Alliance Health and Dermatology, a new multi-specialty medical practice at 304 South Mount Auburn Road in Cape Girardeau, is opening on Nov. 4.
Jennifer Icaza-Gast owns the practice with her husband, internal medicine physician Josh Gast, and she said they wanted to start the multi-specialty practice because there is currently nothing like it in the area.
“In St. Louis, they are thriving,” Icaza-Gast said. “People love being able to go to different specialists all under one roof. Every time I see a multi-specialty practice in another city, their parking lots are always full.”
Icaza-Gast added that Alliance Health is already seeing a strong response, despite only recently announcing they were coming to the area. “My phone has been ringing nonstop,” she said. “Our dermatologist [Dr. Lawrence Feigenbaum] is already booked for the first month he is here.”
Feigenbaum is coming from St. Louis, and specializes in hair transplant and skin care surgery. Icaza-Gast said she is excited to bring Feigenbaum to the area, stating that she knew many people who went to St. Louis to see a dermatologist in the past. She added that Dr. Hal Brown, who recently retired, sent out letters to his patients recommending Feigenbaum.
Alliance Health will also have pediatrician James Hoffman part time, and Icaza-Gast’s father, Dr. Ramiro Icaza, as its primary care physician. Icaza-Gast said Hoffman has the biggest pediatric practice in this area, and her father had a practice in Jackson for around 30 years.
On a personal note, Icaza-Gast said it is nice to start the practice with both her husband and father around. “I know how they are personally, and I know how they interact with their patients,” she said. “I know that they love this town and this community – I just think it’s a win-win, all the way around.”
Alliance Health will also have a partnership with local orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Lyndon Gross, and local gastroenterologist, Dr. Timothy Edwards. “Both of those doctors are going to be working with us and providing Alliance Health patients special cash pricing and different perks,” Icaza-Gast said.
An aesthetic and wellness center, Aspire, will open with Alliance Health, offering facials, chemical peels and other cosmetic dermatology treatments.
Icaza-Gast said they have room to grow and will try to add more physicians as time goes on. “An allergist is one that we plan on adding,” she said. “We don’t have an allergist currently, so I think that is something that will be big for this community.”
The name Alliance Health was chosen to highlight the partnerships between the various physicians involved. “We are forming an alliance, if you will, of what we are able to offer folks,” Icaza-Gast explained. “We are wanting our doctors to take time with the patients and get to really know them – and that’s what the doctors want too. It’s not good care when you have to rush a patient in and out and spend just a few moments with them.”
Alliance Health is already accepting appointments at 573-803-3331.
