Articles
Kinder Pediatrics
October 31, 2024
NightTime@KinderPediatrics: Dr. Fenster Reinvents the Urgent Care Experience
It was a cold winter evening when Mrs. Shaindy Fried’s six-month-old began to wail, clutching his ear and refusing to sleep. With her sister’s wedding in just two days and a mountain of errands to get done, Mrs. Fried sighed.
“The kids always choose the best times to get sick, don’t they?” she said to her husband.
Already tired, Mrs. Fried went to pick up her phone. She needed to have her baby seen tonight—that part was obvious—because the child was clearly in agony, plus there was no time to squeeze this into tomorrow’s hectic day. But where to go? She didn’t have the time to sit in an urgent care’s waiting room, waiting for her turn. She also worried about seeing a provider without significant pediatric expertise, which often happens at urgent cares late at night.
Well, she didn’t have much choice, did she? Mrs. Fried was ready to give up on some of these wishes, but then she remembered what her neighbor recently told her about the new after-hours clinic at Dr. Fenster’s pediatric office. Maybe that will work, she thought as she dialed the number of NightTime@KinderPediatrics.
The staff of NightTime@Kinder received Mrs. Fried’s late call as they were preparing to finish up for the night. But hearing the urgency in the frazzled mother’s voice, they quickly made a joint decision: their office wouldn’t close until the child in pain was seen by a medical practitioner.
Minutes later, Mrs. Fried rushed into the office, apologizing profusely and marveling that the office was still fully staffed after official closing hours. A couple minutes later, she had a prescription to treat an ear infection in hand. She left the office grateful and impressed by the clinic’s care—but more importantly, by the chessed they had extended to her.
“They definitely won a fan that day,” Mrs. Fried says. “Now there’s only one place I turn to, and that’s NightTime@Kinder.”
A calling
The service Mrs. Fried experienced was no coincidence. In fact, it was for just such scenarios that Dr. Shlomo Aharon Fenster, a renowned local pediatrician, launched NightTime@Kinder, the urgent care arm of his Kinder Pediatrics practice.
The clinic, designed to be a pediatrician’s office that’s open for the public after hours, delivers expert pediatric medical care with devotion, warmth, and attention to detail. There is one overarching focus: to eliminate the usual hassles of after-hours care and provide Kinder Pediatrics expertise with family-focused, compassionate care.
“At NightTime@Kinder,” says Dr. Fenster, “we’re committed to providing the same care that we provide during the daytime at Kinder Pediatrics: attentive, personalized, and thorough. In fact, our entire staff is focused on our Kinder Pediatrics mission statement—to serve our patients and families out of a spirit of chessed.”
“The difference starts as soon as you call,” notes NP Mattis Dear. “Parents don’t just walk in and hope for the best. We instead allow parents to schedule an appointment by phone, text, or WhatsApp. Within moments of their arrival, the family goes straight back to an exam room.”
No more sitting in crowded waiting rooms exposing sick children to additional illnesses, and no more frustration over endless waits. NightTime@Kinder prioritizes the patient experience with efficiency.
“When parents bring their child in, they’re already stressed,” adds Perrie Netzer, NP, one of the main practitioners at NightTime@Kinder. “We want them to know we’re here for them. Not only do we try to make sure their child is seen quickly, but we do it with the same care and attention as if it were a regular daytime appointment at our pediatrician’s office.”
Care with compassion
What truly sets NightTime@Kinder apart is its dedication to attentive, personalized care, a hallmark of Dr. Fenster’s approach throughout his career.
After completing his training at Maimonides Medical Center, Dr. Fenster moved to Lakewood to work alongside the renowned Dr. Reuven Shanik. “My experience at Dr. Shanik’s office—a veritable chessed factory—was indispensable to my career as a doctor,” Dr. Fenster says. “Working with such a legendary pediatrician and tzaddik influenced my growth as a doctor—both as a diagnostician and as a caregiver.”
At Kinder Pediatrics, the staff has made it their mission to ensure that visiting the doctor’s office is a pleasant—not stressful—experience. From the moment you schedule an appointment to the time you leave the office, every step of the process is designed to be efficient, convenient, and pleasant for the patient and their family.
Dr. Fenster, the heart behind Kinder Pediatrics, is proud to hear from parents who appreciate the care and attention they receive. “One of the most rewarding pieces of feedback I get is when parents tell me how happy they are with the way our office is run,” he says.
A primary driver of Kinder Pediatrics and its new urgent care clinic is Dr. Fenster’s insistence on a “full-picture” approach to medical care—an understanding that when a child is sick, an entire family can be affected. There is often a worried mother, perhaps staying up at night, and a schedule that is disrupted by a sick child. Dr. Fenster and the providers of Kinder Pediatrics endeavor to understand the many different factors when developing a treatment plan.
“We’re not just treating the symptoms—we’re treating the child and supporting the parent and family,” he explains.
Crucially, it’s not just Dr. Fenster who embodies this philosophy. His entire team, from the NPs and PAs to the nurses to the office staff, share the same commitment to exceptional care. NightTime@Kinder is staffed by two of Lakewood’s most caring pediatric nurse practitioners, NP Mattis Dear and NP Perrie Netzer, who bring a wealth of knowledge and a shared commitment to this vision of personalized care. Both have undergone extensive training under Dr. Fenster to ensure that the same level of expertise and personalized care extends through every interaction.
“They are not just practitioners—they are our trusted partners who have undergone rigorous training in the mehalech of Kinder Pediatrics’ care,” Dr. Fenster says.
“It’s about understanding a parent’s concerns,” Dr. Fenster explains, “as well as addressing them fully and making sure everyone leaves feeling reassured. And I’m proud to say that every staff member is on board in both spirit and practice.”
NP Mattis Dear concurs. “We take the time to listen to what’s going on with each child to ensure that we understand the full picture, and we treat the immediate problem accordingly.”
For more complex or serious cases, Dr. Fenster is always on call. He personally steps in when needed, ensuring that any difficult or urgent situation is handled with expert care and precision.
Seamless integration
NightTime@Kinder isn’t a standalone clinic—it operates in seamless collaboration with Kinder Pediatrics, ensuring that every visit, diagnosis, and treatment has a fully integrated continuity of care for Kinder Pediatrics patients and NightTime@Kinder patients alike. Follow-up is automatic, and Dr. Fenster is personally involved whenever necessary.
“It’s so reassuring to know that when I bring my child in after hours, it’s not a one-off visit. It’s the same Kinder Pediatrics, and there’s always follow-up. I know my kids are getting the best care possible,” says Rivka M.
Location, location, location
NightTime@Kinder is conveniently located at 1201 River Avenue in Lakewood, in the back of the building. Situated at the intersection of River Avenue and Chestnut Street, the clinic is just minutes from central neighborhoods, and there is ample parking available, making it easily accessible for families across Lakewood and the surrounding areas.
Whether it’s late in the evening or a busy night, NightTime@Kinder offers not only top-notch pediatric care but also a pleasant experience.