When it comes to accessing pediatric specialty care, the more appointment options, the better- especially for busy families caring for a child with complex medical needs. Beginning May 4, families living in the Plano area have another close-to-home location for connecting with Cook Children’s Health Care System and its vast network of pediatric specialty physicians.

Conveniently located just off the Sam Rayburn Tollway between Plano, Frisco, Allen and McKinney brimming with young families, Cook Children’s new multispecialty clinic gives patients increased access to pediatric physicians specializing in neurology, endocrinology, pediatric surgery, pulmonology, gastroenterology, nephrology, urology, plastic surgery and orthopedics. Cook Children’s physician specialists from the Prosper Specialty clinics will rotate through the clinic regularly, giving parents more choice and flexibility in scheduling appointments at a location most convenient to them.

“Patients requiring specialty care often need to see their specialist multiple times, and those with complex medical conditions may see multiple specialists across several departments regularly, said Teresa Baker, Cook Children’s vice president of Primary and Specialty Services. “In addition to the convenience of closer-to-home care, the new clinic increases appointment availability so busy families have more options when scheduling visits. The new location also provides additional space to add more physicians and advanced practice practitioners to meet the needs of families in the fast-growing communities of the region.”

This will be Cook Children’s seventh multispecialty clinic in the Metroplex. Others are located in Alliance, Denton, Hurst, Mansfield, Southlake and Walsh Ranch. The Plano clinic offers 10 exam rooms, including one that will flex as a procedure room, as well as an X-ray unit. While Cook Children’s physicians will rotate through the clinic, it will have full-time, on-site clinical staff, an X-ray technician and front desk personnel.

Damian Campbell, D.O., a Cook Children’s pediatric neurologist, will see patients at the new Plano clinic on Thursdays. He’ll have the ability to offer many of the same evaluations in Plano as in his primary office at Cook Children’s Pediatric Specialties Clinic in Prosper, with the exception of electroencephalograms (EEGs) and some concussion evaluations.

"We’re aiming to be available for patient families every week right from the start of this new project,” Dr. Campbell said. “We know that life gets busy, and juggling work and school can make finding time for appointments a bit tricky. Having more availability close to home is designed to help make that easier. Our goal is for this new venture to help make sure families have more access to the high-quality care and attention that Cook Children’s is known for.”

This new addition to the health system’s network is one more example of Cook Children’s keeping its Promise to the children and families in the communities it serves, says Kevin Greene, president of Cook Children’s – Prosper.

“Our Promise is to improve the health of every child in our care and our communities,” Greene said. “By opening this new specialty clinic in Plano, we are bringing that Promise to the doorsteps of the families we serve. We are no longer asking parents and caregivers to endure long commutes for specialized care. Instead, we are meeting them where they live, work, and go to school—ensuring every child has access to high-quality pediatric care and the opportunity to grow up healthy, regardless of their zip code.”