NATCHEZ — Dr. Anubha Jati’s prescribed strong medicine is a healing dose of communication with patients and their families, followed by a thorough round of talks with a medical staff.

Jati joined the staff at Natchez Regional Medical Center in May, where she operates Natchez Neurology in the doctor’s pavilion.

As a neurologist, Jati said she treats any kind of neurological condition involving the brain, spinal cord, muscles and nerves. Typical patients include sufferers of stroke, seizures, nerve damage, headaches and muscle disease.

But before the doctor starts testing — she talks.

“I like to be very personable,” Jati said. “I talk a lot, but I want to know the patient’s background so I can treat them better. I need to understand the psychological and social part to understand the medical part.”

Sarah Smith, director of physician relations and head of marketing for the rehab unit, said doctors at Natchez Regional use an interdisciplinary approach to healing.

“It’s a team approach,” Smith said. “Including physical rehabilitation, occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech therapy and a social work. We meet so we are hitting on everything — keeping everyone on the same page.”

Jati said she previously worked at Riverpark Medical Center in Vidalia but has moved the clinic across the bridge. Jati said she wanted Natchez Neurology to be associated with the good reputation of the rehabilitation unit.

On a typical day, Jati participates in acute patient consults, visits patients in the hospital, spends time with patients at the clinic and then heads to rehab in the evenings. Jati said she likes her schedule because she can get some good conversation in with patients and families after hours.

On Wednesday, Jati greeted James D. Whitehead and his wife, Maralee, on the fifth floor as James pushed his walker to rehab. James survived an accident on Aug. 8 when he was hit in traffic — causing his vehicle to flip four times on U.S. 61 South.

Vertebrae in Whitehead’s back broke in the wreck. After more than a week in the hospital, Jati said Whitehead was preparing to go home.

His eyes still black and bruises staining his legs, Whitehead said Jati has been kind when she conducted neurological tests during his stay.

“He does very well,” Jati said, ordering Whitehead to touch his nose and stick out his tongue. “He’s one of those patients that will do anything.”

Jati said the seemingly simple exercise is part of a greater, and highly important, neurological examination.

“We are testing the cranial nerves to see if there is any damage to the brain,” Jati said.

Jati said sometimes legions on the posterior part of the brain cannot not be identified by a CAT scan.

“But it can be caught in an examination,” Jati said. The doctor added that after a few examinations, she doesn’t have to tell patients what to do — they just do it.

“I’m like a trained monkey,” Whitehead joked.

Jati said she is an advocate of high spirits and happiness at the hospital.

“We try to keep patient morale up,” Jati said. “Stuff doesn’t get fixed overnight, so encouragement is very important.”

Smith said Jati is the only neurologist for approximately 90 miles in any direction, and patients come from communities beyond the reaches of the Miss-Lou.

Jati said, for her, the ultimate career reward is seeing patients go from immobility to being totally functional again.

She said that recently, a former patient said hello on the street, and Jati didn’t even recognize him at first because his health and appearance had changed so much. She said it was a happy reunion.

But sometimes that joy subsists with pain as well.

Jati said though she wouldn’t want to be anything besides a neurologist, she can’t always help everybody.

“The challenge part is (treating patients with) chronic disabilities,” Jati said.

Jati’s husband, Vivek Bhargava, is dean of the Alcorn State University School of Business. Their two sons attend Trinity Episcopal Day School.

The neurologist said the key to practicing good medicine comes naturally.

“If you make up your mind you want to be a doctor — be compassionate — it’s the most important part of being a physician,” Jati said.