When Gary Griffieth, MD and his sister Winnie Toler acquired Centennial Pediatrics last year, the practice was at low ebb after the previous owner had been forced to sell in the wake of a fraud case. Now the large practice has been reinvigorated and renamed Capstone Pediatrics … a name that reflects the new owners’ Christian faith as the Bible calls Christ the “capstone” on which all else depends.

Capstone currently has 11 locations in Middle Tennessee, with new offices planned for Franklin and Nolensville. The practice also is in the process of expanding its offerings in behavioral health and adolescent medicine throughout the area.

Griffieth serves as Capstone’s CEO while Toler handles COO responsibilities. The siblings grew up in the Bay Area, where Griffieth later attended Stanford University and Toler earned an undergraduate degree from the University of California at Berkeley. Both went east for further education: Griffieth to Yale for his medical degree and Toler to Michigan State for her master’s degree and PhD.

Toler relocated to Middle Tennessee in 2000, where she held several posts, including COO of UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Tennessee. Last fall, Griffieth ended his 20 years in practice in upstate New York and moved to Franklin to help launch Capstone.

“The two best things about Nashville are the friendly people and the freedom to talk about spiritual things, not just Christian viewpoints,” said Griffieth. “You don’t have that freedom on the coasts. People think you’re trying to proselytize them. But here in Nashville, it’s refreshing to be able to discuss matters of faith so openly.”

Griffieth feels that we’re at a pivotal time in pediatric medicine. “Obesity is off the chart in Middle Tennessee, not just for kids and adolescents but across the board. It’s easy to get desensitized to it until you visit places like Denver or Boston or even Tokyo. On a recent trip to Tokyo, I didn’t see a single obese person in a city with 13 million people.”

Toler added childhood obesity becomes worse when parents don’t have easy access to healthy foods. “Our society needs to do more to address that – and to help teach parents that well-child checkups aren’t just for the early years but are important all the way through adolescence.”

Griffieth, whose specialty is developmental behavioral pediatrics, is also alarmed by the steady rise in behavioral disorders in children. “I’ve been practicing for 30 years, and I definitely think we’re seeing behavioral problems now that just weren’t an issue back then. There’s no single cause, of course, but I do feel that societal things play a role … both parents frequently out of the home, too much TV, and so on.”

To meet the needs of Nashville’s growing population, Griffieth and Toler are making sure each Capstone office has a culturally diverse staff. The Southern Hills location serves a large Hispanic, Kurdish and Somali population so most of the providers there are fluent in multiple languages. Capstone recently hired a Muslim nurse practitioner for that office. There are staff members in virtually every Capstone office who are bilingual in English and Spanish.

While some employers prefer the formal “interview across the desk” style, Griffieth is much more relaxed. “When I recruit a new physician or staff member, I try to make it a conversation,” he said. “I assume that all the candidates are smart and qualified, so that’s not my primary focus. I’m looking for passion and creativity. I recently hired a woman who was trained as a civil engineer, but she didn’t have a passion for that field. Then she did some volunteer work at a children’s hospital and had an “Aha!” moment where she realized how much she enjoyed working with kids. We’ve also hired people who have other passions, like a desire to serve the poor and underprivileged or to work in adolescent medicine.”

Although some physicians unwind on the golf course, Griffieth prefers a challenging workout. “My wife and I have a personal trainer who helps us with a variety of things like stretching, balance and strength,” he said. “When you’ve finished a one-hour workout, you’re ready to take on the world.”

In contrast, Toler likes to relax with a good book. “I really like books that emphasize personal and spiritual growth,” she said. Her recent favorites include Malcolm Gladwell’s David and Goliath and the healthcare bestseller The Cleveland Clinic Way.

After two decades in upstate New York, Griffieth doesn’t miss too many things about the Northeast. “Nashville is a great place to live, and that’s not a secret anymore,” he noted. “I do miss seeing my Yankees on TV, though.”

In just a matter of months, Gary Griffieth and Winnie Toler have breathed new life into a troubled practice and given it the spiritual foundation to succeed. “We’re always looking for clinicians and staff members who share our passion for improving children’s health throughout Middle Tennessee,” added Griffieth.