By Mike Matthew
Special to The Laker / Lutz News
Pediatric Health Care Alliance has twelve neighborhood locations with more than 40 board-certified physicians and nurse practitioners dedicated to providing your child with the very best medical care.
Dr. Melody Baade and Dr. Ignatius Tan are the pediatricians at a growing Pasco location, the Suncoast Office in Odessa. “What makes our practice unique is that we provide a medical home for our patients,” says Dr. Baade. This means all patient care is coordinated through the pediatrician’s office, including specialist care, hospital admissions, chronic conditions, and more. The Odessa office has been open for five years with patients coming from a wide area.
Another unique factor about the practice, which was founded in 1997, is that it is independently owned by the physicians. All decisions about patient care and business operations are made by the pediatricians. “Many of our doctors have worked for other pediatric offices before,” says Dr. Baade. “They bring with them a great deal of experience.”
Dr. Baade earned her Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of South Florida College of Medicine in 1985. She completed her residency in pediatrics in 1988 at USF Tampa General Hospital. She has been recognized by physician peers on the list of Best Doctors in America from 1996 to 2014.
Dr. Tan graduated from the University of South Florida College of Medicine in 1992 and completed his residency in 1995 at USF All Children’s Hospital. He was also voted one of the Best Doctors in America by his peers from 2011 to 2014.
With Pediatric Health Care Alliance, patients get the benefits of a larger practice while seeing the same doctors in each individual office. “We get to know our patients personally, and they get to know us and our staff,” says Dr. Baade. “We’re here to help.”
Another benefit from this group practice is the availability of evening and weekend hours at their locations in Brandon, North Carrollwood and Wesley Chapel . These extended hours are available to all patients from any location when the other offices are closed for the day. Patient records are electronic and available at every location to ensure continuity of care if patients need to visit another location. For more pressing concerns, pediatricians are available on-call 24 hours a day, every day of the year, and they are also on staff at major area hospitals.
Patient care and communication are top priorities of Pediatric Health Care Alliance. “We welcome calls during business hours to discuss your concerns,” says Dr. Baade. “We try to provide same-day appointments for sick children. We also have a separate waiting area for sick children.”
The Suncoast Office is currently welcoming new patients from newborns through the age of 18, and provides care for established patients through age 21. They accept most major insurance plans. Anyone new to the area or currently looking for a new pediatrician should call for a complimentary welcome visit to meet the staff and tour the office.
“We’re in the largest pediatric group on the west coast of Florida,” says Dr. Baade. “Dr. Tan and I have been in the Suncoast office since it opened. We’re Florida natives.” Dr. Baade grew up in Daytona Beach, while Dr. Tan grew up in the Tampa area.
The Suncoast office is located at 1850 Crossings Blvd., Unit 100, in Odessa, behind the Target Plaza off State Road 54. Contact them at (813) 475-7100 or visit their website at PediAlliance.com for more information.
Additional locations include Big Bend, Brandon, Citrus Park, Crossroads, FishHawk, Lutz, North Carrollwood, Northside, South Tampa, Suncoast, Walsingham and Wesley Chapel.
