If you’ve taken your child to a pediatrician in Montrose, you’re likely familiar with The Pediatric Associates.

This year, the pediatric clinic turns 45, in business in Montrose since 1977. And just like the world has changed plenty since then, so has the clinic.

Thomas Miller is a doctor at the clinic, and he’s a great example of how a rural clinic (and its care professionals) are ingrained in a community.

“I was born here, and I was a baby. It was not fun, but I was admitted to hospital and it was a doctor from this practice that came and saw me,” he said.

Miller moved away in middle school, but he’s back here now, practicing rural pediatrics. The person who took care of him in the hospital… he now sees that doctor’s granddaughter.

Pediatric Associates clinic on S. 5th Street. (Justin Tubbs | MBT)

Shantel Tubbs, the clinical administrator, began working at The Pediatric Associations 26 years ago, and it has grown a lot just in her time, she said.

Back when she started, she said, there were only three doctors. Today, there are 14 providers, and they’re looking to add even more.

“It’s just grown and grown as the community has grown,” Tubbs said.

And while the growth is important (the clinic sees children for all issues, from mental health, to chronic illness, to orthopaedics, to sports medicine), just the fact that the clinic exists is important.

The clinic prides itself on being one of the community’s social safety nets. It takes all forms of payment, and works with people.

“We pretty much don’t turn anyone away,” Tubbs said. “We see anyone who comes in, because they’re children, and children shouldn’t be turned away.”

Around 60% of the patients at The Pediatric Associates are on state or federal programs for their care, such as Medicaid.

A small percentage of children are private insurance or self-pay patients.

But it’s a social safety ways in more ways than just taking patients.

Miller, Tubbs and Amber Hickert, the practice manager, talked about how the clinic sees mental health patients while there is a lack of such care in Montrose.

There are two mental health professionals in the clinic, but doctors can also help in getting children their medicine, since there aren’t psychiatrists around the area to do that.

Another awesome service the practice offers is triage, which is available 24 hours.

Tubbs said the clinic always has someone on call.

“We try not to send someone to the ER if we don’t have to,” she said. “If we can take care of them here, we do that.”

Pediatrics is the lowest-paid form of practicing medicine, so doctors have to have a passion for caring for children. That is evident at The Pediatric Associates.

“Everyone who works here has a heart, and they’re fun to work with. They treat us well, and they’re humble,” Tubbs said. “I think pediatricians are special.”

The clinic recently extended its hours, and it sees patients on Saturdays, she said. For more, see their website.

Justin Tubbs is the Montrose Business Times editor. He can be reached by email at justin@montrosebusinesstimes.com or by phone at 970-765-0915 or mobile at 254-246-2260.