Hometown care

Main Street in Grayson is home to an independent, walk-in clinic that aims to help residents with all their basic healthcare needs. The clinic is operated by family nurse practitioner Brooke Holley, who has twelve years of direct experience in emergency medical care. Holley said her patients range in age from newborns to basically any age.

“I’m here for any kind of acute care needs,” Holley explained.

Holley said that during this time of year she typically sees patients for a variety of illnesses from colds and flu to COVID and strep throat. The clinic is located at 107 E Main Street and sees patients almost exclusively on a walk-in basis, though sometimes if patients need to be seen during a lunch hour break, some appointments can be made. The clinic accepts insurance and has lower cash payments for those who have no insurance or are under insured.

“We don’t want anyone to feel as though they can’t get healthcare because they don’t have insurance,” Holley said.

Average cash visits, she said, start at around $45.

Holley herself was born and raised in Grayson and graduated from the University of Cincinnati in 2012 as a family nurse practitioner.

“Until I opened this clinic, I spent my entire career in an emergency room,” Holley said.

The clinic, she said, has now been open about two and a half years, and she couldn’t be happier with the change of venue.

“It’s very rewarding, personally, to be back in my hometown,” she said.

“I spent a good part of my childhood going to Dr. Shufflebarger’s office,” Holley said, remembering the well-respected Grayson family doctor. “I was in corporate healthcare for 12 years and worked my way up at St Mary’s, but I missed the simplicity of how he (Shufflebarger) provided medical care to patients in our community.”

“So, when I opened this clinic, it was with him in mind,” Holley continued. “I wanted to replicate the way he did it, though there will never be another Dr. Shufflebarger.”

Though Holley is making no attempt to replace her favorite physician, she does want to bring back his style. She wants patients to be comfortable in a friendly atmosphere where they always know who they are going to see and who will be providing their care.

“You want to know your provider when you walk in the door and see friendly, familiar faces,” she said. “And you want to know that we are going to do our very best to take of you at that time. Just like he did.”

Holley said that her patients have responded well to the walk-in clinic model of treatment, and the family atmosphere. This isn’t surprising to her in the least, she said, because most of the people she sees at the clinic are people she grew up with and are a lot like family to her.

“I know them,” she said. “And I know their kids and their parents. They are really like my family because these are the people I was with growing up.”

Beyond needing emergency care, Holley said there are a few things everyone can do to maintain health, especially during cold and flu season.

“You can’t overstate the need for hand washing to slow the spread of germs,” she said. “And we need to make sure we take our vitamins to help us prevent getting sick. But once you get sick, get treatment. Go to your doctor, come here to the clinic, but go somewhere to be seen.”

Other advice she shared included staying hydrated and getting plenty of sleep, so your body has time to repair itself.

“We all need to work on making health in general a priority,” Holley said. “And with the start of the new year, it’s a great time to begin. Simple lifestyle changes and healthy habits can make all the difference in the world.”

Holley said everyone can feel free to call the clinic and they would be happy to answer any questions about treatment and other services, as well as any questions about billing and insurance. The telephone number is 606-474-0244, and she also posts useful information and receives messages on their Facebook page at Main Street Medical Clinic.

Contact the writer at charles@cartercountytimes.com