🏡 Neighbors
Conversations with people who make Louisville feel like home.
Welcome to the very first edition of Neighbors.
For a while now I've wanted a space to slow down and actually get to know the people behind the places in the city we all love and the places we take for granted. The Sunday issue is built for quick hits: what's happening, where to eat, what's worth your time. Neighbors is going to be the opposite. Once a month, on the 1st, I'll sit down with someone from our community and let them tell their story in their own words. I hope this allows me and everyone who takes the time to read it to learn something new and truly appreciate the community we have.
For our first one, I couldn't be more excited to introduce you to a doctor who is rethinking what it means to have a pediatrician.
Meet Dr. Erica Bailen, MD
Dr. Erica Bailen is a pediatrician at Direct Pediatrics, a Louisville practice built around access, time, and real relationships between families and their doctor. She practiced traditional pediatrics for years before choosing a different model, and she's also trained in functional medicine. She's a published author, a mom, and the owner of a Great Dane who thinks he's a lap dog.
Here's our conversation…
Okay, let's start simple. What is Direct Pediatrics? and how is it different from a typical doctor’s office?
"Direct Pediatrics is a pediatric practice built around access, time, and relationships. We offer both membership care and nonmember visits, so families don't necessarily have to completely change pediatricians to use us.
For our members, we intentionally keep our patient panels smaller. That means longer, less rushed visits, same day or next day appointments, and direct access to your pediatrician by text or phone.
I'm also trained in functional medicine, so I offer traditional plus integrative pediatric care. I'm absolutely a traditional pediatrician first, but when appropriate I can take a deeper look at things like nutrition, GI issues, sleep, ADHD, autism, migraines, chronic symptoms, or more complex concerns.
The simplest way I explain it is this: instead of feeling like you're calling a healthcare system, it feels like you have your pediatrician in your contacts."
You mentioned having a pediatrician in your contacts. What does that actually look like? Can parents really just text you?
"Yes! Members can text or call their pediatrician directly.
A huge percentage of parenting questions are things like, 'Does this need to be seen?' 'Is this normal?' 'Can this wait until morning?' Sometimes a picture and a few texts are all we need. Sometimes I call. Sometimes I say, 'I want to see her. Bring her in.'
That direct communication is probably one of the biggest differences families notice. They don't have to go through a phone tree, leave a message for a nurse, wait for a callback, and then potentially start the whole process over again."
I feel like most offices never get you in same day. So how do you make it work?
"The biggest reason is that we intentionally care for fewer patients.
If every minute of a physician's schedule is booked weeks in advance, there simply isn't anywhere to put the child who wakes up sick today. Our model gives us room for the things that inevitably happen with kids. We're designing the schedule around what patients need, rather than squeezing patients into whatever appointment happens to be open."
Okay, that all sounds great but can you walk me through a real scenario. Say my kid wakes up with a raging fever at 6am on a Tuesday. What happens??
"If you're a member: text me. Seriously.
You might say, 'She woke up with a 103 fever. She's drinking, breathing normally, but she feels awful. What should I do?' I can ask a few questions, tell you what to do right then, and help decide whether she needs to be seen. If I want to examine her, we'll get her in.
And if you're not a member and your regular pediatrician can't see you, you can call Direct Pediatrics when we open and ask about a same day nonmember sick visit at our Norton Commons location.
The goal is to remove as much unnecessary friction from pediatric care as possible."
Alright, let's talk about how membership works then. What's included, and how much it costs?
"Membership is $180 per month per child, with a $500 monthly family maximum for families with three or more kids.
It includes well child care, sick visits, same day or next day access, direct communication with your pediatrician, developmental and behavioral care, chronic condition management, sports and school physicals, parenting guidance, and care coordination. We also have several in office tests and common medications available right through the practice.
For our youngest patients, we offer newborn home visits during the first month of life for families who qualify based on location. That's particularly nice when you're four days postpartum and the last thing you want to do is pack a newborn into the car.
Membership does not replace health insurance. We recommend families keep insurance for emergencies, hospital care, specialists, imaging, outside labs, and other major medical expenses.
And membership isn't the only way in. At Norton Commons we offer $150 nonmember sick visits, including same day appointments when available. I also see nonmembers for longer functional and integrative medicine consultations."
Who is this the best fit for? And honestly, who isn't it for?
"Membership is especially valuable for families who want a close relationship with their pediatrician and place a high value on access.
New parents love it because babies generate approximately 4,000 questions. It's also incredibly helpful for kids who get sick frequently, families navigating developmental or behavioral concerns, children with chronic medical issues, and parents who like being able to ask a question before something turns into a three hour urgent care visit.
But membership isn't for everyone. If a family is happy with their current pediatrician and doesn't feel they need frequent access, a monthly membership may not make financial sense. And that's completely fine. They can still use our nonmember services when they need us."
What made you leave the traditional setup and go with something different?
"I practiced traditional pediatrics for years, and I loved being a pediatrician. What became frustrating was the system around the medicine.
I wanted enough time to listen, think, explain things, and actually follow through. I didn't want pediatric care to feel like a series of rushed snapshots. I wanted to be able to tell a mom, 'Text me tonight and let me know how she's doing,' and actually mean it.
This model lets me practice medicine the way I always thought pediatrics should feel: personal, accessible, thoughtful, and built on relationships. It also gives me time to use my functional medicine training when a child has a more complicated concern, instead of being limited to what fits in a 10 or 15 minute appointment."
Last one, and it's everyone's favorite. Tell us something about you that has nothing to do with medicine.
"I have an 8 year old daughter and a Great Dane puppy named Maverick who is absolutely convinced he is a lap dog. I'm also a huge music person, and if I have control of the office speakers there's a reasonably good chance Taylor Swift will be involved."
Where to find Dr. Bailen
Follow her on Instagram and TikTok at @drericabailenmd
She's also the author of three recently published books!
👉 Check out Dr. Bailen's books
And if you want to learn more about membership or book a nonmember sick visit at Norton Commons check out their website to learn more about Direct Pediatrics
Thank you to Dr. Bailen for being our very first Neighbor! If there's someone in Louisville you think deserves a feature, a business owner, a teacher, a nurse, anyone who makes this city better, just hit reply and tell me about them.
Let’s finish the week strong, see you on Sunday!
- Joey