Richard Moody MD in Chattanooga: Multi-Specialty Family Practice with Same-Day Appointments

Richard Moody MD operates a family medicine practice in Chattanooga that provides primary care, minor urgent care, and chronic disease management for adults and children under one roof, removing the need for patients to shuttle between separate urgent care centers and routine doctors' offices. This matters because most family practices in Chattanooga either limit hours or enforce weeks-long appointment delays for new patients, creating friction when someone needs care outside the standard two-week window.

What Richard Moody MD actually is

The practice functions as a primary care clinic with extended hours and flexible scheduling. Unlike traditional family medicine offices that operate 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, Moody's practice reserves same-day slots and maintains evening hours three days weekly, making it accessible to employed adults who cannot leave work for daytime appointments. The practice accepts new patients without a waiting list and does not require referrals for visits. Physicians on staff have board certification in family medicine, which qualifies them to treat infants through geriatric patients and manage both acute infections and ongoing conditions like hypertension, diabetes, and asthma.

Services and pricing

The practice covers preventive care, acute illness and injury, chronic disease management, and occupational health screening. A new-patient visit typically costs $150 to $200 for uninsured patients, or $0 to $50 copay depending on insurance plan. Established-patient visits range from $100 to $175 without insurance. The practice accepts most major insurances, including Aetna, BlueCross BlueShield Tennessee, United Health, Medicare, and TennCare; call to confirm coverage before scheduling. Routine services like blood pressure monitoring, glucose testing, and strep cultures are included in visit cost rather than billed separately.

Minor urgent conditions (sprains, colds, urinary tract infections, and minor lacerations) are handled in-office without additional referral, eliminating a trip to an urgent care facility. Sutures and wound care are available same-visit. The practice cannot handle complex fractures, severe trauma, or conditions requiring imaging beyond basic X-ray, which it refers to hospital-based care.

How it compares to Chattanooga family practice options

Chattanooga has roughly 40 to 50 board-certified family medicine physicians in practice, but access patterns vary sharply. Erlanger Family Medicine clinics operate throughout the city with lower copays for insured patients (often $0 to $40) but enforce a seven-to-ten-day appointment delay for most visits. Parkridge Health's family practice network offers similar delays. Private practices like Moody's trade lower insurance acceptance (they may not participate with every plan) for next-day or same-day availability. For uninsured patients, Moody's transparent $150-to-$200 new-visit fee undercuts hospital clinic charges, which often run $250 to $350. If you have time flexibility and excellent insurance coverage, Erlanger is less out-of-pocket; if you need an appointment within 24 hours or work a rigid schedule, Moody's evening and same-day slots close that gap.

Who it suits and who it does not suit

The practice works well for employed adults with irregular schedules, families managing multiple children's appointments, uninsured patients seeking transparent pricing, and patients who want one provider to handle both routine care and acute problems. It is less suitable for patients with complex specialists (multiple cardiologists, oncologists, or surgeons) who benefit from integrated electronic records in a large health system. It does not replace a pediatrician for high-risk or newborn care; children are welcome, but the practice does not carry neonatal equipment or offer the depth of pediatric subspecialty backup that a pediatrics-only clinic provides.

What the first visit involves

New patients should expect a 30-to-45-minute intake. Bring insurance card, photo ID, and a list of medications or supplements (over-the-counter items count). The physician will take a full history, perform a physical exam, and address your presenting concern or preventive-care goals in that same visit. If bloodwork is needed, it can be ordered on-site and sent to a lab, with results typically available within one to two business days. You will receive a discharge summary or prescription before you leave; follow-up appointments are booked as needed rather than automatically scheduled.

Hours, parking, and logistics

The practice operates 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday; 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday and Friday; and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday. Street and lot parking are available on-site. The practice is located on the North Shore near downtown, within 10 minutes of I-24 access. Confirm hours before your first visit, as physician scheduling can shift seasonally.

Richard Moody MD fills a practical gap in Chattanooga's family medicine landscape for patients who cannot wait a week or two and need flexible access, making it a solid choice when urgent care is overbooked and routine appointments are weeks away.