Hudson Valley Health

Express Pediatrics: Walk in Urgent Care for Children was created to fill a real need in our community. “After regular hours, there were limited options for families. They could tough it out, waiting uncomfortably until their pediatricians became available the next day, or resort to a trip to a local emergency department. This began with a waiting area experience surrounded by sick and injured adults - many who were not on their best behavior, and ended, hours later, with an often less than satisfying visit with a doctor who was expert in adult serious illness and trauma, but not too impressed with a wheezing or feverish child with an earache or vomiting,” says Annie Miranda, founder. “The emergency room is the place to go when you need hospital care – an operation, or an inpatient stay. For most of the problems that you might be discharged home from the emergency room, you can be treated more comfortably and appropriately in the urgent care setting.”
Judging by the local reaction, her intuition was exactly right. More than 250 patients have visited the center since it opened on September 1st, 2008. And though many patients and parents alike have come in anxious or crying, every one has left with a smile and a thank you for being there just when needed. “What a satisfying and rewarding feeling!” says Dr. Miranda.
The center is very informal and set up for relaxing. The waiting area has a large mural of an outdoor scene with a pond, trees and snow capped mountains. The hallways have near-to-life-size farm animal decals on the walls. Exams take place in the Spiderman hideout, construction site, barnyard or princess room. The injury room, where lacerations are sutured and fractures are splinted, is full of life-size figures of children in sports. Sky blue clouds decorate the X-ray suite, with its state of the art pediatric digital X-ray machine, which uses the absolute minimum radiation possible. And I must mention that the waiting area activities for family members include public Wi-Fi, Wii Sports and Wii Fit!
The staff is incredibly warm and friendly, and very competent. The doctors are all Board certified pediatricians, with a minimum of 10 years specialty experience in pediatric emergency medicine. Dr. Miranda herself was the director of Pediatric Emergency Services at North Central Bronx Hospital prior to bringing Express Pediatrics to Hopewell Junction.
The place is a wonderful mix of medical expertise and a kid-friendly setting. The hours supplement the primary care pediatricians well, and the practice of faxing the results of each visit to the PCP has gained the support of the local docs.
Express Pediatrics: Walk in Urgent Care for Children is located in Hopewell Junction, at 1989 Route 52, opposite John Jay High School and IBM. The hours are 5pm to 12am during the week, and noon to midnight on weekends and holidays, 365 days/year. Most insurances accepted.