Pediatric Health Care Alliance

I remember those times being sick when I was a child, and our neighborhood pediatrician would personally follow-​up with my mom in the evening to see if I was feeling any better. I guess that those times have changed!
My two young children have been with PHCA for over two years now, and I would characterize the experiences as both great and lackluster. The front office staff are great for the most part — especially upon arrival. I like how they have two separate rooms — one for healthy little ones just there for a checkup and another for kids not feeling so well. What a great way to prevent the spread of germs.
My issue is with the actual patient care though. Before I begin, I will say that Dr. G. Wilson is fantastic. She is patient-​centered, puts children at ease, and is great at explaining medical jargon to parents of all walks of life. I feel a sense of confidence in her decisions while she is treating my kids and believe that she was put on this earth to be a pediatrician. The problem is that she typically works at another location so it is hit-​or-​miss whether she will be at the Wesley Chapel office. Another physician better than average was Dr. Colosimo (I think this is how you spell her name). While she was peculiar in appearance and made a few odd comments during appointments, I think that she has an intrinsic interest in treating kids. Dr. B. Jacob is above average in my opinion and does her best to try and build rapport with patients. She is not my «go-​to» physician or preferred doctor, but I usually do not mind seeing her if she is available.
The last physician, on the other hand, I usually try to avoid at all costs. While I imagine that he is a competent physician, from a parent of patients perspective, I do not see why he chose to dedicate his practice to treating children. I my opinion, he is very dispassionate and does not seem to enjoy his work. On one occasion when my daughter had RSV, we visited him again for a followup appointment, and he prescribed the exact same treatment plan! I told him twice of this, and then he eventually changed the prescription (plus forgetting one of the prescriptions). I just felt like I was not being listened to, and this is even more comical considering he was asking me questions about the treatment protocol and what is working. In my opinion, someone that goes into pediatrics should have exceptional communication skills, a lot of patience, and an inclusive approach of treating patients (inclusive of the child’s parents since obviously the child cannot follow through with the treatment approach themselves!). Being without these characteristics is like a young doctor going into radiology but being afraid of the dark or like someone wanting to practice proctology but having anxiety towards butt holes (no pun intended). In my opinion, the Fletcher location has a better all-​around choice of physicians.
Again, the experiences have not all been bad. In fact, I recently recommended the location to a new friend to the area. Finding the right pediatrician is tough for every parent. Definitely do thorough research before selecting one and seek out many different opinions.

My son is now 11, and has been going here since he was just under a year, and my 5 year old daughter has only gone here. Appointments are easy to get, but maybe not with your preferred doctor. I do like most doctors in this practice, although Dr. Jacobs isn’t the most personable. The new Dr. Beena Jacobs (maybe his daughter?) is really great though, as is Dr. Colosimo. They have separate waiting areas for sick and well children, with toys and books and movies playing. They get you back to a room fairly quick, where you usually encounter a wait. The visit itself will go quick, so if you have questions have them prepared, and they will take the time to answer them.
Best feature is that this is one of the chain’s after hours locations. So, you can get your child in at night or even on a Saturday if they are sick. The location is also excellent, in the plaza with Vallarta’s and Beall’s Outlet.