Clinic moves into new, bigger space, expands to offer specialty clinic

WASILLA — A lot has changed since Dr. Laura Peterson opened Ptarmigan Pediatrics along Bogard Road in 2008.

It was a big change, ending her career as an U.S. Air Force pediatrician and opening her own private practice.

“It was a big step,” Dr. Peterson told the assembled crowd at a ribbon cutting event to mark the opening of their new clinic off Seward Meridian Parkway in Wasilla.

The clinic opened with one doctor, one medical assistant and a person to handle billing, she said. And now has more than 35 full-time employees — including five pediatricians and three nurse practitioners, Dr. Peterson said.

Wasilla Mayor Bert Cottle told the audience at the ribbon cutting the parcel where the clinic is located near Wasilla Creek had been part of his parents’ property when he was a boy.

Dr. Bruce Hess and Dr. Peterson did their residency together at the same Air Force Base hospital in Mississippi. And when Dr. Hess’ tour of duty ended, he became a partner in the practice in 2009.

The new clinic features more exam room and waiting room space as well as space to lease to specialty clinics, he said. During the peak of the back-to-school physical season, Dr. Hess said the line in their old waiting room would stretch into the hallway. The new clinic with more doctors, exam rooms and waiting room space should mean those days are over, he said.

Though he advised parents to call now to set up an appointment for their children who need back-to-school physicals.

For now, the clinic includes asthma and pediatric cardiology specialties in the adjoining suite, Dr. Hess said. He said the goal is to add specialty clinic days for gastroenterology and endocrinology.

“We actually have a lot of juvenile diabetes out here, but no care providers,” he said.

Anchorage specialists are opening Wasilla locations to better serve their patients who live in the Mat-Su Borough, Dr. Hess said. That means some patients who had to drive to Anchorage to see their specialist can get some of their follow up care in the Valley now, Dr. Hess said.

Stacy Peterson is Dr. Peterson’s husband, as well as the clinic’s facilities manager and clinic supervisor. He said it was intentional that the clinic’s open house Friday reflected their kid-centric business model.

The event featured more than 30 vendors, including Kids Don’t Float, Body Renew, Mat-Su Public Health, Valley Performing Arts, the HeartReach Center, Wolf Eye Center, Alaska State Troopers, Solstice Family Medicine, The Children’s Place and Marky and Friends.

“We try to do a lot of children-related stuff for the community,” he said, noting they also recruited the Colony Knights football team to help with traffic control.

Contact Heather A. Resz at 352-2268 or heather.resz@frontiersman.com.