It's true that it's very hard to get in with this practice. If you are expecting a newborn, I highly recommend you put yourself on the waiting list ASAP. Even if you decide this is not the practice for you, it's good to have options.
We have been seeing Dr. Doyle since 2012, a couple of years before she opened Oakhurst Pediatrics. We have also seen two other pediatrician groups in the area, one for six years and one for one year. I am admittedly picky about health care providers. I prefer to have a relationship with my provider and it's very important to me to feel heard and to feel that I am participating in health care decisions for myself and for my children.
At Oakhurst, we get a very personalized experience. The physicians usually spend a lot of time with each patient, which is why they limit the number of patients they accept. (It is also possible to get in and out very quickly. How long an appointment takes usually depends on what is going on with my child and how much I need to discuss with the doctor.)
Dr. Doyle has taken the time to get to know my whole family. When I bring my son, she asks how my daughters are doing. She knows my parenting style, which is very helpful when she is making recommendations or we are deciding whether to treat or further test a certain issue. She diagnosed a congenital issue in one of my children even though that child didn't start seeing her until she was almost 3 years old and our previous pediatrician had blown the issue off when I asked about it. She has always been very responsive and available after hours. We have also spoken to Dr. Kanaan after hours and had a great experience as well.
The office is clean and new. The waits are very short--usually under 5 minutes, if that. I use the patient portal to ask a question every few months and always get prompt and helpful responses. You do have to schedule well visits a few months in advance, but the portal sends reminders so it's not a big deal.
Our previous pediatrician at another local practice was very nice, but just "okay." She always seemed to be rushing from one patient to the next, and she didn't remember me or my family even when we had seen her 20-30 times over the years. I know that doctors are busy, but I kept thinking, what if one of my kids was sick and needed to be hospitalized? I really wanted someone I could trust to advise my family in that situation. That is what led me to seek out a new pediatrician--and as it turned out, my newborn son WAS hospitalized the week he was born. We called Dr. Doyle, and even though we were brand new to her practice, she served as an advocate and a guide for us in a difficult situation. In the years since then, I have had the opportunity to hear her discuss her patient care philosophy. She is very deliberate and she prioritizes the patient (and family) experience and the whole child's health. She gets it. It's a wonderful quality in a physician.
It's no secret that Oakhurst Pediatrics is an intown favorite among parents, but I'm here to tell you that everything they say about it is true. If you can get in with Oakhurst Peds, you should! read more