Primary care in Tampa with one doctor who knows you.
One board-certified family physician, Dr. Jason Saylor, DO, at a single Carrollwood office. Real 45-minute new-patient visits, most new patients seen within about a week, and same-week sick visits when something comes up.
- One physician, not a panelDr. Saylor is the physician of record at every visit, so you never re-explain your history.
- Same-week accessNew patients seen in about a week; established patients often the same day for a sick visit.
- In-person or Florida telehealthSee us in Carrollwood, with telehealth follow-ups for stable, established patients.
New patients · Confidential
Request a callback
A patient coordinator calls you within one business day to get you scheduled. No pressure, no obligation.
Got it. We will be in touch.
A patient coordinator will reach out within one business day to get you scheduled. If you would rather not wait, call (813) 670-3331.
The doctor who remembers you is the one who catches things early.
Continuity of care, the same physician seeing your labs trend over years, is associated with better chronic-disease control and fewer avoidable hospitalizations. Rotating-provider networks trade that away for scheduling flexibility. Ascend's Tampa model is built to keep it.
Request a callback"Primary care," "family doctor," and "family medicine" in Tampa are three searches for the same thing: one physician who actually knows you.
Primary care in Tampa at Ascend Mind and Body means family medicine with Dr. Jason Saylor, DO, a board-certified osteopathic family physician and Chief Medical Officer with 17 years of experience, in person at the Carrollwood office on Moran Road. New-patient appointments are typically available within about a week, first visits run 45 minutes, and established patients with an acute issue are often seen the same day. Most major insurance accepted, Florida telehealth for stable follow-ups, and honest billing conversations before you are billed. Call (813) 670-3331 or book online.
Most of the alternatives in Tampa are either a large hospital-affiliated group with a rotating panel of providers, or a walk-in clinic with no memory of your last visit. Neither is built around one physician who knows your history. When Tampa residents search for a primary care physician, a family doctor, or family medicine, they are almost always looking for the same thing: one adult physician providing ongoing, whole-person care rather than a one-off visit. Dr. Saylor is a family medicine physician, which makes him both a primary care physician and, in the traditional sense, a family doctor.
This page is built to answer the questions a directory listing cannot: who the physician is, how fast you can get in, what a visit actually covers, and what your insurance situation looks like. If you searched for any of those three terms and landed here, the answer underneath all of them is the same office, the same physician, and the same phone number.
Illustrative
Meet your Tampa family doctor
Your Tampa primary care is led by one board-certified physician, Dr. Jason Saylor, DO, not a rotating panel. He is the physician of record at every visit, in person or by telehealth, and his osteopathic training means he treats the whole person rather than the chief complaint in isolation.
- Board-certified family medicine
- Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine
- 17 years of clinical experience
- Chief Medical Officer at Ascend
Dr. Jason Saylor, DO is a board-certified osteopathic family medicine physician and Chief Medical Officer at Ascend Mind and Body. He earned his Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine and has 17 years of clinical experience across urgent care and private practice. The pattern that draws patients to him is also what draws him to family medicine: he sits down, listens, and treats the whole person, not just the chief complaint. He is the reviewer of record for this page.
His clinical scope covers adult primary care, preventive medicine, chronic disease management, men's health and hormone evaluation, weight management, and senior care. Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine complete the same medical training as MDs plus additional training in the musculoskeletal system and a whole-person philosophy, according to the American Osteopathic Association. DOs prescribe medication, order imaging, and refer to specialists exactly like MDs. The difference is integrative, and it shows up in how a visit runs: more time on context, more time on what you have already tried, more time connecting the dots between systems.
Dr. Saylor sees patients at both the Tampa-Carrollwood and Wesley Chapel offices, and you can move between the two locations on the same medical record. When a primary care patient also needs psychiatric medication management, Anna Stouffer, PMHNP-BC is on staff, so a referral reads from and writes back to your chart instead of sitting in a separate system you have to fax back and forth yourself.
Ascend runs four connected service lines: primary care, psychiatry, ketamine therapy, and talk therapy. Primary care is usually the front door, and when something surfaces that needs a specialist inside Ascend, the handoff happens on a shared record rather than a cold referral into a system you have never heard back from.
Your first year as an Ascend patient
-
1
Visit one, in person, about 45 minutes
Full history, a focused physical exam, baseline labs ordered, a medication review, and a written plan in your patient portal for what comes next. The conversation most high-volume offices skip: sleep, energy, mood, stress, and the context behind your symptoms.
-
2
Weeks 2 to 6, lab review
Results come back through the portal, often reviewed by telehealth or secure message, with any new medication doses adjusted based on how you are responding. Dr. Saylor explains what each test was checking for, so you are not decoding abbreviations on your own.
-
3
Months 3 to 6, chronic-disease follow-up
For hypertension, diabetes, or thyroid conditions, follow-ups are often by telehealth once your numbers are trending in the right direction, with in-person visits when an exam is needed.
-
4
Month 12, annual physical
An in-person annual physical with preventive screening updated for your age and risk. Sick visits, refill check-ins, and questions are handled by phone, portal, or a same-week visit anytime in between.
What continuity actually buys you
Continuity of care, seeing the same physician over time rather than whoever has an opening, is associated with better management of chronic conditions and fewer avoidable hospitalizations, a pattern reflected across decades of research and reinforced in current guidance from the American Academy of Family Physicians.
- A physician who has seen your labs trend over three years catches a slow-moving problem faster than one meeting you for the first time.
- A physician who remembers a side effect from two years ago will not re-prescribe the medication that caused it.
- One chart across services means a referral to psychiatry or talk therapy is a warm handoff on a shared record, not a fax you never hear back on.
- Years two and beyond get lighter but no less thorough: he already has your trend lines and can spot a deviation because he knows what your normal looks like.
Rotating-provider models trade this away for scheduling flexibility. Ascend's Tampa model is built around keeping it.
Chronic conditions we manage in Tampa
Dr. Saylor manages the full breadth of adult primary care: hypertension, high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes, thyroid disease, chronic pain, asthma, GERD, obesity and metabolic syndrome, plus annual physicals, sick visits, and preventive screening. Chronic disease management is about tracking trends over months and years, not treating one number at one visit.
-
HypertensionMost common
Diagnosis confirmed with repeat readings, lifestyle integration, medication titration, and follow-up every 3 to 6 months once stable.
Read more -
High cholesterol
Lipid panels read against your full cardiovascular risk, with a statin-versus-lifestyle conversation, not a reflex prescription.
Read more -
Type 2 diabetes
Individualized A1c targets, medication selection, dietary counseling, and eye and foot referrals when indicated.
Read more -
Hypothyroidism
TSH monitoring, gradual levothyroxine titration, and evaluation for Hashimoto's when the picture suggests it.
Read more -
Chronic pain
Non-opioid-first approaches, physical therapy referral, and judicious medication management in line with CDC guidance.
Read more -
Preventive screening
Age-appropriate cancer screening, vaccinations, baseline labs, and cardiovascular risk assessment on a USPSTF schedule.
Read more
If you are having chest pain, difficulty breathing, stroke symptoms, or any true emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room now. For a mental health crisis, call or text 988 anytime, 24/7. For everything short of that, a primary care visit is usually the right call.
Hypertension (high blood pressure)
The American Heart Association defines normal blood pressure as below 120/80 mmHg, with hypertension generally beginning at 130/80 mmHg or higher. Because a single high reading can reflect stress or "white coat" anxiety rather than sustained hypertension, Dr. Saylor typically confirms the diagnosis with repeat readings, sometimes including home monitoring, before starting or adjusting medication. Management combines lifestyle factors (sodium, activity, sleep, alcohol) with medication titration, and follow-up roughly every 3 to 6 months once your numbers are stable.
High cholesterol
A lipid panel measures LDL, HDL, and triglycerides, but whether medication is appropriate depends on your full cardiovascular risk profile, not the LDL number alone. Family history, blood pressure, smoking status, and diabetes all factor into the statin-versus-lifestyle conversation. Dr. Saylor reviews your 10-year cardiovascular risk and walks through the tradeoffs rather than defaulting to a prescription.
Type 2 diabetes
The American Diabetes Association's Standards of Care frame diabetes management around individualized A1c targets, typically below 7 percent for most adults, adjusted for age, other conditions, and hypoglycemia risk. Management includes A1c monitoring roughly every 3 to 6 months, medication selection (metformin, GLP-1 agonists, SGLT2 inhibitors, or insulin depending on your case), dietary counseling, and referrals for annual diabetic eye and foot exams when indicated.
Hypothyroidism, asthma, GERD, and joint pain
Hypothyroidism is monitored primarily through TSH levels, with levothyroxine dosing adjusted gradually because changes take 6 to 8 weeks to show in follow-up labs (American Thyroid Association). Asthma management starts with confirming triggers, which in Tampa often include seasonal pollen and humidity-driven mold, then reviewing inhaler technique and adjusting the medication step. GERD is managed first through diet and lifestyle before or alongside medication, with a gastroenterology referral if warning signs appear. Osteoarthritis and joint pain combine activity modification, non-opioid pain control, and physical therapy, reserving imaging and orthopedic referral for cases that do not respond to conservative care.
Obesity and metabolic syndrome
Weight, blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol often move together, so Dr. Saylor evaluates them as a connected picture rather than four separate line items. When clinically appropriate, that can include a referral to Ascend's dedicated medical weight loss program for GLP-1 evaluation. Individual results vary and no specific weight-loss outcome is guaranteed; a routine physical is not the venue for starting or managing GLP-1 therapy, which gets its own dedicated visit and follow-up cadence.
Chronic pain
Chronic pain management starts with identifying the underlying cause where possible, then builds a plan around physical therapy referral, non-opioid options, and, when appropriate, integrative approaches. Opioid prescribing for chronic, non-cancer pain is approached cautiously and in line with current CDC clinical guidance, which favors non-opioid therapies as first-line treatment for most chronic pain (CDC Clinical Practice Guideline for Prescribing Opioids).
Senior care, men's health, and women's health coordination
Primary care for adults 65 and older follows the same one-physician model, with more attention to polypharmacy, fall risk, cognitive screening, and coordination across specialists; a dedicated senior care program is available for a deeper geriatric focus. Men's health concerns like low energy or low libido are evaluated through primary care first, with hormone testing handled through a dedicated visit and coordinated with Ascend's men's health program when indicated. Primary care visits include routine women's health screening, with referrals coordinated for anything needing a gynecologic exam, mammography, or the women's health program's hormone therapy. As with any hormone therapy, individual results vary and no specific outcome is guaranteed.
Ready for a family doctor who knows you?
One physician, real 45-minute new-patient visits, and same-week access when something comes up. Call and we will get you scheduled, usually within about a week.
In person in Carrollwood or by Florida telehealth for stable follow-ups.
Everything a Tampa primary care visit handles
Actual waiting area
Primary care at Ascend is relationship-based: same physician, same-day or same-week availability, and visits long enough to address more than one concern.
A single office covers your annual physical, same-week sick visits, chronic disease management, lab work and preventive screening, medication management, pre-operative clearance, and referral coordination. One physician, one chart, so nothing gets treated in isolation.
Annual physicals and wellness visits
A real annual physical runs about 45 minutes and covers a history update, the conversation most offices skip (sleep, energy, mood, stress, alcohol, exercise, and work or relationship pressures), a systems-based physical exam appropriate to your age and risk, baseline and age-appropriate labs ordered against when you last had them rather than on autopilot, a plain-language screening conversation, and a written plan in your patient portal covering what was found and what happens next.
Same-day and same-week sick visits
New patients typically get in within about a week, and established patients with an acute issue are often seen the same day if a slot is open. Call (813) 670-3331 in the morning and describe what is going on; the front desk looks for a same-day or next-day opening first for a sick visit. We routinely handle respiratory infections, UTIs, sinus infections, minor cuts and injuries, GI complaints, allergic flares, suspected strep, and the seasonal illnesses that show up every fall and spring in Tampa. Anything that needs emergency-level evaluation or on-the-spot imaging, we honestly route to urgent care or the ER.
Lab work, preventive screening, and vaccines
Most routine labs are drawn in-office or at a nearby Quest Diagnostics or Labcorp site, with results posting to your secure portal within one to three business days. Screening intervals follow the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force baseline, adjusted for your personal and family risk:
- Blood pressure at every visit; lipid panel by your 20s to 40s depending on risk
- Type 2 diabetes screening for adults 35 to 70 who are overweight, or earlier with risk factors
- Colorectal cancer screening generally starting at 45; lung cancer screening for adults 50 to 80 with a significant smoking history
- In-office vaccines: seasonal flu, Tdap, Shingrix (50+), pneumococcal, COVID boosters, and hepatitis A/B or MMR catch-up per the CDC adult schedule
Medication management and polypharmacy review
If you take multiple medications from multiple prescribers, Dr. Saylor reviews the whole list together, not just the one you came in about. That means refills, dosage adjustments, drug-interaction screening across every prescriber you see, and, when it applies, an honest "do you actually still need to be on this?" conversation. This matters most for patients on five or more regular medications, where the risk of an unrecognized interaction rises with every prescriber added, and no single specialist is positioned to see the whole picture except the primary care physician.
Pre-operative clearance
If your surgeon requires medical clearance before a procedure, Dr. Saylor handles it at the Carrollwood office: a history and exam, labs, an EKG when indicated, risk stratification, and a clearance letter sent directly to your surgeon's office. Turnaround is typically within a week of the visit.
Referral coordination and hospital follow-up
When you need a specialist, we send your records ahead of the appointment and the specialist's note comes back to Dr. Saylor and informs your ongoing care. Dr. Saylor most often coordinates with cardiology, endocrinology, gastroenterology, dermatology, and orthopedics, plus psychiatry and talk therapy inside Ascend. After a hospital or ER discharge, a follow-up within a week or two reconciles new medications against your existing list and schedules whatever labs or referrals the hospital recommended, so nothing quietly drops.
Primary care, urgent care, or the ER: which one do you need?
Primary care is the right call for anything that is not a true emergency, whether or not it feels urgent in the moment. The tradeoff is speed versus continuity: urgent care is faster to walk into, but nobody there remembers your last visit or your medication list.
| Your situation | Best option |
|---|---|
| Annual physical, new symptom, medication review | Primary care, a physician who knows your history can connect patterns urgent care cannot see |
| Cold, sinus infection, minor cut, UTI symptoms | Same-week or same-day primary care, which keeps the visit in your chart for follow-up |
| Ongoing hypertension, diabetes, or thyroid management | Primary care, chronic disease management needs one physician tracking trends over months |
| Pre-operative clearance before surgery | Primary care, requires history, exam, and risk stratification a surgeon's office does not perform |
| Chest pain, difficulty breathing, stroke symptoms, severe injury | 911 or the ER, these need emergency-level evaluation, not a scheduled visit |
Your first visit, and what comes after
You do not need a polished explanation to book. "I need to establish care" or "something feels off" is a completely normal starting point.
What to expect at your first appointment
Before the visit. Complete the intake forms online so the front desk is not handing you a clipboard at the door. If you have records from a prior physician, request the transfer ahead of time so Dr. Saylor is not starting from a blank chart. Bring your insurance card, photo ID, a list of current medications (including over-the-counter drugs and supplements), and any specialist contact information.
During your first visit, about 45 minutes. Dr. Saylor reviews your full history, performs a focused physical exam, and works through your current concerns. The conversation is the part most high-volume offices skip: what is actually going on, what you have tried, what you are worried about, and your goals for the next year. He orders any baseline labs that have not been done recently and discusses the plan going forward.
After the visit. Lab results come back through the patient portal within a few business days. If anything needs follow-up, a recheck, a referral, a medication adjustment, the front desk schedules it before you leave. Portal messages are typically returned the same business day or the next.
New-patient checklist
- Photo ID and insurance card, or a clear idea of your self-pay plan
- Complete list of current medications, including over-the-counter drugs, vitamins, and supplements
- Name and location of your previous primary care physician, if switching
- Any recent lab results or imaging reports you have copies of, and contact info for specialists you see
- Family medical history, especially heart disease, diabetes, cancer, or thyroid conditions
- A written list of your own questions, so nothing gets forgotten in the room
Telehealth versus in-person primary care in Tampa
The short answer: telehealth works well for anything that does not require Dr. Saylor's hands on you, and it does not work for anything that does. New-patient evaluations and annual physicals require an in-person exam; stable follow-ups, refills, and lab review often do not.
Established Tampa patients use Florida telehealth for a meaningful share of their ongoing care, and most Florida insurance plans, including Medicare, cover telehealth follow-ups at the same benefit level as an in-person visit. Telehealth-eligible visits include stable chronic-disease follow-up (hypertension, diabetes, thyroid once established), medication refill check-ins, lab result review, and simple acute issues where no exam finding is required to confirm the diagnosis. New-patient evaluations, annual physicals, and anything requiring auscultation, palpation, or in-office testing need an in-person visit. Florida law also requires you to be physically located in Florida during a telehealth visit, and your provider confirms your location at the start of the call.
The patient portal
Most non-exam interactions happen through a HIPAA-secure patient portal rather than phone tag. Established patients can request medication refills, message the office with non-urgent questions, view lab results as they post (typically within one to three business days), and review visit summaries from past appointments. Telehealth visits are conducted from the portal using a phone, tablet, or computer with a camera and stable internet connection.
Transferring your records and coordinating specialists
Switching your primary care to Ascend takes one authorization form and a phone call, not a fresh start with no history. Call (813) 670-3331, schedule a new-patient visit, and we send a records-release form to your previous physician with your written authorization; most offices respond within one to two weeks. Bring whatever you have on hand to the first visit so Dr. Saylor is not starting blind. If you already see a cardiologist, endocrinologist, or other specialist, Dr. Saylor continues managing your overall primary care alongside that relationship and exchanges records so nothing falls through the cracks between offices.
How primary care fits with the rest of Ascend's care
Ascend is built around four connected pillars: primary care, psychiatry, ketamine therapy, and talk therapy, and a Tampa patient can move between them without starting a new chart each time. Primary care is usually the front door: it is where a mental health screening happens as part of a routine physical, where a hormone or weight concern first gets raised, and where chronic conditions get tracked over years. When something surfaces that needs a specialist inside Ascend, whether psychiatric medication management or talk therapy, the handoff happens on a shared record rather than a cold referral into an outside system.
For the small subset of patients with treatment-resistant depression who have not responded adequately to therapy and standard medication management, Ascend also offers ketamine therapy at our Wesley Chapel location. Ketamine is a Schedule III controlled substance used off-label for treatment-resistant depression and select indications under physician supervision; it is not a first-line option, individual responses vary, and it is never presented as a guaranteed fix.
What to do outside office hours
The Carrollwood office is open Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM. For a true emergency, chest pain, difficulty breathing, severe injury, or stroke symptoms, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room; do not wait for the office to open. For a mental health crisis, call or text 988 anytime, 24/7. For a non-emergency question, a portal message reaches the office first thing in the morning. For an urgent but non-emergency issue after hours, a Tampa urgent care clinic can bridge the gap, and we ask that you let us know at your next visit so the encounter gets added to your chart.
Insurance, stated plainly
Primary care at Ascend bills insurance. Dr. Saylor is currently in-network with Aetna and ChampVA, with credentialing in process for many more plans. We verify your specific benefit before your appointment and tell you what to expect before you are billed. We are not going to tell you a plan covers something it does not.
In-network and credentialing
- Currently in-network for primary care: Aetna and ChampVA.
- Credentialing in process: Blue Cross Blue Shield of Florida, Humana, Medicare, Medicaid, Careplus, Simply Healthcare, Tricare East, Wellpoint, Oscar, and Health Network One.
- Credentialing status changes as carriers process paperwork. Call (813) 670-3331 with your insurance card and we will verify your specific plan before your visit.
Understanding your insurance terms
Four terms explain most of what shows up on a medical bill, and knowing them before your visit makes the conversation faster. A copay is a fixed amount you pay at the time of a visit. A deductible is the amount you pay out-of-pocket before insurance starts covering costs; if you have not met it, you may owe more than a copay. Coinsurance is the percentage you pay after your deductible is met, with insurance covering the rest. An explanation of benefits (EOB) is the statement your insurer sends after a claim, showing what was billed, what insurance paid, and what you owe; it is not a bill itself, but it should match the bill you eventually receive. We verify your specific benefit structure before your appointment so none of this is a surprise weeks later.
Self-pay
We see self-pay patients. Because the amount depends on the visit type (initial versus established, in-person versus telehealth) and whether any labs or procedures are performed at the same appointment, we do not publish a flat-rate sheet online. Our billing team confirms the exact amount when you call, quotes it over the phone before your visit is confirmed, and if labs or a procedure get added during the visit, the front desk tells you before it happens, not after the bill arrives. HSA and FSA cards are accepted at the time of service.
Verifying your benefits before your first visit
- Call the member services number on the back of your insurance card, not the general customer service line.
- Ask: "Is Ascend Mind and Body in-network for primary care under my plan, and what is my copay or deductible for an office visit?"
- Ask whether telehealth primary care follow-ups are covered at the same benefit level as an in-person visit.
- Call (813) 670-3331 and we will re-verify on our end before your appointment is confirmed.
This takes about ten minutes on the phone and removes almost all of the guesswork about what you will actually owe.
Accessibility and language support
The Carrollwood office is built to be usable without extra planning: free parking directly in front, a first-floor suite with no stairs or elevator required, and free language assistance available by phone for patients more comfortable in a language other than English. Ascend Mind and Body complies with federal nondiscrimination requirements and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, sex, or religion; the full notice is in the site footer.
How Ascend compares to your other options
This describes general patterns across categories of care, not any single named practice or health system. The tradeoffs are real, and we would rather you know them before you call.
| Option | New-patient wait | Same physician every visit | Tracks your history |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ascend Mind and Body, Tampa | Typically within about a week | Dr. Saylor at every visit | One chart, one physician |
| Large hospital-affiliated network | Often 4 to 8 weeks or longer | Often varies by availability | Depends on provider continuity |
| Walk-in / urgent care | Walk-in, no scheduling needed | Different provider each visit | One-off by design |
| Online booking directory | Varies by listing | Depends who you book | Depends who you book |
A large hospital network may offer same-day imaging on-site, but often at the cost of a rotating panel and a regional call center that cannot answer a clinical question. A walk-in clinic is faster to reach for a one-off problem, but nobody there remembers your last visit or your medication list.
If you specifically want a concierge membership model, a multi-site hospital network with imaging on-site, or a pediatric-plus-adult family practice, those are legitimate reasons to look elsewhere, and we would rather tell you that directly than pretend we are the right answer for every kind of primary care search.
Illustrative
In-person visits at Carrollwood; established patients can use Florida telehealth for appropriate follow-ups.
Our Tampa-Carrollwood office, and who we see
We are at 3971 Moran Rd, Suite 101, in the Carrollwood corridor, open Monday through Friday, and most of Hillsborough County reaches us within 20 to 30 minutes. Free parking, first-floor suite, no stairs or elevator required.
Ascend Mind and Body, Tampa
3971 Moran Rd, Suite 101
Tampa, FL 33618
Phone: (813) 670-3331
Hours: Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM. Easy access from Dale Mabry Highway, Gunn Highway, and the Veterans Expressway. Free parking is available directly in front of the building. Get directions.
Drive times from around Tampa
| From | Approximate drive time |
|---|---|
| Carrollwood and Northdale | 5 to 10 minutes via Dale Mabry or Gunn Hwy |
| Town 'N' Country and Citrus Park | 10 to 15 minutes via Gunn Hwy or Veterans Expressway |
| Westchase and Lutz | 15 to 20 minutes via the Veterans Expressway |
| New Tampa | About 20 minutes via Bruce B. Downs and Fletcher |
| Seminole Heights and Downtown Tampa | 20 to 25 minutes via I-275 |
| South Tampa and Westshore | 20 to 30 minutes via Dale Mabry or the Veterans Expressway |
We see patients from Carrollwood, Northdale, Town 'N' Country, Citrus Park, Lutz, and Westchase, plus a steady share driving in from New Tampa, South Tampa, Seminole Heights, Ybor City, Westshore, and Downtown Tampa. Most of Hillsborough County reaches the Carrollwood office in 20 to 30 minutes via Dale Mabry Highway, Gunn Highway, the Veterans Expressway, or the Courtney Campbell corridor.
Tampa-Carrollwood is one of three in-person Ascend locations in the Tampa Bay and Central Florida area, alongside Wesley Chapel and Lakeland, plus statewide Florida telehealth for psychiatry and talk therapy. Because the practice covers four service lines, a Tampa primary care patient who also needs a medication evaluation or talk therapy can be referred within the same organization rather than starting over elsewhere.
Looking for care closer to a different part of Tampa Bay? See primary care in Wesley Chapel, Brandon, Riverview, Valrico, Apollo Beach, Clearwater, or St. Petersburg.
The honest version: is Ascend the right fit for you?
Ascend's Tampa model is built for people who want one physician, a real 45-minute visit, and continuity over years. It is not the right fit for everyone, and we would rather tell you that than pretend otherwise.
A few persistent myths keep people from establishing primary care until they actually need it, and each one is worth correcting directly. Urgent care is a reasonable option when your primary care office cannot fit you in, but it typically has no record of your history from visit to visit, so it is not a substitute for an ongoing relationship. Preventive screening and baseline labs are most useful before a problem shows up, not after; a baseline established while you feel fine is what lets a physician catch a slow change in your numbers years later. And a same-week appointment does not mean a rushed visit: speed of scheduling and length of the visit are separate things.
One more, because it comes up often: a DO is a real doctor. Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine complete the same medical school training as MDs, plus additional training in the musculoskeletal system, and are licensed to prescribe, diagnose, and practice medicine identically to MDs in every U.S. state, according to the American Osteopathic Association.
When Ascend is the wrong fit
- You specifically want a concierge membership model with a retainer fee and 24/7 physician access.
- You want a multi-site hospital network with same-day imaging and specialists on-site under one roof.
- You need a pediatric-plus-adult family practice; Ascend's primary care is for adults 18 and older.
- You want everything by phone; annual physicals and new-patient evaluations require a hands-on, in-person exam.
None of those are knocks on your priorities; they are just honest reasons another practice might serve you better. If what you want is one physician who knows you, same-week access, and one chart across services, that is exactly what this office is built to do.
For a deeper look at any single condition managed in Tampa, see: hypertension, high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes, hypothyroidism, chronic pain, and preventive screenings. For a statewide view of clinical scope, see our primary care service overview.
FAQs about primary care in Tampa
Still deciding? These are the questions Tampa patients ask most before they call.
Is Dr. Saylor accepting new primary care patients in Tampa?
Yes. Dr. Jason Saylor, DO, is currently accepting new primary care patients at the Tampa-Carrollwood office on Moran Road. Most new patients are scheduled within about a week of calling, not the four to eight week wait common at larger hospital-affiliated practices. Call (813) 670-3331 or request an appointment online.
Where is the Ascend primary care office in Tampa located?
3971 Moran Rd, Suite 101, Tampa, FL 33618, in the Carrollwood corridor with easy access from Dale Mabry Highway, Gunn Highway, and the Veterans Expressway. Free parking is available directly in front of the building, and the suite is on the first floor with no stairs or elevator required.
Who is the primary care physician at the Tampa office?
Dr. Jason Saylor, DO, is Ascend's primary care lead and Chief Medical Officer. He is a board-certified osteopathic family medicine physician with 17 years of clinical experience, trained at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. He sees patients in person at both the Tampa-Carrollwood and Wesley Chapel offices, and your chart is shared between the two locations.
What insurance does the Tampa primary care office accept?
Dr. Saylor is currently in-network with Aetna and ChampVA for primary care. Credentialing is in process with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Florida, Humana, Medicare, Medicaid, Careplus, Simply Healthcare, Tricare East, Wellpoint, Oscar, and Health Network One. Call (813) 670-3331 with your insurance card and we will verify your specific plan before your appointment.
How quickly can I get a primary care appointment in Tampa?
New-patient appointments are typically available within about a week of calling. Established patients with an acute issue such as a cold, infection, or minor injury are often seen the same day if a slot is open. Call (813) 670-3331 first thing in the morning for the best chance at a same-day sick visit.
How long is a first primary care visit?
About 45 minutes, covering a history review, a focused physical exam, your current concerns, baseline labs or screenings appropriate for your age and risk, and a plan for what comes next. It is built to be a real conversation, not a seven-minute checkbox visit.
What is osteopathic (DO) family medicine?
Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine complete the same medical school training as MDs, plus additional coursework in the musculoskeletal system and a whole-person philosophy of care, according to the American Osteopathic Association. DOs prescribe medication, order imaging, and refer to specialists exactly like MDs. The difference shows up in approach: more time connecting how sleep, stress, and physical symptoms relate to each other, rather than treating the chief complaint in isolation.
What is the difference between primary care and urgent care?
Primary care is an ongoing relationship with one physician who knows your history and manages chronic conditions over time. Urgent care is designed for one-off acute problems and typically does not track your medical history between visits. For anything that is not a true emergency, a primary care visit with a physician who already has your chart is usually more coordinated than starting over at an urgent care clinic.
Do you handle labs and prescriptions at the Tampa office?
Yes. Lab orders are sent to a Quest Diagnostics or Labcorp draw site near you, and results typically post to your secure patient portal within one to three business days. Prescriptions go directly to your pharmacy of record through electronic prescribing.
Is telehealth primary care covered by insurance in Florida?
Most Florida insurance plans, including Medicare, cover telehealth visits for primary care follow-ups at the same benefit level as an in-person visit, though cost-sharing can vary by plan. We verify your specific telehealth benefit when we confirm your appointment. Florida law requires you to be physically located in Florida during the visit.
What neighborhoods in Tampa do you serve?
The Carrollwood office primarily serves Carrollwood, Northdale, Town 'N' Country, Citrus Park, Lutz, and Westchase, plus patients driving in from New Tampa, South Tampa, Seminole Heights, Ybor City, Westshore, and Downtown Tampa. Most of Hillsborough County is within a 20 to 30 minute drive.
What should I bring to my first appointment?
Bring a photo ID, your insurance card, a list of current medications (including over-the-counter drugs and supplements), and any prior records you would like reviewed. Complete the online intake forms in advance if you can. Your first visit typically runs 45 minutes.
Can I switch my primary care doctor to Ascend and transfer my records?
Yes. Call (813) 670-3331, schedule a new-patient visit, and we send a records-release form to your previous physician with your written authorization. Most offices respond within one to two weeks. Bring whatever you have on hand to the first visit (medication list, recent labs, specialist names) so Dr. Saylor is not starting blind.
Do you address anxiety or depression during a primary care visit?
Primary care visits include a brief mental health screening as part of routine care, and Dr. Saylor can start first-line treatment for mild symptoms. For an ongoing condition, medication management, or a fuller evaluation, we refer within Ascend to psychiatry with Anna Stouffer, PMHNP-BC, or to talk therapy, both available to Tampa patients by Florida telehealth or in person at Wesley Chapel.
What preventive screenings should I schedule based on my age?
Screening intervals follow guidelines from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force and vary by age, sex, and personal risk factors. Examples include blood pressure checks at every visit, lipid panels starting in your 20s to 30s depending on risk, colorectal cancer screening generally starting at 45, and diabetes screening starting at 35 for adults who are overweight or have other risk factors. Dr. Saylor reviews which screenings apply to you at your annual physical.
Do you offer pre-operative medical clearance in Tampa?
Yes. If your surgeon requires medical clearance before a procedure, Dr. Saylor handles the history, exam, labs, EKG when indicated, risk stratification, and the clearance letter sent directly to your surgeon's office. Turnaround is typically within a week of the visit.
What is the difference between family medicine, internal medicine, and concierge medicine?
Family medicine (Dr. Saylor's specialty) treats adults across the lifespan for the full range of primary care, from preventive screenings to chronic disease management to acute visits, with an emphasis on continuity. Internal medicine focuses specifically on adult care, often with deeper training in complex chronic disease. Concierge medicine is a payment model, a membership or retainer arrangement, not a specialty, and can be staffed by physicians from any of these backgrounds. Ascend's Tampa primary care is traditional insurance-based family medicine with same-week access, not a concierge membership.
Can I be seen at both the Tampa and Wesley Chapel Ascend offices?
Yes. Dr. Saylor practices at both the Tampa-Carrollwood and Wesley Chapel offices and your chart is shared between them. Most established patients pick one location for routine visits and use the other when scheduling requires it, with no extra paperwork.
What if I do not have insurance?
We see self-pay patients. Because the amount depends on the visit type and whether any labs or procedures are performed at the same appointment, we do not publish a flat-rate sheet online. Our billing team confirms the exact amount when you call (813) 670-3331, and we always tell you what to expect before you are billed. HSA and FSA cards are accepted at the time of service.
Still have a question? Talk it through with our team.
(813) 670-3331Sources
- U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, Published A and B Recommendations
- American Academy of Family Physicians, Clinical Recommendations
- American Heart Association, Understanding Blood Pressure Readings
- American Diabetes Association, Standards of Care
- American Thyroid Association, Hypothyroidism
- American Osteopathic Association, What Is a DO?
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Clinical Practice Guideline for Prescribing Opioids
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Adult Immunization Schedule
Last medically reviewed by Dr. Jason Saylor, DO, board-certified osteopathic family medicine physician, on 2026-07-06. See our medical review policy.
This page is educational and does not replace an individualized clinical evaluation. Treatment decisions are made between you and your provider after appropriate history, exam, and, where indicated, lab or imaging workup. Individual results vary and no specific clinical outcome is guaranteed.
Establish care with a doctor who knows you
Tell us a little about what you need and we will get you scheduled with Dr. Saylor. Most new patients are seen within about a week, in person at the Carrollwood office, with Florida telehealth for stable follow-ups.
Medical emergency? Call 911. In a mental health crisis? Call or text 988 anytime. This office is not an emergency service.