Meet Helen Ghanem, MD

Helen Ghanem, MD, is one of the hospitalists who will be caring for inpatients at CHOP’s King of Prussia Hospital.

Helen Ghanem, MD Dr. Ghanem received her MD at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and completed her residency in Pediatrics at the Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh. She has been with Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) since 2009 and is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Ghanem is board certified in both General Pediatrics and Pediatric Hospital Medicine.

Tell us a little about yourself?

I was born in Philadelphia and raised in the immediate suburbs. Although I attended medical school and pediatric residency in Pittsburgh, I always knew I would return to southeastern Pennsylvania to serve my community and raise a family. I live with my husband (also a pediatrician), and two boys in the northwest suburbs and am fortunate to also live across the street from my sister’s family. We are lucky that our boys are growing up surrounded by extended family in a community committed to the health and well-being of children. I’ve been a pediatric hospitalist my entire career with additional expertise in sedation medicine. When not on service, I can be found enjoying the trials and tribulations of youth sports and Philadelphia’s professional sports teams. 

What excites you about being part of the King of Prussia Hospital staff?

Prior to coming to CHOP, I was a pediatric hospitalist in a community hospital northeast of Philadelphia. There was a tight bond formed within our small team and community providers through the mutual care of children and their families. I cannot overstate how important it was to collaborate with referring primary care physicians; excellent communication was key to our success as providers. I came to know these physicians on a first name basis; who liked to be called in the middle of the night with updates and who would be visiting their patients every day in the hospital. The opportunity to forge and grow new relationships with community pediatricians is something that has motivated me to be a part of the inaugural staff at King of Prussia Hospital. I am excited to serve as a key link between families and their physicians, while working with my extraordinary King of Prussia Hospital colleagues to provide the very best care that CHOP has to offer.

What sets the King of Prussia Hospital apart?

King of Prussia Hospital provides a unique opportunity to provide CHOP-level care in a setting that is conveniently located in the community. As a CHOP hospital medicine provider, I have immediate access to pediatric emergency medicine and intensive care physicians a few floors away — not to mention 24-hour access to every pediatric subspecialist I could ever hope for! That will remain true at King of Prussia Hospital. The CHOP Division of General Pediatrics, Section of Hospitalist Medicine, is filled with a diverse and talented group of devoted pediatricians. Our culture centers on providing excellent patient care and a philosophy of continuous improvement. As part of the core group of pediatric hospitalists who will staff the King of Prussia Hospital general pediatrics unit, I know we will strive to meet and exceed these standards. We have an amazing team, and I’m so proud to be a part of this exciting endeavor.

What do you do for fun?

I enjoy cooking, reading and hiking with my family. Much of my spare time is spent watching my boys play soccer for our local soccer club — and, of course, cheering loudly.