We are military, and go to the military treatment facility. They are swamped, right now, and most of the time when I call to get an appointment, they don't have any available and send me to Urgent Care. My poor kids think that Urgent Care is their normal doctor! I'm in the process of trying to get a waiver to go to a civilian pediatrician, but recently when I was at Urgent Care, I expressed my concern to the doctor there. He said that even civilian pediatricians are really swamped right now, and have 3 hour waits in their offices, so lots of those people end up coming to Urgent Care anyway. I'm trying to decide if it's worth it to go through all the red tape to get a civilian doctor - what are your experiences at your doctor offices? Is it an unbearable wait? Can you get same-day or next day appointments? Do you see the same doctor every time you go? Can you get in touch with someone to give medical advice afer hours? We are in the Big Bend area - if anyone knows of a gret pediatrician around there, that would be helpful, too. Thanks!
Thank you so much for all of your posts! I decided on Dr. Pruitt, and we had our first appointment yesterday. I was almost in tears because it was such a positive experience! The thing that struck me the most was how everyone in that office interacted with my kids, and made it such a fun, friendly place.
I take my kids to Pediatric Health Care Alliance and they are great. All of the answers to you questions are yes, with them. As a matter of fact, they just opened a new branch in Riverview and one of my favorite pediatricians is there (Dr. Tanya Liberato). I believe they're website is www.pedialliance.com.
My children (ages 6 and 1) go to HealthPoint on 110 S. Parsons Avenue just north of Brandon Hospital. I get to see the same doctor each time (though there are four of them and I believe they are all great). Though they are busy at times, I have never waited over an hour and never have had a problem getting an appt. I normally see either Dr. Champoux-Rhoden or Dr. Curtin (both woman).
Yes, I think it's totally worth the red tape involved to have a pedi who knows you and is familiar with any health issues your child might have or will have. We go to Dr Heather Thole @ Wee Care for Kids. She is in Riverview and they also have a NP. They are on call 24/7 so you can call after hours if you have an issue and they will direct you what to do. They are really wonderful there. I have never had a problem getting a same day appt either if I needed to.
We use a pediatrician in the FishHawk area- Pediatric Healthcare Alliance. They have been great- our wait for scheduled appointments is 15 minutes, max, and they are always available to see my son when he's sick- the doctor has even skipped his lunch in order to squueze my son in. I believe that PHCA just opened their office on Big Bend (in the publix plaza). They'd definitely be worth checking out. Good luck!
There usually isn't much of a wait at my pediatrician's office. The longest I've had to wait is an hour, and that's when my daughter is a "fit-in". I always see the same doctor for scheduled visits, and most of the time can also see that doctor with fit-in appointments. But all the doctors at this practice are great, so it doesn't matter if I have to see a different doctor. We are on Tricare Prime (husband is retired military). I'm kind of surprised that they are making you go to the MTF, because we were allowed to go to whatever pediatrician we wanted to. Maybe it's because your husband is active duty. Anyway, I live in the Big Bend area too and we go to Healthpoint Pediatrics in Brandon. Let me know if you need any more information!
J.,
I, too, am a military wife with three young daughters (oldest is 6). My husband has been a Marine for almost 16 years now so we have also been to MANY mtf's. My children have Tricare Prime which has never been an issue for me. We moved here to Riverview 6 months ago (also Big Bend area) and picked a doctor out of the phone book (local). I had a terrible experience with him (wrong diagnosis after waiting 3 hours) and decided to make a few phone calls regardless of the consequences to switch them out of that office. One of the offices I called was Premier Care Pediatrics (Dr. Pruitt). Not only did she offer for me to come up on the same day but also waited to bill me until the last office gave me a referral. She is BY far the best pediatrician I have ever had for my girls including all of our previous duty stations. They have an adorable office (in Fishhawk) and my kids actually don't mind going!!! She is young and up to date. She has even helped me on the weekends (a couple of times) which as you know if quite important!! I think the longest wait ever was 5 minutes!! In my opinion, I would highly recommend them.
Hope this helps,
C. L.
mom of 3 (nurse....staying at home right now)
My son's Pediatrician is Dr. Timothy Williams. I called Tues to schedule his 2 yr. well visit and they got me in Weds morning. We went yesterday for our 9:30 appt, waited 3 min in the lobby and was out before 10 a.m. I have never had to wait long at all! He has 2 physician's assts and 1 nurse practitioner that work for him. They see patients just as much as he does. If you want to see him specifically, you'll have to request and that's not an issue. But I have seen him and 2 of his p.a's, they've been just as wonderful as he. Check out their website at plantcitypediatrics.com. Good luck!
My family uses Dr. Jorge Montane at Pediatric Care Center in Brandon. He is a wonderful doctor and we have never had any problems getting an appointment within the week for check-ups and the very same day for illness calls. Our waits in the office are never more that 30 minutes. You might want to call him. His number is ###-###-####.
Hi J.,
I live in riverview as well, a little closer to Brandon. But the pedi that I take my boys to is Pediatric Health Care Alliance in Fishhawk, it's about 30 minutes from my house, but I love their Pedi Dr. Tappan, he is great and knows my kids well. There are a few other Dr's in the office and though they aren't my favorite :) they are good as well. But we get same day and next day visits all the time, they also have a after hours at there Brandon office M-F 6-9 and weekends 4-7. But I have NEVER had that long of a wait...the longest I have waited is 45 minutes, and that usually includes the wait in the room on the dr....but we are usually in and out in that amount of time.
Good luck in your search. There # is ###-###-####, just in case you decide you want it
S.
I take my three (ages 1, 2, and 4) to Dr. Tappan at Pedi Healthcare Alliance near Fishhawk. We are military as well, so I completely understand the frustration with the MTF. It's ridiculous. And believe it or not, it was no problem for our family to switch to a civilian provider. My dh went to the Tricare Service Center on base and told them we weren't getting consistent treatment at the MTF. He told them who we would like have as our PCM for our children, and they made the change right there. Much easier than past experiences with this issue at another base. Good luck to you!
We have been in the Seffner/Brandon area for only four years. But we found a fabulous Ped. Dr. Hugh. He is with Pediactric Health Care Alliance, in Brandon.
Some days we have to wait an hour to an hour and a half. Other times we can get in and out in an hour. We are moving to Riverview at the end of March and I plan on driving over here because I love him so much.
The oddest thing they do about appointments is everthing is same day. So you have to call first thing in the morning.
The BEST thing is they have after hours, hours everyday and I have never had to wait more than 20 minutes. So I usually wait to call the after hours number and have my children seen then.
Pediactric Health Care Alliance
Dr. Hough
811 South Parson's Blvd.
###-###-####.
There is one doctor I prefer not to see and that is Dr. Jomsson. Just not as friendly to parents and children as everyone else.
Good luck and email me if you have further quetions.
Hi, Im C.
I have three kids, oldest is almost 5! Were in the same boat, and I bet i live less than five minutes from you!
I am starting a new pedi on monday. I am going to the same group as the previous poster, pedi alliance, but I am going to the one in brandon, off of a recomendation from my old pedi in Sarasota, and my old neighbor over in ruskin!
I hope it goes smoothly!
____@____.com
I will let you know how it is! Also they just opened a local office here in town over in the new buildings behind publix..... That might be something to think about, I am going to switch all the kids to this office once they start accepting my insurance, right now, since it is a new ooffice, they havent been approved for my insurance yet!
C.
Hi,
I highly recommend Dr Heather Thole(Weecare for Kids) located 5 mins north of Big Bend Rd on Balm river road .I also live in Riverview and it is a 5 min drive. She is wonderful, very caring,and easy to talk to. I have always been able to get a same day appointment if my baby is sick. It is her and a nurse practitioner. The longest I have waited is 1/2 hour. My 11 month old baby has been goimg there since 3 days old. My husband who is very picky
likes her alot. Phone # ###-###-####. Hope this helped .They are available after hours also.
