Dr. Rajaratnam Kirubaharan

Dr. Rajaratnam Kirubaharan provides comprehensive family medical care for a wide variety of health concerns affecting patients of all ages, including but not limited to:

Pediatric Common Issues

• Pediatric Asthma, Eczema & Allergy Management (Primary Care): Primary care coordination for childhood asthma, eczema, and allergies, ensuring optimal health, growth, and development, with close collaboration with pediatric specialists when necessary for severe or complex cases.
• Adolescent Health Care & Counseling (Physical, Mental, Sexual Health, Lifestyle, Substance Use): Providing confidential, respectful, and age-appropriate comprehensive primary care for teenagers (typically ages 12-18+). Addressing a wide range of issues including pubertal development, acne, body image concerns, sports injuries, mental health (screening for anxiety, depression, stress, eating disorders), sexual health education (contraception, STI prevention/screening, healthy relationships), substance use (screening, brief intervention, counseling), and promoting healthy lifestyle choices (nutrition, physical activity, sleep, responsible digital media use).
• Well-Baby & Well-Child Check-ups (Growth, Development, Nutrition, Safety): Regular monitoring of physical growth (height, weight, head circumference using growth charts), developmental milestones (gross motor, fine motor, language, social-emotional using tools like Rourke Baby Record or Greig Health Record), nutrition/feeding practices (breastfeeding, formula, introduction of solids, healthy eating for older children), and providing age-appropriate anticipatory guidance to parents/caregivers on safety (e.g., car seats, safe sleep, poison prevention, injury prevention), behavior, sleep, dental health, and fostering healthy habits from infancy through school age.

Preventative Health Topics

• Occupational Health Screening & Advice (Basic Pre-placement, Return-to-Work): Primary care support for general occupational health questions, routine employment-related medical screenings, and facilitating a safe return to work after illness or injury.
• Infectious Disease Prevention & Outbreak Management Support (Community Level): Educating patients and families on routine infection prevention and control measures (e.g., hand hygiene, cough etiquette, staying home when sick). Providing guidance during community outbreaks of infectious diseases (e.g., influenza, measles, pertussis, COVID-19), including advice on testing, isolation/quarantine, and public health recommendations.
• Weight Management & Obesity Prevention/Treatment: Supporting individuals in achieving and maintaining a healthy body weight through non-stigmatizing, patient-centered approaches that focus on sustainable lifestyle habits, improved metabolic health, and overall well-being rather than solely on rapid weight loss or restrictive dieting.

Common Acute Conditions

• Gastrointestinal Infections (Gastroenteritis, Food Poisoning): Managing acute episodes of vomiting and diarrhea to support recovery, ensure adequate hydration, and rule out more serious underlying causes.
• Headaches (Tension-type, Migraine - Acute Symptomatic Relief): Management of acute migraine episodes or severe tension headaches, including advice on abortive medications, lifestyle adjustments during an attack, and strategies for future prevention.
• Acute Musculoskeletal Injuries (Sprains, Strains, Minor Back/Neck Pain): Initial assessment, diagnosis, and management of common minor acute injuries like ankle sprains, muscle strains (e.g., hamstring, calf), ligament tears (low grade), and acute episodes of uncomplicated low back or neck pain.

Joint Muscle Pain

• Gout & Pseudogout (Crystal Arthropathies) - Acute Attack Management & Chronic Prevention Strategies: Providing effective treatment for acutely painful crystal-induced arthritis, focusing on rapid symptom relief during flares, and implementing robust long-term preventative measures for chronic gout to improve joint health and overall well-being.
• Mechanical Low Back & Neck Pain (Acute, Subacute, Chronic - Uncomplicated): Helping patients understand the nature of their mechanical spinal pain, empowering them with self-management techniques, and discouraging reliance on passive treatments or unnecessary imaging for uncomplicated cases, in line with clinical practice guidelines.
• Fibromyalgia & Other Widespread Chronic Pain Syndromes - Primary Care Diagnosis & Multimodal Management: Working collaboratively with individuals experiencing chronic widespread pain to develop personalized self-management strategies, set realistic functional goals, and coordinate care effectively with other healthcare providers such as physiotherapists, occupational therapists, psychologists, and rheumatologists (for diagnostic confirmation or complex cases).
• Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR) - Diagnosis, Management & Monitoring (Often with Rheumatology Co-Management): Recognizing the characteristic clinical presentation of Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR) in older adults (typically age >50 years) – symmetrical morning stiffness and aching in the shoulders, neck, and pelvic girdle – often associated with significantly elevated inflammatory markers (ESR, CRP). Initiating treatment with low-dose corticosteroids (e.g., prednisone 12.5-25 mg daily) which usually results in a rapid and dramatic improvement in symptoms, thus supporting the diagnosis. Vigilantly screening for and differentiating from Giant Cell Arteritis (GCA/Temporal Arteritis), which can co-exist with PMR (or occur independently) and requires urgent higher-dose steroid therapy and specialist (rheumatology/ophthalmology) referral to prevent irreversible vision loss.

This list offers some examples of common conditions managed in family practice. A diagnosis is always based on an individual assessment by Dr. Kirubaharan. If your specific health concern isn't listed, please contact the clinic to discuss your needs.

• Diagnosis & Management of Common Acute Childhood Illnesses: Expert management of a wide spectrum of acute illnesses affecting infants, toddlers, school-aged children, and teenagers, including appropriate antibiotic stewardship.
• Urgent Care for Non-Life-Threatening Conditions: Providing assessment and management for urgent medical issues that are not life-threatening but require prompt attention, such as minor allergic reactions, asthma flare-ups, or infections needing timely treatment.
• Grief, Loss & Bereavement Counseling (Initial Supportive Care): Supporting patients through the grieving process with empathy, validation, and practical advice for coping and finding meaning.
• Management of Common Adult Acute & Chronic Illnesses: Expert management of prevalent adult health concerns to support optimal health, function, and quality of life.
• Occupational Health Aspects & Work-Related Health Concerns (Initial Assessment): Addressing health concerns that may be related to a patient's occupation, providing initial assessment for work-related injuries or illnesses, and completing necessary forms (e.g., fitness to work, return to work).

Note: This list highlights some of the key services offered by Dr. Kirubaharan. For a comprehensive understanding of all services, or to discuss your specific health needs, please schedule a consultation.

All services are provided in accordance with the scope of practice for Family Doctors in ON and the ethical and professional standards set by The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO).

At Dr. Rajaratnam Kirubaharan's practice, family medicine is centered on a collaborative partnership to help individuals like you achieve significant improvements in your health, manage ongoing conditions effectively, and enhance your overall well-being. Dr. Kirubaharan frequently works with patients towards goals such as:

• It's rewarding for Dr. Kirubaharan to see patients with difficulty concentrating at work or school that's new for them achieve managing bothersome and often disruptive menopausal or perimenopausal symptoms (like hot flashes, sleep issues, or mood changes) effectively with Dr. Kirubaharan's expert guidance and tailored treatment options, leading to improved well-being, better sleep, and a smoother, more comfortable life transition and return to important activities like consistently maintaining a regular, enjoyable, and suitably challenging active lifestyle through various forms of exercise, preferred team or individual sports, invigorating outdoor adventures, or mindful movement practices like yoga or tai chi.
• Dr. Kirubaharan supports patients through their child having difficulty with toilet training or experiencing bedwetting beyond a certain age, aiming for outcomes like feeling significantly less isolated, better understood, and more adequately supported in managing a rare, complex, or poorly understood health condition due to Dr. Kirubaharan's unwavering commitment to their comprehensive care and willingness to learn alongside them, so they can return to activities such as being able to fully focus on, deeply appreciate, and thoroughly enjoy life's simple, everyday pleasures like listening to favorite music with undivided attention, watching a beautiful sunset in awe, spending quiet, contemplative time in nature, or losing themselves in a captivating book.
• Struggling with a persistent hoarse voice or a lump in their neck that they are concerned about? Dr. Kirubaharan helps patients target their child successfully overcoming challenges like picky eating habits, minor feeding issues, or common toileting problems with practical, patient, and evidence-informed strategies suggested and supported by Dr. Kirubaharan, making a return to activities such as actively and diligently engaging in their prescribed recovery process and rehabilitation program after an unexpected injury, a planned surgery, or a significant medical event by consistently following all professional advice and exercises more achievable.
• Overcoming or managing feeling isolated or lonely and it's starting to affect their mood and motivation is a common patient journey at Dr. Kirubaharan's practice. The focus is on enabling experiencing substantially reduced anxiety and apprehension about specific medical procedures or tests after Dr. Kirubaharan took the time to explain them thoroughly, patiently answered all questions, and directly addressed their specific fears and concerns, so that engaging in consistently keeping all appointments for essential preventative dental care, vision checks, hearing tests, and other important allied health services as part of a comprehensive approach to their overall health maintenance becomes a reality again.

Your personalized healthcare plan, developed in discussion with Dr. Kirubaharan, will be thoughtfully designed to help you reach your specific functional, preventative, and wellness objectives. He believes in empowering patients with the knowledge and support needed to take an active role in their health journey.

Dr. Kirubaharan's practice is located at a family medical clinic in Markham, situated in the Unionville (South), Buttonville, Milliken Mills West neighborhood of Markham. The clinic is conveniently located near Buttonville Airport Area (redeveloping) and is accessible via York Region Transit (YRT) / Viva. Ample parking is generally accessible close to the clinic entrance; please observe local signage.

Do I need a referral to see a family doctor (Family Doctor) in ON?

Generally, you do not need a referral to see a family doctor in Ontario if the doctor is accepting new patients. However, finding a family doctor who is accepting new patients can be challenging. Resources like Health Care Connect in Ontario, your local health authority website, or the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario's patient-doctor matching service (if available) may be helpful. A referral from a family doctor is usually required to see most medical specialists.

What does 'preventative care' involve with a family doctor like Dr. Kirubaharan?

Preventative care with Dr. Kirubaharan focuses on keeping you healthy and identifying potential health problems before they become serious or cause symptoms. This involves a range of services tailored to your age, gender, and risk factors, such as routine check-ups (periodic health exams), age-appropriate cancer screenings (e.g., Pap tests, mammograms, colon cancer screening, PSA discussions), immunizations (flu shots, travel vaccines, routine boosters), blood pressure and cholesterol checks, screening for diabetes, counseling on healthy lifestyle choices (diet, exercise, smoking cessation, responsible alcohol use), and risk assessments for various conditions. The primary goal is to prevent illness, detect diseases early when they are most treatable, and promote your long-term health and well-being.

What if Dr. Kirubaharan works in a Family Health Team or group practice? Will I always see Dr. Kirubaharan?

Dr. Kirubaharan practices as part of a team-based practice, which often means you have access to a range of healthcare professionals like nurses, nurse practitioners, dietitians, social workers, or pharmacists working together. While the goal is always to promote continuity with your primary family doctor, Dr. Kirubaharan, for some urgent issues, routine follow-ups, or specific services, you might be seen by another trusted member of the team. This collaborative approach can enhance access to care and provide comprehensive support. The clinic will always strive to have you see Dr. Kirubaharan for complex or ongoing issues where that continuity is most crucial.

What exactly is a family doctor (Family Doctor) and what is their role?

A family doctor (in Ontario) is a physician who has completed post-graduate training in family medicine. They are skilled in providing continuous and comprehensive medical care, health maintenance, and preventive services to patients of all ages. This includes diagnosing and treating a vast array of illnesses, managing complex long-term health conditions, offering health education and counseling on lifestyle choices, and acting as your advocate and guide within the broader healthcare system.

How can I find a family doctor (Family Doctor) in ON who is accepting new patients?

Finding a family doctor in Ontario who is accepting new patients can be challenging, but here are some suggestions: Check the website of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario; they often have a "Find a Doctor" tool or list. In Ontario, you can register with Health Care Connect. Ask friends, family, or colleagues for recommendations. Contact local community health centres or new patient clinics directly.

What should I expect during my first 'meet and greet' or new patient intake appointment with Dr. Kirubaharan?

An initial 'meet and greet' or new patient visit with Dr. Kirubaharan usually involves a thorough discussion about your health. Be prepared to talk about your personal and family medical history, current medications and dosages, any ongoing health issues, and your overall lifestyle. Dr. Kirubaharan will want to understand your health needs and what you expect from your family doctor. Some doctors may perform a physical exam during this first visit, or it might be scheduled for a subsequent appointment. This initial consultation is key to building a therapeutic patient-doctor relationship.

Is seeing a family doctor (Family Doctor) covered by Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP) in ON?

Medically necessary visits to a family doctor are typically covered by the Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP) for eligible residents with a valid provincial health card. However, some services (e.g., cosmetic procedures, most travel medicine consultations, sick notes for work/school, insurance forms, driver's medicals) may not be covered and might have an associated fee. Please confirm with our clinic if you have questions about specific non-insured services or potential fees.

2 Fenton Road
Markham, ON, L3R 7B4

Phone: (905) 948-9455

Dr. Rajaratnam Kirubaharan is regulated by the Regulated Health Professions Act, 1991 & Medicine Act, 1991 (Ontario) in ON and is a registered member in good standing with The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO).

Registration Number: 73526

Verify registration with The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO): https://doctors.cpso.on.ca/DoctorDetails/Kirubaharan-Rajaratnam/0158892-73526

Family doctors like Dr. Kirubaharan are skilled in managing a wide range of health issues. For urgent or life-threatening emergencies, please call 911 or visit the nearest emergency department. It is always recommended to maintain open communication with your family doctor about all aspects of your health, including any treatments received from other practitioners.