Writer / Lois Tomaszewski
Photographer / Jubilee Edgell
Navigating the maze of insurance requirements and finding a medical provider to deliver the type of care a parent wants for their child is often difficult and frustrating. Culver Pediatrics is delivering care with a new approach.
While we refer to ourselves as concierge, we are technically a direct primary care practice, says Dr. Noemi Adame. Even though we are by definition, Direct Primary Care, we choose to call ourselves concierge because the term is more well-known. Both concierge and direct primary care models charge a monthly membership fee.
This fee enables the provider to deliver a higher level of service for its patient members. Many clinics that are based on the concierge model do bill insurance, but Adames practice does not.
We ultimately chose this model because it allows us to deliver the personalized, exceptional service and care that meets our high standards, Adame says. We want to work for the families that trust us with the medical care of their children, not insurance companies.
When people select a doctor based on that doctors affiliation with the patients current insurance, there is a likelihood that a long-term doctor-patient relationship may not develop. Adame knows that health insurance is still a necessity to handle serious health concerns, such as cancer or traumatic injuries. For routine care, like the type Adame dispenses, a family should have their choice of doctor, she believes.
The membership advantages are many in a practice like the one at Culver Pediatrics. For example, Adame offers such services as house calls for newborn exams, sick children or to make it more convenient for the family, direct access to her 24-hours a day, seven days a week, same-day or next-day appointments, reduced prescription costs and continuing patient education, among other medical services. The clinics website says it provides modern medical care and old-fashioned service.
Located in a rural area of Marshall County in a 120-year-old farmhouse, Adame understands how health care can be considered an expense that many families cannot afford. She grew up in south Texas, the daughter of Mexican immigrants.
Health care was a luxury when I was growing up, that was not always accessible to my family, she recalls.
To her, pursuing a career in medicine seemed to be a natural fit. She found her calling after her obstetrics rotation in medical school. That calling was pediatrics.
She has acquired 18 years of experience as a pediatrician in both an inpatient and outpatient setting. She cared for patients in pediatric Intensive care, in the emergency room and the newborn nursery. Prior to opening her practice in Culver, Adame says she researched the concierge model before deciding this was exactly what the community needs.
I am so happy now that for the first time I have the freedom to deliver the quality of care I think families with newborns deserve, Adame says. The first few months of parenting are often the most challenging. This is when families need the most from their pediatrician.
Other areas of special interest and expertise include breastfeeding medicine, preventative health including vaccines, nutrition and fitness with a focus on a plant-based lifestyle, health and wellness of LGBTQ+ children and families, sports injuries and concussion management, and mental and behavioral health such as depression, anxiety and ADHD in children and teens.
The clinic also offers rapid COVID antigen testing with results in 15 minutes, and flu shots. This is a service available to non-members, too.
Adame and her husband, Chris Gamel, moved to Culver when Gamel accepted a teaching position at Culver Academies. He is a science instructor at the school and serves as Culver Pediatrics Business Manager.
Chris and I are so proud to be able to serve the Lake Max area and beyond, Adame says. Even though we have been open for less than a year, the support we have received from the community has been overwhelming and humbling.
Culver Pediatrics is located at 16427 W. 18th Road, Culver. For more information and for their hours, visit culverpediatrics.com, email info@culverpediatrics.com or call 219-250-8120.
