Although Lee’s Summit has experienced rapid growth in recent years, longtime residents agree it still feels more like a small town than a city. A strong sense of community is a hallmark of local schools, churches and businesses.
So it’s no wonder the area’s oldest pediatrics practice chose the name Community Choice Pediatrics when it rebranded last fall.
“It wasn’t easy to change the name, but we thought it was time to rebrand and felt like we had grown up with the community,” Chief Operating Officer Chad Fletcher said. “If the community hadn’t chosen us, we definitely would not be as successful as we are. The name just came together.
“When you think about the growth of Lee’s Summit and Blue Springs, we have to continue to grow along with the community. With three locations, evening and weekend hours, and an automated system for fast and convenient check-ins, Community Choice is designed to meet the needs of today’s families.”
The practice began in 1984 as Lee’s Summit Physicians Group and later included Blue Springs Pediatrics and Raintree Pediatrics. All three now carry the Community Choice name, and their physicians have served generations of parents and children.
“It’s funny because some of our staff have been here 30-plus years and joke that they now have `grandpatients,’” he said. “The patients they saw back in the day had kids, and their kids now have kids. They continue to come back.“
Patients and their families come not just from eastern Jackson County but from as far away as Warrensburg to the east and Kansas suburbs to the west. Community Choice, which is affiliated with Children’s Mercy Hospital has a combined staff of 18 board-certified doctors, 10 certified nurse practitioners and 66 other healthcare professionals.
“One thing we are proud of is the longevity of our providers and staff,” Fletcher said. “It’s comforting for people to know that when they come in, they will see the same faces over and over again and that they will get the consistent, quality care they deserve.”
As every parent knows, children don’t always get sick during traditional business hours.
“We are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., have walk-in service for sick kids and are on-call on the weekends,” he said. “You can always get in touch with someone. Whatever you need from a pediatric office, we can do, and if you need further care, we can refer you to the right people.”
Although providing a welcoming, comforting atmosphere is a must in any medical setting, it is especially important in pediatrics. Parents often are more anxious and stressed than their children are.
“Our care starts with our front office,” Fletcher said. “We have a great front-office staff that is very friendly. We will have 400-plus kids come through our offices in a day, and we know they will get that first smile from our front office. It continues to roll to our nursing staff, which is fantastic. I can’t say enough about our nurses. And when it comes to our physicians and providers, they are there to deliver compassionate care. I see the compassionate care they give every day. Parents can come in upset and crying, but they leave reassured and feeling that they have a great relationship with their provider. We place ourselves in the shoes of our patients and parents as we mindfully listen, observe and examine.”
As with every business, the pandemic has put that commitment to the test
“We are proud that we were able to stay open,” he said. “Our board was reassuring that we still were going to be there for our patients and to educate parents. Our board was meeting almost every other day, trying to keep up with the latest information. Our staff went through a lot with all the changes we had to make, but they were there and worked through it. We kept moving forward.”
The community focus is not confined to the walls of the practice. Staff members also work with Coldwater and other local organizations to help those who are less fortunate.
As a new year begins, Fletcher encourages parents to be proactive about the health of their children.
“The most important thing you can do is make sure children are updated on all of their vaccinations,” he said. “We offer vaccines for both flu and COVID-19. Also, bring your children in and let your provider look them over to be sure no underlying circumstances are going on. Finally, after all we have been going through, as the new year begins, be thankful and enjoy your family.”
For Fletcher and his associates, Community Choice Pediatrics represents more than just a new name. It’s an ongoing commitment to area families.
“Our name says it all,” he said. “We are a community, and we know everybody has a choice. We hope we continue to be leaders and that Community Choice Pediatrics becomes your family’s pediatric group of choice.”
More information is available at www.communitychoicepeds.com or (816) 524-5600.