Time away from school and work can influence whether parents seek pediatric care for a sick child on Massachusetts' Outer Cape. For some families, the visit requires an hour-long drive to Yarmouth.
Here's what to know
Yarmouth's under-18 population is more than double the Outer Cape's total, according to Census Bureau figures cited by The Provincetown Independent.
The 2024 American Community Survey put the Outer Cape's child population at approximately 1,645, helping explain why pediatric practices are concentrated elsewhere.
Families can receive local care from family-medicine providers. Truro resident Alice Gong said she is pleased with the care her son, Sasho, receives from Rachel Bramson, who practices family medicine at Outer Cape Health Services' Wellfleet clinic, according to the Independent.
Barry Zuckerman, a Wellfleet resident who formerly led Boston Medical Center's pediatrics department, said family physicians can provide good care for most children. He also emphasized the importance of pediatricians' additional training.
"I would be most concerned about the youngest children, because their problems and symptoms are not always clear to people with less training," Zuckerman said.
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More background
A 2025 report from Doximity, a professional networking service for health-care workers, identified a nationwide primary-care shortage. It also noted that physicians in pediatrics, family medicine, and internal medicine are among the lowest earners by specialty.
The National Center for Health Workforce Analysis estimated a nationwide shortfall of about 4,380 pediatricians.
Truro father Kolby Blehm takes his children, ages 8 and 10, to pediatrician Kenneth Colmer at Yarmouth's Bass River Pediatric Associates. Though he and his wife have flexible jobs, they still find the drive difficult.
Seasonal traffic adds another obstacle. Bass River office manager Rich Fromm said summer congestion can cause patients traveling from off-Cape to miss appointments. Delays exceeding 15 or 20 minutes can leave providers an hour behind schedule.
What's being done?
Outer Cape Health Services' staff includes three family medicine doctors, plus 12 physician assistants or nurse practitioners specializing in family or adolescent medicine. Its two pediatricians have duties beyond treating children, according to its clinician roster cited by the Independent.
According to OCHS CEO Damian Archer, pediatrician Teresa Corcoran treats adults as an internist and works per diem.
Pediatrician and deputy CEO Paul Geltman said, "The intention is definitely for me to start seeing patients on a limited basis … probably something like one day a week."
Geltman also raised expanding pediatric-specific services and staffing as a possibility, along with consulting with family-trained providers.
Another option is in Orleans, where pediatrician Jacqueline Sloan sees patients on Thursdays. Truro mother of three Jelena Duarte takes her children to that office, but appointments on other days require a trip to Seaside Pediatrics in Yarmouth.
For Truro mother Edin Cook, whose two-and-a-half-year-old son sees Yarmouth pediatrician Jennifer Berrick, the distance influences how often she seeks care.
"I probably go to the doctor less than I would if I had a pediatrician who was on the Outer Cape," Cook admitted.
Where can I learn more?
On the Outer Cape, getting a child to the doctor can mean a long drive and time away from school or work.
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