Even if you are a healthy adult, establishing a “medical home” with a primary care provider (PCP) is a responsible, proactive approach to your health. Not only can PCPs help manage acute medical needs when they arise (i.e., flu, sinus infection, pink eye, sprains, UTI) annual check-ups and screenings can help prevent serious medical conditions like cancer, diabetes, and heart disease. If chronic medical conditions are present, PCPs can help manage those and serve as a hub and a referring provider to other specialists or surgeons if needed.
In many areas of the country, access to a PCP is a barrier to preventive healthcare like annual check-ups and screenings. That is not the case in the High Country. Access to primary care has never been better. By adding several PCPs across UNC Health Appalachian, and the implementation of the MAHEC Rural Family Medicine Residency Program at AppFamily, five practices (three in Watauga County and two in Avery County) are welcoming new patients and/or have same-day availability. UNCHA is working daily to improve access to healthcare in the High Country and has added My UNC Chart as an option for patients to schedule appointments, manage their health records, and much more.
To address a transportation barrier, all PCP offices throughout UNC Health Appalachian offer a telehealth option. And with the recent implementation of the North Carolina Medicaid Expansion, more adults can now qualify for healthcare coverage.
If you don’t have a primary care provider – even if you’re perfectly healthy – now is the time to establish a medical home. There are several PCP options right here in the High Country.
In Blowing Rock, Dr. Gregory Price and Leanne McAlexander, PA-C at Chestnut Ridge Medical (formerly Davant Medical Clinic) are accepting new patients. While both providers treat adult patients, Dr. Price can also treat pediatric patients over the age of six.
AppFamily Medicine and AppInternal Medicine offer several options for providers in Boone. Dr. Kelli Nowikowski and Faith-Marie Oakley, AGNP are new providers at AppInternal Medicine and both are accepting new patients. At AppFamily Medicine, in addition to eight PCPs, 15 resident doctors also see adult and pediatric patients. AppFamily has same-day availability and also offers extended hours that include evenings and Saturdays from 8 a.m. – noon.
In Avery County, providers at the Baker Primary Care Center treat adult and pediatric patients and they have same-day availability as well as extended hours that include evenings and Saturdays from 8 a.m. – noon. Dr. Molly Haas is a new provider there and is welcoming new patients. In Banner Elk, Drs. Alfred Earwood and David Kimmel at Elk River Medical are accepting new patients.
Click here for more information about all these primary care providers.
Share this page
