Tulsa Medical Clinic Treats Kids After Hours

By Dan Bewley and Terry Hood, The News On 6

TULSA, OK -- Every parent knows their children can get sick anytime of the day, sometimes making it difficult to get medical help.  It can be a hospital hassle.  So a group of four doctors, all moms, say they have found a way to help desperate parents.

Dr. Stacy O'Sullivan is a proud parent, only her baby is a brand new urgent care clinic, near 91^st and Memorial, meant only for children.

"We see them for upper respiratory infections, sinusitis. We see them for ear infections.  We see them for lacerations so we do suturing. We see children for sports injuries," said Dr. Stacy O'Sullivan.

Dr. O'Sullivan and three other doctor moms, as they call themselves, opened the doors on the Tulsa Pediatric After Hours Urgent Care facility in early February.  There are several other after hours clinics in Tulsa, but Dr. O'Sullivan says if a child is sick or hurt taking them to a medical facility where adults are also sick can make matters worse.

"Those can be frightening experiences for children, so we want to an environment where the child feels comfortable and provide quality health care," said Dr. Stacy O'Sullivan.

Children make up 25% of the patients at urgent care clinics. Still facilities like the pediatric clinic are rare; of the nation's 8000 urgent care centers less than 5% are just for kids.

Dr. O'Sullivan says as a parent of young children she knows what it's like when a child needs to see a doctor and it's not during regular business hours.  She also says she and her fellow doctors experience as moms, helps them to be better doctors.           

"As a mom I think we provide a much more empathetic environment for the child because we can relate," said Dr. Stacy O'Sullivan.

The clinic accepts insurance from most major carriers, including SoonerCare.

It's located at 91st and Memorial and open Monday through Friday from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. and on Saturday and Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.

The clinic's web site address is tulsapediatricurgentcare.com.