Dr. Charles Bolick realized he wanted to practice in primary care after spending four years working in emergency medicine at the University of Iowa.
Originally from Western North Carolina, Bolick decided when he left emergency medicine he wanted to be somewhere closer to home and joined a small practice off of Blountville Highway. Eventually, that practice joined Holston Medical Group, where he continues to care for some of the same patients he did when he first moved to the region 25 years ago.
Recently, Bolick answered five questions with the Press about his career, the work he does and his advice for people.
What led you to the Tri-Cities?
I was raised in Western North Carolina and stayed in-state for my undergraduate (Wake Forest University) and medical school (University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill). When I was looking for internship and residency opportunities, I decided to experience other parts of the country and landed in the Midwest where I cared for patients at the University of Iowa’s hospitals and clinics. After four years in emergency medicine, I knew I wanted to return closer to home and focus on primary care.
That’s when I became the third provider at a small practice off of Blountville Highway, which eventually joined the Holston Medical Group team. More than 25 years later, and I continue to care for some of the same patients that I did when I first came to this community.
Tell me about your role as a
primary care provider.
In my 28 years of medicine, family medicine has always been centered on taking care of the whole patient and remains the foundation for my work. While care options have advanced, my role continues to be service-focused and determined by what the patient needs, and I often work closely with families to help everyone — from grandkids to grandparents — reach their health goals. This includes helping my patients make the best decisions for their health and coordinating with their specialists to make sure all their care needs are met, like preventing or managing chronic conditions.
What should people know about annual checkups?
It’s important to understand that there are benefits to be gained when seeing your provider for check-ups. During these moments, we have the greatest amount of time to detect something early, and we can either prevent or minimize the consequences of conditions like chronic illness or cancers. And, if you visit and everything is OK, that’s a great sign. We always encourage patients to continue to see us at least annually, depending on care needs, so we can continue to share good news like this, or support improving outcomes.
Are there differences in the cost of preventing an illness versus treating it?
Preventing disease will always be cheaper than treating it, and it’s an effective way for people to save money on their healthcare. Some medications can be inexpensive, but the cost for illness can include much more. For example, diabetes and coronary heart disease can both lead to ongoing medical costs for care and medications that add up, and that’s not considering the non-financial impact it can have on your lifestyle and your loved ones.
If cost is a concern, we encourage speaking with your healthcare provider about payment and insurance options that cover wellness check-ups completely. It’s also beneficial to work with your provider to schedule the right preventative screenings at the right times for you. For example, if you have a family history of breast cancer, we may want to begin your routine mammograms a little earlier in life. Through meaningful conversations with your health care provider, you can work together to determine what works best for you and your individual health care needs.
The pandemic has stretched healthcare resources. For those at risk of developing chronic conditions, what is your advice for them?
Do not delay in speaking with a health care provider about your health needs. We are seeing many preventable conditions progressing further than anticipated, and more people receiving diagnoses rather than prevention plans. It’s time to get back in with your doctor to discuss your needs, and we are here to help.
COVID-19 has certainly shined a light on health care and the importance of taking care of yourself. As your health partner for life, we are here and we continue to take measures to prioritize your health and safety as well as those of our team members and providers. So please don’t delay calling your doctor, particularly if you have a chronic condition and you’ve put off your routine visits or are behind schedule on your preventative screenings.
If you’re in need of a health partner for life, please reach out to our team at HMG. HMG has 14 convenient primary care locations to serve you. Our newest location is in Johnson City and 3019 Peoples St., next to Hobby Lobby. Just call (877) 464-1213 or visit us online at holstonmedicalgroup.com. We look forward to being your health partner for life.
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March 07, 2022 at 07:15AM
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Five questions with HMG's Dr. Charles Bolick | Health Care | johnsoncitypress.com - Johnson City Press (subscription)
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