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Neighborhood news

For pediatric group, boom in Pasco, cutback here

Pediatric Health Care Alliance drops its evening hours at its South Tampa location.

By LISA BUIE
Published April 13, 2007

Just a few years ago, it was easy to get worked in at Pediatric Health Care Alliance's Wesley Chapel office.

"Wesley Chapel used to be kind of a sleepy part of town," said Dr. Richard Wilde, one of the 40 physicians who make up the Tampa Bay area group. If anyone called with a sick child, "we'd just say come on over."

"We've lost that as we have expanded."

The practice, the largest pediatric medical group on the west coast of Florida, is realigning some resources in its 12 offices in response to the growth in central Pasco.

The Wesley Chapel office recently added evening hours, while the Land O'Lakes office is moving next door to a larger building and doubling its physician staff from two to four.

But Central Pasco's gain is South Tampa's loss. The Azeele Street office will no longer offer evening appointments.

"We just didn't have the growth there," said Dr. F. Lane France, who founded the physician-owned alliance in 1997.

About a year ago, the alliance opened evening hours in the Azeele Street location and tracked patient visits. On an average evening, doctors saw only seven patients. It became too expensive to keep three employees, plus a doctor, working until 10 p.m.

"We just didn't get the business," France said. "They have more choices down here. They can go to walk-in clinics, they can go to after-hours."

Nobody has called to complain since the alliance stopped offering evening hours in South Tampa about a week ago, France said.

Meanwhile, the patient load in Wesley Chapel has reached about 6,000. The number of patients at the Land O'Lakes office has also grown steadily and now stands at about 4,000.

"We looked at the numbers, and people in Central Pasco wanted to have access to physicians," France said, noting the group also offers weekend appointments.

The expansion in Pasco is yet more evidence of growth in that area, especially of younger families. Six new schools opened in 2006-07, and five new ones will open next year.

Times staff writer Alexandra Zayas contributed to this report. Lisa Buie can be reached at (813) 909-4604 or toll-free 1-800-333-7505, ext. 4604. Her e-mail address is buie@sptimes.com.

Fast Facts:

The changes in a nutshell

- The South Tampa offices at 3222 W. Azeele St. and 2803 W. St. Isabel St. will keep their daytime office hours of 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. For more information, call (813) 872-8491.

- The Wesley Chapel office at 5259 Village Market, off Bruce B. Downs Boulevard, offers evening appointments from 6 to 9 p.m. weekdays. For information, call (813) 991-9173.

- The Land O'Lakes office will move from 1932 to 1942 Highland Oaks Blvd. For information, call (813) 948-6133. Patients who want to follow Drs. Wilde and Hartman must fill out a registration form. Forms can be obtained in the offices or at www.pedialliance.com.

[Last modified April 12, 2007, 07:42:12]