CoxHealth opens pediatric clinic in Ozark

CoxHealth’s new clinic is all about the kids, centralizing Christian County’s pediatric care to one center.

Practicing out of the clinic are Dr. Jennifer Essner and certified pediatric nurse practitioners Sandra Hinds and Katrina Kovarik-Stevens, providing preventive and wellness care for children ages newborn to 18. The clinic also offers development and autism screenings, management of acute and chronic health conditions, sports physicals and vaccinations.

Located at 1741 S. Fifteenth St., the center hosted an open house Oct. 10. Nixa’s clinic formerly offered pediatric care, and while CoxHealth spokeswoman Kaitlyn McConnell said young patients may be seen at any location, Ozark is now the only one with pediatric-specific practitioners.

“By consolidating pediatrics providers in one location, it allows us to enhance and expand the services we’re able to provide to patients,” said Brock Shamel, administrative director of clinics at CoxHealth, in a news release. “This move also allowed us to add two additional primary care providers in the Springfield metro area.”

The clinic incorporates CoxHealth Express, an online portal that allows patients to correspond with medical practitioners and receive care digitally.

CoxHealth also has an urgent care center located at 5548 N. Farmer Branch Road in Ozark, which opened in June and addresses non-life-threatening illnesses. The pediatric clinic’s 2,737-square-foot space formerly housed the CoxHealth Center Ozark, which consolidated two primary care practices when it was relocated next door to the urgent care in May. Costs associated with the moves were not disclosed.

CoxHealth has more than 80 clinics and one other pediatric-specific clinic in Springfield.