Concierge Pediatricians?! Now there's an idea. Drs. Steve and Oded showed up during our sixth day in the pediatric ICU at CPMC and we have never looked back. Being in the hospital was hardly comforting vindication after weeks of insisting with our previous pediatrician that something was wrong. We were referred by one of the more knowledgeable nurses at CPMC that Dr. Herbsman, who was then director of the pediatric ICU, was starting a new service with his colleague Dr. Martel. We would be hard pressed to sign up as adults for a concierge internist, but Child's Light Pediatrics is by far the best healthcare money we have spent. Impeccable clinical credentials (my husband is a medical investor and made multiple reference calls to understand this) and fantastic service (call their mobile phone and get an answer, a follow-up email and a visit when appropriate). No time wasted in a waiting room - they come to our house. Vaccinations and weigh ins - at our house. This is the way medicine was and should be practiced. Steve has spent most time with us and knows everything about our son, Oded has access to the same electronic records on his laptop. After six months, we consider them friends as much as our physicians. Both doctors are enthusiastic, accessible, supportive and smart. They were rare advocates in follow up procedures after the initial hospitalization and superb at navigating the SF medical system to find the best specialists. The old way is a $10 co-pay, this way is priceless.

We use Child's Light Pediatrics and LOVE them. Basically, they are two doctors that only make house calls. The deal is: you pay a nominal fee upfront (most of which is covered by insurance) and then you have access to them 24/7 (I only have their cell numbers) and they come to your house for everything (shots, well visits, etc.). It is amazing not to have to take my baby to an office where other sick kids are waiting to see the doctor! I can't tell you what a difference it has made having the doctors come to me. Additionally, if you have to go to the emergency room for anything they will meet you there. For example, my infant son had a rash after we got back from travelling and one of the doctors met us at CPMC, escorted us to a private area and 20 minutes later we were gone. We bypassed the entire process of checking in, waiting, etc. The doctors are extremely reputable - one is the former Chief of Pediatrics at CPMC and the other is the former Assistant Chief at CPMC - and they have an amazing bedside manner. They really take the time to know my son and won't leave my house without making sure my son smiles at them! I cannot recommend these doctors enough.

I can't say how much we love our pediatricians, Dr's Oded and Steve of Child's Light. We have 2 very young children - 14 months apart and have had many mid-night scares with temperatures through the roof and visits to the ER. I've been met at the ER and taken into a treatment room within minutes of our arrival, the doctor traveled with my son in the ambulance to Children's Hospital, left us at 3AM and was back at the crack of dawn to check on our little guy. It's the best care I have ever received or even heard of - I love having these guys come for well baby visits. Both Dr. Steve and Oded know my kids, they talk to them and spend time with them on visits. I will never, ever go back to doctor office visits again.

When I began searching for a pediatrician for our firstborn child, I was overwhelmed with advice and recommendations from friends and doctors. However, no one "fit the bill" when it came to what I was looking for in a doctor until I found Dr. Herbsman and Dr. Martel of Child's Light Pediatrics. They are a dynamic duo of medicine (Western and Eastern methods), and I could not be more pleased with the knowledge and helpful insight they provide at each visit to our home. It is such a pleasure to schedule our wellness appointments and know that we do not have to leave the house and sit in a germ-filled waiting room at a local pediatrician's office. When they come for the appointments, they never rush to get through the procedures, but instead sit down and talk with us about any rising issues or questions we may have and then they continue with their gentle ways of handling our precious little girl as they conduct the exam. They provide us with all the necessary information we need to make well-educated decisions when it comes to vaccines and overall general care. Knowing they are only a phone call or email away (and yes, they are the ones you talk to when you have an urgent question or concern, not a nurse or answering service!), makes us feel so secure and well taken care of whether we are at home or traveling afar. We are so fortunate to have found these wonderful doctors and praise them for bringing back the "old world charm" of house call medicine at its finest.

Dr. Herbsman and Dr. Martel provide in-home pediatric care. I love not having to drag my baby to the doctors' office for his visits. Instead, I can have a cup of coffee with his pediatrician, talk about my concerns and the baby's development and then do the wellness visit right here at home. As much as I hate doing the vaccinations, I do really appreciate being able to comfort my child at home and stay here with him after he has had his shots. Both doctors are outstanding. They are both Fellows of the American Academy of Pediatrics, yet they also have an interest in alternative and complementary medicine. I feel like we get the best of both worlds. Dr. Martel taught me to how to do infant massage, and this is now a big part of my bedtime routine with the baby (who sleeps incredibly well!). Both doctors are open and available to discuss your concerns. We have worked out an alternative vaccination schedule that I am happy with. At my previous pediatrician's office, I felt like the attitude was "my way or the highway." I also love being able to reach the doctors by cell phone or email as questions come up, which for me as new mom happened frequently. And most of my son likes his doctors.... We look forward to having them in our lives for many years to come.