Avery Award of Excellence in Pediatric Surgery
James Whitcomb Riley Hospital for Children
Indianapolis, Indiana
Nominated by Lyndsey Carroll
Dr. Thomas Rouse was nominated by Lyndsey Carroll, mother of Emmett Leonard. “My son Emmett was delivered at IU Hospital in Indianapolis, Indiana on August 4th, 2010. Once he was born he was quickly taken through the tunnel into Riley Children’s Hospital where he had some of the most amazing doctors and nurses possible, such as Dr. Thomas Rouse. Not only was Emmett seen by Dr. Rouse as an infant, but Emmett still sees him to this day. One of the biggest reasons why I love Dr. Rouse, is because he listens. He is attentive to our needs as parents, as well as, Emmett’s needs as his patient. He never has issues explaining medical terminology to me, or what a specific procedure might require. I don’t ever feel rushed in his office, and he takes the time to drive down to Evansville from Indianapolis (a 4hr commute) once a month to see all of his Riley patients. This makes it so much easier on us financially to not have to drive that far just for a clinical or check up.
Another reason why I love Dr. Rouse is because he encourages us to get a second, third, or even fourth opinion when it involves Emmett’s future care. He respects my knowledge as Emmett’s mother, but he also respects my initiative to research procedures. Dr. Rouse has never made me feel that Emmett is not a priority to him… he takes his symptoms serious and he provides information and resources when needed.
I feel that Dr. Rouse deserves this award, because although I can only speak on behalf of our care with him – I know in my heart that this is how he is with all of his patients. He deserves to be recognized for not being your average pediatric surgeon. He deserves to be recognized for the amount of time and effort he puts out to ensure that his patients are on the right path, even if that means traveling 4 hours away to visit his patients. He deserves to be recognized simply because he cares. Out of all the specialists my child has, Dr. Rouse stands out the most. Please consider selecting him to be awarded for his outstanding service and hospitality to the hundreds of children he has cared for.”