Families please be aware when taking your children for a well child check, Multicare will bill you $125.00 for discussing the well child survey, they ask you to fill out. This discussion falls outside the covered well child check, preventative care, that insurance covers. This billing practice seems deceptive. Doctors and staff are great! Billing department and Multicare are horrible. Please review fraud cases against Multicare billing. read more

I was supposed to have my first appointment today for my child. I made the appointment three months ago. They called today and left me a message saying that they had questions about the appointment. I called them back and it took about 30 minutes to actually have a human speak to me. Then they told me they should never have made the appointment for me because they aren't accepting new patients. Now I'm back to square one trying to find care for my son. What a loser place! read more

Dr. Ayer has been our pediatrician for our three girls. We began seeing him when my oldest (now 5 1/2) was 4 months old and we moved back to Tacoma. He's patient, knowledgeable, and goes above and beyond what you might expect from a doctor. We lost our second daughter at 11 months old, very unexpectedly, and Dr. Ayer made himself available for support that night and the terrible weeks that followed. He helped make sure our older daughter was supported and has been so compassionate and understanding after just having a baby in December. He still mentions our second daughter by name, which means so much to us. He's easy to get an appointment in for acute issues, so we almost always get to see him, even if it is last minute. We have seen other doctors 2-3 times when he is out, and they have always been super helpful. I can't think of anyone I would recommend or trust more to care for our girls! Dr. Ayer rocks! read more

Pediatrics, Northwest ... ah. Well, I DID give them six years to get their acts together. But it's officially over now. -- and, yes, it WAS them. The doctors are good -- pretty standard. I did go exclusively to Dr. Clapper for 2 years. He was a great doctor (I agree with the last reviewer). My problem with him is that he's so dang popular, even with appointments, the average well-baby checkup took over an hour. That's to say I had about 5-10 minutes in actual face-to-face interaction with him. The rest of the time was waiting.... My problem was with the administrative side of things. I have always had a problem making appointments. Not only has it been difficult to schedule an appointment, but I have been MIS-scheduled many times. I've arrived to find the receptionist scheduled me for the wrong location, wrong doctor, etc., etc. So, as I've encountered these problems, I've had to RESCHEDULE the appointments ... and the cycle repeats. A few times, in the midst of this cycle as well, I've been misbilled -- along with my insurance. Which REALLY ticks me off. (Whatever's going on, somebody is obviously entering the wrong information into their little computer.) This group was not so bad at first, but the past 4 years have been bad. ... And I have 4 kids, so we are familiar with our doctors. Because there are so many doctors, you can get in with a sick kid - but don't expect anybody to care.... read more

This is a wonderful practice for your children. I took my first set of children and I had a surprise in my older age and brought my bundle back! Dr Gary Tart is my favorite Doctor ! He saw my first set of children and he now sees my new bundle! Dr Tart is very friendly to his young patients and families. He will discuss any concerns parents have. Matthew works at the front desk and he is great. He is very friendly. read more

We have been seeing Dr. Kregenow at the Gig Harbor office since my daughter was born three years ago, and began taking my son to her as well when my son was born. I have recommended her to many friends who were unhappy with the other local pediatric office. All who have switched (5 and counting) just love her! I love that there are so many physicians available, and the weekend hours in Tacoma are great. When my son was born at Tacoma General, the doctor on call was very prompt in giving him an exam, and they made themselves available should we have needed anything. The only reason that I do not give 5 stars is for the wait time. I understand that appointments can get behind, but maybe scheduling them a little further apart would help. I have never waited less than 30 minutes, which is a lot for two toddlers. But that being said, I have been able to get in 'same day' everytime I have requested it. Overall, we are big fans of this practice. read more

The nosey scheduler was too busy being condescending, seems like it was an inconvenience to do her job. Will not be taking ny son here. Their office is outdated & needs rendering anyways. read more

We have seen see this office several times over the years but have 16 months between last visit and they refuse to refill my sons grass allergy med until one doctor is back in office, which results in my son not being able to continue in PE class and kicked off track. This is a "sometimes" Med and the allergy hit fast, he didn't really ever rely on this med...so we are just going to have to miss out on sports. Not going above or beyond. Honestly expect better effort to help a kid stay in sports. This was Not due to lack of planning because they didn't tell us to follow up with them, we didn't think we needed this med and his allergy came on quick and strong. read more

Dr. Juj has been my sons doctor since he was born. She has always been super sweet and kind. Very helpful. She takes her time to listen to you as a parent and your concerns. I am having another baby soon and plan on having him see her also. Parking in the baker center is always easy too. Other staff is always nice! Waiting room is clean. read more

My pediatrician in another state sent my child's records 3 times and their office lost each transmittal. This resulted in multiple, unnecessary and expensive visits to properly immunize my child. Dr. Lichter (the only physician we were allowed to see since we were new patients) wasn't very assertive or helpful. My son wasn't very cooperativd (he's 2) and she just kind of stared at him. She (nor any other staff member who had direct patient contact) washed their hands when beginning an exam. Disgusting, especially during flu season. She literally walked in, pretended to touch the bottle of hand sanitizer and began the exam without even rubbing her hands together. Seriously? So, we're out a few hundred bucks because they lose paperwork and the search for a competent pediatrician continues. read more

We've been seeing Dr. Clapper for many, many years now, and through 4 children now through normal checkups and issues, including hospitalization. He is the best pediatrician I've met--great with the kids, thorough, explains things when there are questions, provides great info, and supports parents. My wife isn't as high on other docs, but unless urgent, we never see others. read more

I love Dr. Juj! She is wonderful with our children and with us too. I also appreciate how quickly we can be seen. We are able to call and get an appointment within a day or two for regular run-of-the-mill illnesses. We've gone in for several urgent appointments as well and they have always been able to see us that day, usually within a half hour of calling. I've found the administrative staff courteous, the nurses kind and competent, and the waits tolerable. read more

My children have been coming here for years from my teenagers to my newborn now.

I tried another provider at this clinic since they had so many I asked for a change. We went to Dr. Mendoza who also got us in with their Asthma specialist (At the Baker center). My son was finally allergy tested and regulated on medicines. He got his tonsils removed (he had a +4 tonsil they touched the uvula and went over them on one side!) He is much better off now and we haven't needed an ER in MONTHS! MONTHS is such a vast improvement it is beyond dizzying! I began taking my 2 daughters here as well who all get excellent care by Dr. Mendoza. I think I didn't hit it off with Dr. Goldsmith and the nurse practitioner but a few of the doctors here are exceptionally good with kids and listening to concerns. So now we don't need to go all the way to the IHS providers, which is sad, but we save a lot on gas in the long run. read more

Decent peds staff but the wait times for check in are WAY too long.

First I will point out that the staff and doctors are very good and exceed my expectations. But I felt the need to write this review simply because of a billing incident. We owe roughly $300 to PED NW and had been having a difficult time making the payments due to my wife and I being laid off from work (non profit organization lost funding and closed). Within 11 months time, I had been sent to collections and the collections office have SUED me and now the bill there asking me to pay includes there lawyer fee's among several other fee's. I understand that Pediatrics needs to get paid and I will always make every attempt to make right on my debt as I have in the past. Unfortunately in our financial state, its near impossible at the moment to make these payments. ...im just stunned that I would be sued for a medical bill from my daughter on a follow up of an ER visit within a years time. I have several medical bills that are getting paid slowly, but they are receiving there money and they have all worked with me, with the exception of this company. I just wish I knew ahead of time that a company goes to these extremes in such a short period. read more

We've been at the Gig Harbor office since my son was born. We usually see Dr. Chacko and she is lovely. Dr. Rurik is also great, he really knows how to work with children. The front desk staff, however, leaves something to be desired. Consistently unpleasant. The receptionist straight up lied to other staff about how long we'd been waiting, right in front of me. I understand that showing up 10 minutes late to a last minute appointment means we might have to reschedule and I get that it's an inconvenience. But I sat there waiting to check in for 10 minutes while she's on the phone helping someone else schedule an appointment. Then she says we just showed up a minute ago and no one can see us because they've gone to lunch. I've never been impressed with her attitude and today it annoyed me enough to switch to Harbor Pediatrics. read more

Although the nurse was beyond nice, i waited in this office for TWO hours just for Dr Clapper to come in and do unnecessary harm to my child. He pulled my child's foreskin COMPLETLY back and rubbed it vigorously with dry gauze to the point where my child was screaming bloody murder and his penis was raw. While i understand he was trying to clean it, he was being WAY too rough. I will not be returning here for ANY pediatric needs. read more

i love Dr. Lawrence Larson, he was very professional, he told me everything i wanted to know about seafood allergy without even asking questions. stuff was very pleasant also. we had before another doctor, DR. Jeffrey, and i wasn't happy with him at all. read more

We've been with Pediatrics Northwest since just after my son was born. I am very pleased with their service. We typically see Dr. Oltman, who is wonderful! On emergency visits we have also seen Dr. Juj and Dr. Ayer who are also great. I have never been disappointed with a visit. They take the time to really talk about your concerns. I recommend this place to all my friends and family with children. read more

Dr. Kregenow is such a GREAT doctor! She actually sits down and takes the time to talk to you, instead of getting the nurses notes. Dr. Kregenow is very attentive to both my daughter and us. She remembers little things I never would expect a doctor to remember and is very thorough in every aspect. Very nice, knowledgeable, and personable - She is absolutely the best Dr. I have found and I highly recommend her to be your children's physician. read more

I am not a fan of Tacoma General at all. However my kids have seen Dr. Oltman and one other doctor here and I was more than satisfied. Excellent bedside manner,m very understanding. When I first met Dr. Oltman I had just given birth to my daughter and he came in when I was in the shower and I didn't want him to take my baby out of the room until I got out and could verify who he was. Most Dr.s would get really annoyed but he was very patient with me. The next time we saw him in the office he remembered our names and family details etc.. I was very impressed. He told me that our daughter may have a hole in her heart and he dealt with it in a very calm and professional way and told us not to worry because he was not worried yet. And sure enough after a lot of praying and a month or so the hole was closed up. But he was very good about reassuring us that she was going to be okay. The other doctor we saw here was also very very good. They take a lot of time with you and your appointment is always the time they say it is going to be not a half hour later. I am very picky when it comes to doctors especially when it comes to our kids. We have 6 kids so we have been through quite a few doctors and I would say that these doctors are the best. read more

Dr. Oltman has been wonderful with my children. The nurses are friendly and my kids are not afraid to go to the doctor. Dr. Oltman takes his time to listen to me and talk to my kids. They do tend to run behind schedule, though, so plan ahead for that and bring extra toys for your kids. read more

I am extremely disappointed in the experience my daughter and I had at Pediatrics Northwest. I am only giving 2 stars instead of 1 because the front desk staff and assistants were very nice. My specific complaints are with the nurse practitioner we met with. My wife and I have been taking our 2 girls to PN for at least 5 years and have been mostly satisfied, although my wife has said in the past that she sometimes has felt "talked down to" by our primary physician. I will confess that I am not the parent who usually takes the kids to their appointments, but today, it was I who took our oldest daughter (14 years old) to her appointment. The purpose for the appointment was to be a quick visit to obtain her annual sports physical so that she can participate in athletics at school. As you can imagine, a 14 year old girl going with her father to her physical can be a bit embarrassing for her and I wanted to be very attentive to her concerns. When they called her back in for her exam, they asked if I wanted to come along or wait and I told them that I would wait in the waiting room. 5 minutes later they came back out and said that I need to be in the room due to my daughter's age (which is fine). I was assured by the assistant leading me back to the room that I would be able to leave the room during any "embarrassing parts" of the physical, so that my daughter would feel comfortable. I was led into the exam room and when I was alone with my daughter she informed me that they told her she "had to" have some shots and she handed me 2 information brochures about the flu and HPV vaccines. When the nurse came in, she asked "What are we in for today?" and I explained how my daughter needed to get her sports physical. She asked about the 2 vaccines and I politely declined both. I should stop and explain here that I am not one of those anti-vaccine people who refuse all vaccines for their children (although that was certainly how I felt I was treated). I fully support routine vaccinations against serious diseases. That having been said, in our family we generally do not get the flu vaccine (with the exception of for very young or the very old). Also, given it is May, we are basically past the peak flu season. As far as the HPV vaccine, I have been on the fence, and basically wanted to be able to discuss with my wife, since I know that while the vaccine is considered safe, it is still relatively new and there has been some controversy as to whether or not this vaccine should be considered mandatory. In any case, after declining, I was informed in a very condescending manner that I would need to sign a form denoting my "refusal". I also received a lecture on the benefits of both vaccines, with the implication being what a dead-beat parent I was for refusing. Next, the nurse practitioner proceeded to ask my daughter several detailed female-specific questions -- while she sat mortified that she had to answer them in my presence. And I believe they were all questions she had to answer in her health questionnaire we had to fill out in the waiting room. I felt there was no bedside manner nor any understanding that a 14 year old girl might find it a little bit embarrassing to talk about personal female issues in front of her dad. Next, they excused me so my daughter could receive her physical exam (why not save the awkward questions until then?!). I went to the waiting room and soon was called back when the exam was over -- only to have them open the door on my daughter changing clothes. Thankfully, the teenage boy I had just walked past had already gotten a fair distance away! Next, the nurse returned with our sports physical form and school excuse slip, and informed me that my daughter does "not get enough milk" (although she drinks at least 2 servings per day) and that she needs more than a multi-vitamin for her vitamin D. At my encouragement, my daughter asked the nurse about some blurry eyes and sinus issues she has been experiencing the past couple of days (classic allergy symptoms). The nurse seemed dismissive and said we should simply purchase antihistamine and Flonase that she should take proactively every day. I asked if maybe my daughter should be tested to see if she had allergies and if so, to what. She dismissed that idea, saying that it was not done nowadays and that she should just use antihistamines and Flonase. Not only did her dismissive attitude bother me, but also her approach: basically, "If you have a problem, there's a pill for that!" We are a family that do not want our children popping 10 different pills each day before they are even 16. The icing on the cake was that as we waited for her to get the final papers, my daughter told me the nurse told her to show the vaccine brochures "to your mother" and made a similar parting comment to her as we left. I wonder how she would feel as a woman if a similar comment was made in the reverse situation. Needless to say, we will not be going back. read more