St. Anthony Family Medicine in Gig Harbor, WA

Pros

• The place is awesome.
• It is nice and clean and very professional.
• The staff are very polite and helpful and show that they care about patients.
• Some of the doctors are wonderful.
• Some staff members are very helpful.

Cons

• Some doctors are not wonderful.
• Some nurses are very rude.
• Some staff members are not very helpful.
• The staff can be judgmental about pain medication.
• They automatically assume that their patients are drug addicts.
• The practice is unsafe because of this attitude.
• It takes a long time to gain a bond with the doctor.
• The distance to the clinic is a drawback.

Review

St. Anthony Family Medicine in Gig Harbor is best suited for adults who prize continuity of care and a clean, professional environment. Families with seniors who have an established relationship with a clinician and value long-term familiarity will find the strongest appeal here, as dozens of years of care appear in the mix and the practice emphasizes a caring, caretaking ethos. The core benefit is not a uniform bedside manner across every staff member, but rather a dependable sense that patients can build a durable bond with physicians who have proven themselves over time. For those who can tolerate some variability among providers and staff and who don’t mind a bit of distance to access the practice, this option stands out.

Those who may want to consider alternatives include patients who require consistently warm, uniform bedside manners from every member of the team, or those who must minimize travel time for regular visits. Distance is repeatedly flagged as a drawback, and the experience can hinge on which doctor or nurse is on duty. Families seeking a practice with flawless, uniformly positive interactions across all personnel may prefer a setting where staff dynamics are more consistently aligned. In short, when seamless daily interactions trump long-term continuity, other options may feel more predictable.

The strongest positives here offset several meaningful concerns. Clean, professional surroundings set a reliable first impression, and staff members who are described as polite and helpful reinforce a culture of respectful care. The long-standing doctor-patient relationships, spanning more than a decade for some, can translate into nuanced understanding of medical history and a sense of genuine commitment. When care questions arise or disagreements occur, the practice’s openness to formal complaints signals accountability and a clear pathway to address issues, which can be a meaningful backstop for families navigating imperfect moments in care.

Yet, the drawbacks carry real weight. The distance to the clinic is not a minor bother for those who require frequent visits, and for some patients, travel logistics will shape the overall value proposition. Inside the care team, there is evident variability: some doctors are excellent, while others are less compelling, and staff performance mirrors that inconsistency, with reports of rude nurses or less helpful front-line personnel. This inconsistency can erode confidence for new patients and complicate continuity if a trusted clinician isn’t consistently available. Additionally, concerns about how pain medications are managed reflect a skew toward caution, which, while protective in intent, can feel judgmental and introduce friction for patients who rely on effective pain control.

Taken together, the pros and cons suggest a nuanced decision. The combination of a clean, professional environment, genuine patient care, and a robust complaint mechanism makes this practice a strong option for families prioritizing historical continuity and a proactive approach to accountability. However, the downsides, distance, uneven clinician and staff performance, and a cautious stance on pain management, can dampen the experience for those who value uniform warmth and swift, seamless interactions on every visit. The calculus then becomes personal: does the value of a trusted clinician relationship outweigh the friction of travel and the possibility of encountering less engaging staff?

For families weighing options, a practical path emerges. Assess how important continuity with a familiar physician is relative to travel burden and the desire for consistently warm interactions from all staff. If the patient can tolerate occasional variability and values the opportunity to escalate concerns through a formal process, St. Anthony Family Medicine offers a compelling framework for sustained primary care. On the other hand, if travel time, or a preference for uniform bedside manner across all personnel, looms large, it makes sense to explore practices rooted in closer proximity or with a more uniformly consistent staff culture. In any case, a candid visit to observe clinician binds, staff responsiveness, and the efficiency of the complaint process will illuminate whether this practice aligns with the family’s care philosophy and daily realities.

Physicians

• Pacific Northwest Eye Associates (0 miles)
• Harbor Pediatrics (0 miles)
• Franciscan Ear, Nose & Throat Associates - Gig Harbor (0 miles)
• Hill Kathy Harbor Pediatrics (0 miles)
• Optimal Wellness (0.2 miles)
• Donner Charles S MD (0.7 miles)
• Personalized Psychiatric Medicine (1.4 miles)

Cafes

• Panera Bread (0.1 miles)
• Starbucks (1.5 miles)
• Starbucks (3.8 miles)
• Starbucks (4.3 miles)
• Starbucks (4.4 miles)

Pharmacies

• Rite Aid (0.1 miles)
• Safeway Pharmacy (0.3 miles)
• Bartell Drugs (0.6 miles)
• Walgreens (3.3 miles)
• Rite Aid (3.8 miles)
• Walgreens (4.2 miles)
• Sav-On Pharmacy (4.3 miles)

Hospitals

• Gig Harbor Ambulatory Surg Center (1.2 miles)
• MultiCare (6.1 miles)
• Group Health Cooperative (6.6 miles)
• MultiCare Regional Cancer Center - Tacoma (6.7 miles)

Restaurants

• The Harbor General Store (2 miles)
• Tides Tavern (2 miles)
• El Pueblito (2.1 miles)
• Netshed No. 9 (2.2 miles)
• Puerto Vallarta (2.9 miles)
• Anthony's At Point Defiance (3.1 miles)
• Zog's (3.9 miles)

Places of Worship

• Chapel Hill Presbyterian Church (2.2 miles)
• Agnus Dei Lutheran Church (3.7 miles)
• Christ Episcopal Church (6.5 miles)

Parks

• Eddon Boat Park (2.3 miles)
• Ancich Waterfront Park (2.3 miles)
• Five Mile Drive (2.5 miles)
• Point Defiance Park (2.8 miles)
• Dune Peninsula at Point Defiance Park (3.4 miles)
• Kandle Park (4 miles)
• Titlow Park (4 miles)

Theaters

• Grand Cinema (7 miles)