Neonatologist

"I was 31 weeks pregnant with identical twin girls (shown at left with Anthony Sides, RN, BSN), I was on bed rest in the hospital for three days prior to their birth... My girls were born at 2 lb 14 oz and 2 lb 13 oz, and was taking straight to NICU. Everyone there was GREAT and treated us all like more than just their patients parents. They all helped me know what was going on with my kids. And never tried to sugar coat anything, which I really liked. Id rather know the whole truth, whether it be good or bad, not just part of it. Thank you, everyone in NICU, for doing what you do, if I had to do it all over again, I would most definitely stay with you guys. Y'all are absolutely amazing!" Starr Farris

Regional Obstetrical Consultants (ROC) provide neonatal and perinatal services for Hamilton Medical Center.  Neonatal physicians from ROC’s affiliate organization, Regional Neonatal Specialists (RNS) provide round-the-clock coverage for a new neonatal intermediate care unit at Hamilton, and collaborate with perinatologists from ROC to provide the highest quality of care to pregnant mothers and babies.

Regional Neonatal Specialists principals Dr. Lizbeth Kennedy, Dr. Victor Thomas, and Alok Kumar operate Hamilton’s Level III Neonatal Intermediate Care Unit (NICU). They work with Dalton area obstetricians and pediatricians to provide specialty care to pregnant women and newborn infants at Hamilton. They also use neonatal nurse practitioners and the women’s health department staff of Hamilton to provide the highest level of care to infants in the NICU. Follow-up care will then be coordinated with the family’s pediatrician. 

Español	Lizbeth Kennedy, MD is a graduate of Vanderbilt University and the University of Florida College of Medicine. She did her residency and fellowship at the University of Florida and is Board Certified in neonatology and a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics with a specialty in neonatology. She is on the faculty at the University of Tennessee College of Medicine - Chattanooga Unit and also holds a master’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.
	Victor Thomas, MD  is a graduate of the University of the South and a graduate of the University of Florida College of Medicine, where he also completed his residency and fellowship in neonatology. He is a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics with a specialty in neonatology and is Board Certified. He is a faculty member of the University of Tennessee College of Medicine - Chattanooga Unit.
	Alok Kumar, MD is a graduate of Darghanga Medical College in India. He completed residencies at B. J. Wadia Hospital of Children, KEM Hospital, India, and Children’s Hospital of Michigan, Detroit. He completed fellowships in neonatology at SUNY Downstate Medical Center in Brooklyn, N.Y. and at SUNY Children’s Hospital of Buffalo, N.Y. Kumar also practiced at Le Bonheur Children's Medical Center in Memphis, Tennessee.

ROC, based in Chattanooga, has offices in Dalton and in Cookeville, Tullahoma and McMinnville, Tenn., and an affiliate practice in Knoxville, Tenn.