Families in southeastern North Carolina will no longer have to travel long distances to access specialty services like pediatric neurology, pediatric endocrinology and pediatric gastroenterology.

The practice Coastal Carolina Neonatology and Coastal Children’s Services recently added specialists in all those areas, and can now provide care to more children and families with the expansion of Coastal Children’s Services, spokeswoman Janet Hoffer said.

Located in the Women’s and Children’s Hospital at New Hanover Regional Medical Center, Coastal Children’s Services offers a range of pediatric subspecialty services. Coastal Carolina Neonatology will continue to provide neonatal medical services.

“CCS (Coastal Children’s Services) is very excited and proud to expand pediatric subspecialty services in southeastern North Carolina. This will allow us to keep more children who need specialty care in our region and act cohesively to improve the quality of care as well as patient satisfaction,” Fernando Moya, CEO of the medical group, said in a news release.

Joining the Coastal Children’s Services team are Kateryna Kotlyarevska (pediatric endocrinologist); Thomas Paulson, David Smith and Michael Stoiko (pediatric intensivists); and Nate Cook and Elizabeth Lundeen (pediatric hospitalists).

To enhance and expand the current service, three new physicians have joined CCS’ pediatric hospitalist team.

Lauren Gainor from the University of Colorado joined the practice on May 15. Deanna Miller completed her residency at Duke and joined the team on July 15.

Meghan Dougherty will join the team on Oct. 15 following the completion of her residency at Phoenix Children’s Hospital.

CCS first entered into pediatric subspecialty services with the recruitment of Kathy Freeman and Nannette Martin – both specialists in pediatric gastroenterology – Sasi Taravath in pediatric neurology and Chip Williams.

CCS physician leaders will collaborate with NHRMC leadership “to promote quality outcomes, develop pediatric services, promote fiscal stewardship and provide excellent care to children and families in southeastern North Carolina,” Hoffer said.

The new physician leadership structure includes: Moya, medical director for the children’s hospital; Paulson, medical director for the PICU; Cook, medical director for inpatient pediatrics and newborns; Sheri Carroll, medical director for the NICU; and Williams, medical director for the Nunnelee Pediatric Specialty Clinics.