Central Family Practice

Connie Ryan and Dr. Elliot Trester are the best medical practioners I have seen. They are always kind, understanding and honest.\r \r Their office staff is also great. I've gone there for years and they are friendly and compassionate.\r \r During the 2008 elections, they sold locally-designed Obama t-shirts and donated a portion of all medical bills to the campaign!\r \r They did, though, stop taking insurance. That's the health care system's fault more than it is theirs. After going to a patient-pay only system, they decreased their rates. I'm not insured anyway, so I have trouble affording medical care -- I'm glad to spend what money I do have with them, though.\r \r Dr. Trester even got Best Doctor in Austin by the Austin Chronicle in 2001:\r \r ""Best Family Doctor: Elliot Trester \r \r So we're chatting with a friend of 20-plus years who starts to rave about what a cool doctor she has. We snicker knowingly because we have the best physician when suddenly she says ""Jefferson Street Family Practice."" Wait! ""Elliot Trester? Hey, he's our doctor too - isn't he cool?"" ""Yeah, the last time I was sick he saw me right away!"" The table oohed and aahed. But it's true; the offices hours are arranged with walk-in hours so that if you are ill, you get to see a doctor without a two-week appointment. And if Trester's not available, we've had equally good luck with his partners. Now that's a cure for what ails ya. "" Pros: kind, compassionate, nice atmosphere, friendly, quick appointments Cons: insurance/medicaid/medicare not accepted more

Excellent medical care but they don't take insurance. Which is why the care is good - they work for their patients and not the insurance companies. I've been going here for 10 years and it kills me that with my new job with the State of Texas, because of our cruddy PPO insurance benefits I can no longer afford them, especially since Elliot Trester joined the staff, he's an excellent MD well respected around town, highly recommended by friends who were patients of his. The really sorry thing is, if you DON""T have insurance, they are cheaper by half than the corporate clinics that take every kind of insurance under the sun.\r \r This place is an excellent mix of eastern and western medicine; all of the accupuncturists on staff are very skilled and have really helped me through some rough medical times. The doctors and nurse practitioners all spend plenty of time talking and LISTENING to your health concerns as an INDIVIDUAL. Pros: Excellent quality healthcare unencumbered by the Medical Insurance Corporate machine Cons: Hard for most people to afford even if you file yourself, They're slow because they spend a lot of tim with each patient. more

The people are warm, honest and helpful. The atmosphere feels like home. Pros: great location, feels like home, comfortable more

Central Family Practice, on 34th Street between Guadalupe and Lamar, is the quintessentially Austin, one-stop shopping healthcare place--a world-class combo of western medicine and complementary alternative therapies. CFP is: * nurse practitioners and physicians * acupuncturists * herbalists * massage therapists * yoga instructors. They are all phenomenally accomplished, born nurturers. They rock. Go there now. more