New Pediatrician for New Palestine

When Dr. William Fisher started his medical career in Indianapolis 20 years ago, the health system he worked for had a satellite office in New Palestine. But it didn’t take off in the small Hancock County town as expected, forcing the office’s closure.

Two decades later, Fisher is now in that very building providing health care to children in the now quickly growing location. He recently opened Fisher Pediatrics at 4037 Arbor Lane, an endeavor born out of his love for medicine, interaction, and the Indianapolis area.

Fisher grew up just west of Chicago. After completing his undergraduate degree at Northwestern University, he found himself drawn to medicine for its challenge and his affinity for communicating with people.

“A lot of times I feel like part of my job is translating from the medical jargon to just hanging out with my patients,” he said.

He prides himself on that communication when prospective families interview him and his staff.

“You should leave an appointment knowing exactly why we are doing something, and on the flipside–why we’re not doing something–and if things were to change, what would be the signs that we would do something different,” he said.

Fisher recalled working to determine what speciality he wanted to pursue as he made his way through his medical school curriculum.

“It was the pediatrics rotation I had that really made it obvious what I wanted to do,” he said.

He was inspired by the opportunity to make a positive impact in a person’s life that could last 80 years or more. That differs starkly from treating adults, for whom it’s not uncommon to be chasing decades of bad habits and difficult to make corrections.

As his medical training continued, Fisher applied to over 20 locations across the country and found himself in Indianapolis on a cold December night. He had been put up on Monument Circle, which was lit up by its massive Christmas tree. The Chicago-area native admitted little excited him about Indianapolis initially, but after arriving, he soon called his wife to tell her how wonderful it was.

“It’s just a fantastic city,” he said. “We fell in love with it.”

Fisher trained at Riley Children’s Health for three years before starting his career at Community Health Network, where he practiced for about 20 years. Community Health had a satellite office in New Palestine where Fisher’s office is now, but the town’s smaller population couldn’t support it.

“Now New Pal is blowing up compared to 18 years ago,” Fisher said. “It’s just a whole different ball game with the new families and the housing.”

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As Fisher contemplated private practice, a zip code analysis of his patients revealed his biggest areas included New Palestine, Greenfield, and Cumberland.

“All of a sudden I’m thinking I can move and actually be closer to over half my patients,” he said. “That’s pretty sweet.”

Fisher Pediatrics opened in June 2024. When Fisher drives to his office from his home in Lawrence, he enjoys taking county roads reminiscent of the ones he grew up near. He also admires New Palestine’s sense of community and welcoming environment, which he’s experienced firsthand at the town’s annual Summer Fest, Hancock Health’s Wellness Center, and when he indulges in a vanilla malt from Frosty Boy Drive-In.

“It just feels very old school–in a good way–and that’s a compliment,” he said.

Translating medical jargon isn’t the only aspect of communication Fisher values. There’s no phone tree when calling Fisher Pediatrics, instead staff are trained to pick up within two rings and get patients answers as quickly as possible. If a child needs labs, parents are likely going to get a call from Fisher with feedback on the results. He also strives to fit in patients sooner when it’s possible to cut down on the time they’re in discomfort or pain. Fisher responds quickly to messages in the online patient portal as well.

“That’s been a philosophy of mine for the last 20 years, but I think now the way the office is set up I can just really act on it in a seamless manner,” he said.

Fisher is accepting new patients, and emphasizes he is pro-vaccine. Prospective families can schedule an appointment for a free meet-and-greet on Fisher Pediatrics’s website, and the office can also be reached at 317-861-7125.

“You want to make sure it’s a fit,” he said. “Especially if you have young kids–you may be in that office 10 times in a year. And we’re hoping this is an 18-year relationship, so you want to make sure this is a good way to start.”

Listen to an interview with Dr. Fisher about his new practice on the Hancock on the Horizon podcast: