Dr. Alex Romaniuk in Chattanooga: A Family Practice for Established and New Patients
Dr. Alex Romaniuk operates a primary care family practice in Chattanooga, accepting adult and pediatric patients for preventive, acute, and chronic disease management. The practice handles routine physicals, sick visits, minor acute care, and management of conditions like hypertension and diabetes, functioning as the entry point to the healthcare system for many Chattanooga residents and often serving as the referral gateway to specialists.
What this practice actually does
Romaniuk MD is a family medicine provider—not a walk-in urgent care clinic, not a specialist, but the backbone appointment type that treats the whole family across age groups and health situations. Family practices in Chattanooga like this one anchor primary care for insured patients who have continuity with one doctor rather than ping-ponging between urgent care visits and specialist referrals. The practice also serves as a medical home for chronic disease follow-up: if you need your blood pressure checked every three months or your diabetes monitored, this is where that happens.
Services and appointment availability
The practice sees new patients and accepts most major insurance plans, including BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee, Cigna, Aetna, and Medicare. Copayments typically run $25 to $40 per visit depending on your plan; verify your copay with your insurance card before scheduling. Established patients can usually be seen within one to two weeks for routine visits; new patient appointments may have a two to four week lead time depending on calendar availability. To confirm current availability, call the office directly.
The practice does not offer same-day acute care or walk-in visits. If you have acute illness (fever, cough, chest pain) and cannot wait for a scheduled appointment, seek urgent care or an ER instead; see the comparison section below for nearby options.
How this practice compares to other Chattanooga family medicine options
Chattanooga has several competing family medicine practices and urgent care clinics that overlap in some services but differ in speed, continuity, and depth.
Versus urgent care clinics: Urgent care (such as those in Hixson or downtown) handles acute illness and minor injury without an appointment, with wait times of 15 to 45 minutes. Choose urgent care for fever, cough, rashes, or sprains when you cannot wait a week. Choose Romaniuk MD when you need ongoing management, a refill on a chronic medication, a physical, or a referral to a cardiologist or rheumatologist. An urgent care visit costs $100 to $150 out of pocket without insurance; with insurance, your copay applies.
Versus CVS MinuteClinic or Walgreens clinics: These retail clinics handle very narrow scope: strep test, flu shot, basic blood pressure check. They are not suitable for patients with multiple conditions or medication adjustments. Use them for a flu shot or quick test; use Romaniuk MD for everything else.
Versus other Chattanooga family practices: Many family medicine practices in Chattanooga accept similar insurance, have similar copays, and offer similar services. If you do not yet have a PCP, check your insurance card to see which doctors are in-network near you, call two or three offices to compare new-patient wait time, and choose the one with the soonest opening. Continuity matters more than the specific practice—switching doctors every year wastes time and information.
Who this practice suits and does not suit
Suits: Adults and families with stable insurance who want one doctor's office to coordinate their care, patients with chronic conditions (diabetes, hypertension, asthma) requiring regular check-ins, anyone needing a referral to a specialist, new Chattanooga residents building a healthcare relationship, and patients who prefer scheduled appointments and do not require same-day care.
Does not suit: Uninsured patients seeking low-cost care (federally qualified health centers in Chattanooga, such as Chambliss Health Services, have sliding-scale fees based on income), patients with acute illness needing same-day care, anyone without insurance who needs a walk-in option, and patients seeking specialized care only (cardiologists, orthopedists, et cetera).
What the first visit involves
Schedule by phone. Arrive 10 to 15 minutes early with your insurance card and photo ID. You will fill out a medical history form (past medical history, medications, allergies, family history, and social history). The visit itself typically lasts 20 to 30 minutes: vital signs, physical exam, and discussion of any acute concerns or preventive needs (last eye exam, colon screening, vaccines). If you are establishing with a new doctor, plan to spend more time on that first visit than on follow-ups.
Hours, parking, and getting there
Contact the office directly to confirm current hours and parking specifics. Many family practices in Chattanooga operate 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM on weekdays with limited or no Saturday hours; call ahead to confirm holiday closures and after-hours contact for emergencies.
Dr. Romaniuk's practice is a straightforward, low-friction entry to ongoing healthcare in Chattanooga, suitable for anyone with insurance and regular healthcare needs who does not require instant care.
