Key West Urgent Care and Family Doctor
Dr. Brian Wagstaff is like so many residents of the Keys: it only took one vacation 19 years ago and he was hooked. Now the family doctor at Key West Urgent Care (KWUC) on Government Road in Key West, he’s happy to call the islands home since September.
Teresa Hehe, owner of KWUC, wanted to expand the practice to include a physician available not just for emergencies, but also a family doctor who accepts appointments and treats patients on a continuous basis.
“Dr. Wagstaff is the foundation of the facility so we can provide both kinds of care, emergency and preventative. We want to be a little bit of both,” said Hehe. “Dr. Wagstaff’s expertise runs from pediatrics all the way to geriatrics.”
Hailing from a small town in Pennsylvania, he is certified by the American Board of Family Medicine. From college at University of Virginia to medical school at Columbia University, Dr. Wagstaff has practiced family medicine in Maryland, Philadelphia, Cleveland and Boca Raton. But he was always looking for an opportunity in Key West.
“I am really enjoying the small town feel here. It is nice to be away from the pretense and display,” he said. “The biggest difference I see from other places is that the community prides itself on the acceptance of individuals from every walk of life and every different way of living and really seems to live that philosophy.”
Dr. Wagstaff and his husband, Tim Peterson, have settled easily into the community. Both are active in the Keys Chorale and the Key West Masterwork Chorale as well as singing in the St Paul’s Episcopal Church’s choir. Peterson is active with the Key West Theater, and the doctor hopes to find time away from the office to be in a production himself. And any leftover time is spent on the water or on their bikes just like any local.
Dr. Wagstaff said he is enjoying working with his team at KWUC. He likes the ease of the office with mixing walk ins and scheduled appointments, but also the comfort and convenience he can give patients.
“I am hoping to build the family medicine and primary care side of the practice as people get to know me and choose Key West Urgent Care for their ongoing issues such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and other health issues.” — Dr. Brian Wagstaff
