Oakland Bay Pediatrics

“Caring for the future…”

Oakland Bay Pediatrics is a place where the staff work together to meet the needs of their young patients.  Whether they are conducting a well-child exam, caring for a playtime injury, or an ill baby, they are pleased to answer any questions, offer encouragement, or dry young tears.

Oakland Bay Pediatrics specializes in the healthcare of infants, children, and adolescents.  Their goal is to provide their patients and parents with the best possible medical care and preventative guidance as they follow your child from birth to adulthood.

The clinic is part of Public Hospital District No. 1 of Mason County, which is the governing body of Mason General Hospital and it’s “Family of Clinics”.  The “family of clinics” includes MGH Eye Clinic, MGH Shelton Orthopedics, MGH Surgery Clinic, Mt. View Women’s Health Clinic, Oakland Bay Pediatrics, and Shelton Family Medicine.

“Round the Clock Care…”
When things get busy, OBP teams up to make sure all kids needing same-day care are seen.  The staff is also available on call nights and weekends, so that they can help parents determine whether their child needs to be seen immediately at the hospital, the next day at the office, or can be treated at home. 

Some of the many things to see us for:

 
 
 



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VACCINES REQUIRED FOR SCHOOL ATTENDANCE

Vaccines for Pre-School/Child Care Children

Vaccines for School Age Children


Oakland Bay Pediatrics

Office Hours
Monday - Friday
8:00am to 5:00pm

Closed Saturday, Sunday, and all major holidays.

In case of an after-hour emergency, an "on-call physician" is available to answer your questions.
Oakland Bay pediatricians share 'night and weekend call' with local family practitioners.

Telephone
360-426-3102

Location
247 Professional Way
Shelton WA 98584


Same complex as The Medicine Shoppe Pharmacy, across 13th Street from Mason General Hospital.

Fees
We accept most local health plans and HMO's. Our experienced staff is available to answer your questions.


Billing questions should be directed to our billing clerk at 360-427-3439.

Please be aware that some insurance companies pay the full amount for office visits and others have deductibles or percentage allowances. Patients have ultimate responsibility for payment.

“What does it mean to be board certified?”

A doctor is board-certified when he or she has taken additional training to ‘specialize’ in a certain area of medicine.  This usually means at least three years of residency training in a post-graduate institutional program in their area of specialization.  The American Board of Medical Specialists (ABMS) is the recognized standard-setting organization for certifying a physician who has met the training and examination requirements for certification by the boards they represent.

Saad Al Alou =(Sod) (All ah-lou)

Meltem Karatepe =(Mel-tem) (Ka-rah-teh-pay)

Therese Pizanti =(Ter-ees) (Piz-ahn-tee)

 

 

 

 
   
   

Meet our Physicians!!

Pediatricians Saad Al Alou, M.D., and Meltem Karatepe, M.D. offer quality healthcare to kids from birth through eighteen.

Saad Al Alou, M.D., board-certified pediatrician, completed his studies in pediatrics and adolescent medicine at St. Joseph Children’s Hospital, Paterson, New Jersey, which is an affiliate school of Mount Sinai School of Medicine of New York.  He enjoys being a pediatrician and has dedicated his career to care for all children.  He is fluent in Spanish, Romanian, and Arabic.

Meltem Karatepe, M.D., board-eligible pediatrician, started seeing patients at Oakland Bay Pediatrics in November, 2008.  She received her medical degree from the University of Istanbul, Turkey, and completed her residency at the Metropolitan Hospital, New York.  Her training included pediatric and neonatal intensive care, pulmonology, endocrinology, infectious diseases, cardiology, dermatology, radiology, nephrology, hematology-oncology, genetics, and adolescent medicine.
See page 6 of Scope Newsletter for story on Meltem Karatepe

Therese Pizanti, ARNP, board-certified pediatric nurse practitioner, received her Bachelor of Science Nursing degree in 1985 from the University of San Francisco, CA.  Later, in 1988, she went on to further her education as a pediatric nurse practitioner while serving in the United States Air Force, finishing in 1990 with her board certification. 

To make an appointment with any one of the Oakland Bay Pediatrics staff, please call (360) 426-3102

What do I look for in a pediatrician?

Your baby is due in the next few weeks, and worry starts to set in. Will I be a good parent? What will I do if my child gets sick? Who can I turn to for reliable advice?

Rest assured, many new parents fret about such matters. So relax and do what you would normally do in a crisis – shop (Go to Oakland Bay Pediatrics)!

Experts say it's a good idea to actively look for a pediatrician that is not only competent but is agreeable to you. After all, this person will be your healthcare soul mate.  You'll need to feel comfortable enough with this doctor to discuss your child's ailments, immunizations, thumb sucking, bed-wetting, and changes during puberty.

For now, let's concentrate on how to choose a doctor that's right for you and your family.

Check a Pediatrician's Credentials
The best time to start searching for a pediatrician is in the last few weeks before your expected due date, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). Families who move or change insurance are encouraged to find a doctor well before the child needs a checkup or becomes sick.
To find a good doctor, it's always nice to get positive referrals from family and friends. If that fails, ask your OB/GYN or primary care doctor for suggestions. There are also printed guides on the topic. The AAP's Caring for Your Baby and Young Child: Birth to Age 5 and The Mother's Almanac by Marguerite Kelly and Elia Parsons are two books recommended by Philip Itkin, MD, FAAP, a pediatrician in private practice at the Omaha Children's Clinic.

Parents are also advised to check credentials, which are usually displayed on the practitioner's office wall. Appropriate training in pediatrics involves medical school and at least three years of residency in either pediatrics or family medicine. After that, many doctors take a test given by the American Board of Pediatrics or the American Board of Family Medicine, and if they pass, become board certified. Websites for most insurance companies list the credentials of physicians in their plan.

Source: WebMD.com

 

 
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Telephone - Shelton: (360) 426-1611 | Allyn: (360) 275-8614