HEALTH & MEDICAL PROFILES 2015
A Healthy Dose of Compassion Through passion and dedication, Dr. Salaam Alobeidy changes the lives of his patients By Felicia Lowenstein Niven Photo by Eric Weeks
IF YOU’VE NEVER HAD A PROBLEM breathing, if you’ve never felt the real fear that comes from trying to suck in a breath of lifesaving oxygen, chances are that you take it for granted. After all, breathing is one of those functions that happen automatically. We don’t even think about it, unless we have to. But for those of us who do have to think about it — because we have asthma or COPD or other respiratory disorders — dedicated specialists like Salaam Alobeidy, M.D. are a blessing. Dr. Alobeidy is one of those rare individuals who bring together passion and expertise to make a difference in the lives of others. It’s what he believes medicine should be about — not money, not success, but a real altruistic desire to help. Yet he came to this career from a very different — and much more pragmatic — perspective. “When I was young, I was very interested in science, especially in light and energy,” he said. “But in Bagdad where I was living, there wasn’t a future in that field. Therefore, I turned instead to medicine. I knew that if I became a doctor, it would be a career that would be valuable in times of war and peace, and whatever the economic situation.” Initially, his focus was trauma, surgery, and critical care — highly stressful and often life-anddeath situations where he was trained in lifesaving skills. After earning his medical degree from the University of Bagdad College of Medicine, he ventured stateside because opportunities in the U.S. were abundant. He completed a Fellowship at Winthrop-University Hospital (New York), and Residencies at Advocate Lutheran General Hospital (Chicago) and Catholic Health Partners (Chicago). As a result, he is certified in General Pulmonary Medicine, Critical Care Medicine, Sleep Medicine, Internal Medicine, and Anatomic Pathology. His practice, American Sleep & Pulmonary Medicine, is based in Galloway. Dr. Alobeidy is affiliated with AtlantiCare, but works at all the major
area hospitals and with a variety of specialists associated with his areas of medicine. “Pulmonologists work closely with cardiologists,” he said, “because if a patient is short of breath, it could be the lungs or the heart or both." As a pulmonologist, he treats the full range of ailments of the lungs and respiratory system. This includes asthma, pneumonia, tuberculosis, chest infections, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, emphysema, pulmonary hypertension, interstitial lung disease, and malignancies. “If it’s cancer, I’ll work closely with a team of specialists, an oncologist and a surgeon for example, to treat the patient." Because sleep disorders are often related to breathing, it was a natural extension of the practice. In that area, he treats patients with sleep apnea, issues with circadian rhythms, insomnia, abnormal sleep behavior, and seizure disorders that affect sleep. What distinguishes his approach is the fact that he gives the patients a “voice” in diagnosis and treatment. “I listen to them and I trust that what they are telling me is right,” he said. “I take every single complaint seriously and I keep digging until I find the answer. One of my greatest rewards is the smile on my patient’s face when we’re successful in diagnosing and treating the problem.” About half of his patients are referred by other physicians; the other half find out about Dr. Alobeidy via word of mouth. “I don’t advertise,” he said. “In advertising, the whole purpose is to make money. That’s not my focus. I entered the field of medicine to help, and that’s my greatest reward.” That dedication translates to an incredible work ethic. Dr. Alobeidy is on call 24-hours-day, sevendays-a-week. Patients get him personally and not a covering doctor. “It’s important that I’m reachable,” he said. “These patients are in my care. Why would I hand them over to someone else who may not
American Sleep & Pulmonary Medicine 54 West Jimmie Leeds Road, Suite 4-5 • Galloway, NJ 609.404.0056 • atlanticsleepnj.com 20
Summer 2015 |
LIFESTYLE
njlifestyleonline.com
Salaam Alobeidy, M.D.
know them?” Providing a thorough and quality treatment has been a hallmark of the practice since Dr. Alobeidy opened it in 2007. His wife Lauren works alongside him. She was there to help him start the practice as a family friend, and it ended up in a longstanding relationship. The couple has two children: Leila, age five; and Adam, age three-and-a-half. Between work and parenting, that doesn’t leave a lot of time for hobbies. But when time permits, Dr. Alobeidy enjoys bicycling, swimming, and painting. He once painted an interesting part of the anatomy during his training in pathology. “It helped me to visualize it, and it made it into the patient’s chart,” he noted. Dr. Alobeidy is accepting new patients. His office is located at 54 West Jimmie Leeds Rd., Suite 4-5, Galloway, NJ 08205. The office is open from 9 AM to 4 PM, Monday through Friday. For more information, or to make an appointment, call (609)404-0056. n
“One of my greatest rewards is the smile on my patient’s face when we’re successful in diagnosing and treating the problem.”