Kristen Ritenour, MD

Kristen Ritenour, MD, is an urgent care pediatrician at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), and a pediatric hospitalist at Penn Medicine Chester County Hospital, caring for children admitted to the hospital.

Dr. Ritenour has worked at CHOP since 2010. Her favorite part of working in pediatric urgent care is the fast pace and the variety -- no two shifts are the same. “I enjoy quickly evaluating and treating children with a variety of illnesses and injuries, providing care and guidance during their time of need. Also, kids make things fun!”

For Dr. Ritenour, urgent care fills an important need as a bridge between primary care and the ER. “We provide quality, convenient care for families, triaging those that need additional care. And we offer easily accessible records of a patient’s visit if continuing care is needed.”

She believes that communication with parents is the key to success in the urgent care setting. “Parents should trust their gut. They know their children the best, and their input is critical to help us evaluate their child.”

CHOP’s pediatric Urgent Care Centers provide fast, convenient care for children and teens with non-life-threatening illnesses or injuries. Typically, these are situations when your child can’t wait until the pediatrician’s office is open, but they don’t need the resources of an emergency department (ED). Urgent Care Centers are staffed by board-certified pediatricians and pediatric nurses with expertise in caring for children with urgent healthcare needs. The facilities offer onsite X-rays and testing to help with fast diagnosis and treatment plans.

Learn about the difference between urgent care and ER services, when to choose each and how to find a pediatric Urgent Care location near you.