Piedmont Pediatrics Opens In Downtown Crozet

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From left: Practice manager Genevieve Blair, Dr. Gretchen Brantley, Dr. Carol Boersma, and Dr. Rob Michel
From left: Practice manager Genevieve Blair, Dr. Gretchen Brantley, Dr. Carol Boersma, and Dr. Rob Michel

Piedmont Pediatrics, with a main office on Rio Road in Charlottesville, opened a branch of the practice in downtown Crozet February 24 in the former office of dentist Emery Taylor.

Three pediatricians, Dr. Gretchen Brantley, Dr. Carol Boersma, and Dr. Rob Michel, all U.Va.-trained and all parents themselves, will staff the practice, treating patients from ages zero to 22.  Together, they have 46 years of experience. The practice has admitting rights at Martha Jefferson Hospital.

Their white cinder block building got new easy-to-mop-up flooring and a new nursing station, but was otherwise well suited to its new use. They added a small lab that will be able to perform urine, hemoglobin and lead tests and rapid tests for strep throat and influenza. The doctors will interpret the tests.

“We have a modest number of folks who come to us from the west side of town,” explained Dr. Michel. “We’ll have one physician here at all times,” he said. “We’ll be closed on Fridays until the patient base grows.” Their main office is open six days a week with a half day on Saturdays.

“We had thought for a while about a second site,” he said. “We were bursting at the seams. This area has the greatest opportunity for success. We started looking a year ago.

“We have been accepting new patients already and a lot of our current patients are excited for us to be here. As people we are happy and relaxed. As professionals we provide care that is evidence-based and up-to-date. We are stingy with antibiotics.”

“I think of us as thoughtful and caring physicians who really enjoy our work and want to be here,” said Dr. Boersma. “We love what we do and we love our patients. We see our job as partnering with parents in raising their child.”

They will have three nurses, Niki Allen, Jessi Tabor and Rachel Adams.