixchildrens.org.