Richmond Convenient Care Like Homecoming for FirstHealth Physician

Lisa Cowan, M.D.

ROCKINGHAM – Lisa Cowan’s career in medicine began in the Imaging department at FirstHealth Moore Regional Hospital when she was an X-ray technology student. She returned to the hospital in 1996 as a CT technologist and spent seven years there before setting out on a new health care path by entering medical school.

After earning her medical degree and completing her internship and residency at the East Carolina University School of Medicine, she returned to the mid-Carolinas as Lisa Cowan, M.D., a board certified specialist in emergency medicine. She joined the Sandhills Emergency Physicians specialty practice and began rotating through FirstHealth of the Carolinas emergency departments in Rockingham, Troy and Pinehurst.

In July 2012, Dr. Cowan's career took another turn with the opening of FirstHealth's Convenient Care program. She is now medical director of a service that currently includes FirstHealth Convenient Care in Rockingham and FirstHealth Convenient Care in Raeford. A third location is scheduled to open in the Moore County community of Whispering Pines in July.

For Dr. Cowan, the Rockingham connection has a special importance. A native of Richmond County, she grew up in Hamlet.

“I feel like I’m home,” she says.

In addition to the time she spends seeing patients at FirstHealth Convenient Care in Rockingham, and despite her responsibilities in Raeford and Whispering Pines, Dr. Cowan continues to be a frequent visitor to Richmond County. Her mother, Linda Cowan Frye, still lives in Hamlet, and her stepfather, Bo Frye, is in the race to become Richmond County's sheriff. Her brother, Jonathan Cowan, works for CSX in Hamlet.

Introducing Richmond County residents to the services of a convenient care medical practice is her current professional priority, however. The program is an important addition to the Richmond County health care community, according to John Jackson, president of FirstHealth Richmond Memorial Hospital.

“This is a new and different health care option for this community,” Jackson says, “especially for people needing after-hours treatment of minor injuries and simple illnesses like coughs, colds and sore throats. Even if they have a primary care provider, local residents have often found those offices are closed during evenings or on weekends and convenient care offers a great alternative to an emergency department. As someone who is very familiar with our community, Dr. Cowan can also refer patients who don’t have a personal physician to a primary care provider who can serve their continuing health care needs.”

FirstHealth Convenient Care in Rockingham is located on the first floor of the Medical Office Building beside FirstHealth Richmond Memorial Hospital (921 S. Long Drive, Suite 104). Office hours are noon to 8 p.m. seven days a week. Appointments are not necessary, and walk-ins are welcome at any time during office hours.Accepted insurance coverage includes Medicare, Medicaid and Tricare.