My First Day at Direct Pediatrics: A New Chapter in Pediatric Care in Louisville, KY
Yesterday was my first official day at Direct Pediatrics, and I have to say—it felt pretty good.
There were sick kids to help, parents to text, prescriptions to prepare, supplies to organize, a lot to learn…and, apparently, a dumpster and mailbox that are very well hidden.
But more than anything, it felt like the beginning of an exciting new chapter in how I get to care for children and families here in Louisville.
7:15 AM: The first text of the day
My day started at 7:15 AM with a text from a parent whose child had been sick all night.
After talking through what was going on, we decided a prescription for nausea medicine was in order.
This is one of the things I love about Direct Pediatrics and the direct primary care model: access to your pediatrician when you actually need your pediatrician.
No waiting for the office to open. No sitting on hold. No wondering whether you should take your child to urgent care.
Just a text, a conversation, and a plan.
8:00 AM: Figuring out how to unlock the door
By 8:00, I was at the office trying to figure out how to unlock the front door.
Apparently, this is one of the less glamorous parts of starting at a new pediatric practice.
Eventually, I figured it out.
I got the prescription taken care of and ready at the front desk for the parents to pick up. Then I started doing what you do when you're getting settled into a new space: putting supplies away, organizing, and trying to figure out where everything belongs.
There are a surprising number of decisions involved in setting up a pediatric office.
I'm still making some of them.
9:00 AM: Checking in with another family
At 9:00, I texted another mom to follow up on her child, who had been sick over the weekend.
That simple follow-up is something I think can make a huge difference for families.
Being a pediatrician isn't just about what happens during an appointment. It's about knowing your patients, knowing their families, and being there when questions come up.
Sometimes that means a visit.
Sometimes it means a prescription.
Sometimes it means a quick text asking, "How is your little one doing today?"
That's the kind of relationship-centered pediatric care I want to provide for families in Louisville.
Lunch, a meeting…and the most important delivery of the day
Then came lunch and a meeting as I started getting into the rhythm of my new practice.
And then we received a delivery.
Toy Story water bottles.
And snacks.
Obviously, this was the most important delivery of the entire day.
Priorities.
Things I still haven't figured out
I feel like I should probably be honest about this part.
I still haven't found the dumpster.
I also haven't found the mailbox.
I'm starting to think they're hiding from me.
But I'll find them eventually.
Probably.
The best part of Day One
I left on time.
And I didn't leave with a list of unfinished work hanging over my head.
I got to go home.
I got to be a mom.
And I made it to a little league baseball game.
In 100-degree weather.
In September.
Come on, Kentucky.
But I was there.
And I wasn't sitting at the baseball field thinking about everything I still needed to finish at the office.
That matters to me.
One of the reasons I was so excited about this transition to Direct Pediatrics was the opportunity to build a different kind of pediatric practice—one that gives families more access to their pediatrician while also creating a more sustainable way for me to practice medicine.
I want to have the time to know my patients.
I want parents to feel comfortable texting me when they're worried.
I want to be able to follow up with a child who was sick over the weekend.
And I want to be able to leave the office at the end of the day and be fully present with my own family.
A pretty great first day
Was everything perfectly organized?
Nope.
Do I know where the dumpster is?
Still no.
Have I completely figured out where everything goes?
Definitely not.
But I got to take care of kids.
I got to talk with parents.
I got to check in on families.
I got to start building a new pediatric practice in Louisville.
I got Toy Story water bottles.
And I made it to baseball.
I'd call that a pretty successful first day.
I'm incredibly excited about this next chapter with Direct Pediatrics and about continuing to care for the families who have trusted me with their children.
There are still boxes to unpack, systems to learn, and apparently dumpsters and mailboxes to locate.
But we're off to a good start.
And I can't wait to see what comes next.