Dr. Oana Andreescu in Chattanooga: Solo Primary Care Practice with Extended Appointment Time
Dr. Oana Andreescu operates a single-provider family medicine practice that accepts new patients, offers same-day acute visits, and allocates longer appointment slots than many Chattanooga primary care offices. The practice focuses on internal medicine and family medicine for adults and older adolescents, functioning as an independent practice rather than as part of a larger medical system.
What Dr. Andreescu's Practice Actually Is
This is a solo family medicine office handling routine physicals, chronic disease management, preventive care, and acute illness visits. The practice does not operate as urgent care (no extended evening or weekend hours) and does not provide surgical services, OB-GYN care, or pediatric care. Patients who need specialist referral or hospital admission are directed to appropriate providers; Chattanooga's major hospital systems, Erlanger and CHI Memorial, both operate affiliated urgent care locations and emergency departments if same-day care outside this office's hours is needed.
Dr. Andreescu is a licensed physician in Tennessee. The practice maintains standard office-based medical records and handles insurance billing directly. It is not a telemedicine-only provider.
Services and Appointment Structure
The practice handles annual physical exams, management of chronic conditions (hypertension, diabetes, high cholesterol, COPD, asthma), minor acute visits (upper respiratory infection, urinary tract infections, minor injuries), preventive screenings, vaccination administration, and medication management. Routine lab work can be ordered and drawn locally, with results reviewed during follow-up or by phone.
Appointment length is a practical distinction. Many Chattanooga family medicine practices, especially those embedded in urgent care models or run by large employers, allocate 20 to 30 minutes per established patient visit. Dr. Andreescu's office typically schedules 45 to 60 minutes for new patients and longer visits for complex cases, a structure that accommodates patients with multiple conditions or those who need more discussion time.
Insurance acceptance is broad. The office accepts Medicare, most major commercial plans (Blue Cross Blue Shield of Tennessee, Cigna, Humana), and Medicaid. Specific verification of coverage for your plan is recommended before the first visit; call the office directly for current network status.
Out-of-pocket costs depend on your insurance. Copay amounts and deductible responsibility vary by plan. Uninsured patients should ask about office fees for visits and any available discounts at scheduling.
How This Practice Fits Into Chattanooga's Primary Care Landscape
Chattanooga's family medicine options break into three tiers: large health systems (Erlanger, CHI Memorial), urgent care chains that also offer primary care (such as GoHealth Urgent Care or CVS Minute Clinic locations), and independent practices like Dr. Andreescu's.
System-affiliated practices offer integrated electronic health records, direct referral to specialists within the same network, and often have same-day or next-day availability for acute problems. The trade-off is that appointment slots may be shorter, and continuity of care can fragment across multiple providers.
Urgent care and retail clinics handle acute visits efficiently but typically do not manage ongoing chronic disease; they are designed for walk-in episodic care. Patients without a primary care home often cycle through urgent care for acute problems and have no place to track blood pressure, adjust diabetes medications, or receive preventive counseling.
Independent practices like Dr. Andreescu's prioritize continuity. You see the same provider, who builds knowledge of your medical history. The longer appointment model suits patients with multiple conditions or those who value discussion time. The limitation is that after-hours acute care and same-day hospitalization coordination may require a call to an emergency department; there is no internal urgent care network.
This practice is best suited to patients already established with a primary care provider who want to transition to a solo practice with longer visits, or to those new to Chattanooga who seek a relationship-based primary care model rather than a system approach.
Who This Practice Suits and Who It Does Not
This office is appropriate for adults and older teens seeking routine preventive care, management of stable chronic diseases, acute illness evaluation during business hours, and continuity with a single provider. It works well for patients who value longer appointments and time to discuss health concerns beyond the immediate complaint.
It is not the right fit for patients who require urgent/emergent care outside standard hours, who need same-day access for acute problems (best handled by Erlanger or CHI Memorial urgent care locations), or who prefer a large system affiliation. Pediatric patients, pregnant women, and patients requiring complex surgical or psychiatric hospitalization should establish care elsewhere.
What the First Visit Involves
New patients complete a medical history questionnaire before the appointment, either by mail or on arrival. The initial visit typically includes vital signs, physical examination, review of medications and previous medical history, and preventive health screening appropriate to age and sex (blood pressure, cholesterol, cancer screening discussion). The provider may order baseline lab work if needed. The appointment concludes with establishment of a care plan and scheduling of follow-up visits.
Plan to arrive 15 minutes early for paperwork. Bring current insurance card and a list of all medications and supplements you take.
Hours, Parking, and Logistics
The office operates during standard business hours, Monday through Friday. Specific hours and parking details should be confirmed directly with the office, as these are subject to change seasonally or due to provider scheduling. The office is located in Chattanooga proper; patients should ask for the street address and parking instructions when scheduling.
For evening or weekend acute care, Erlanger's urgent care and emergency department are available across multiple Chattanooga locations. CHI Memorial's GoEarly Urgent Care (multiple locations) and Parkridge Medical Center also serve patients who cannot reach their primary care office.
Why This Matters for Chattanooga
Independent primary care practices anchor continuity in a landscape increasingly dominated by health systems and urgent care networks. Dr. Andreescu's allocation of time per patient and focus on ongoing management of chronic disease serve patients who need a stable medical home and who benefit from unhurried evaluation. For Chattanooga patients tired of rotating providers or short appointment windows, this practice offers an alternative.
