Robbins Family Practice Joining FirstHealth Family Medicine Network

William L. Bell, M.D.

ROBBINS – The idea of returning to Robbins to practice medicine always figured in the mind of native son William L. Bell, M.D., but a bit of information passed along by his father all but sealed the deal.

The town’s two longtime physicians were about to retire.

“We came back and took over the office,” Dr. Bell says. “It was kind of like coming back home.”

On Nov. 30, Dr. Bell’s office will become part of FirstHealth of the Carolinas family medicine network. The office will be closed for training that week, but will re-open as FirstHealth Family Medicine with new 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. hours on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday and 8 a.m. to noon on Wednesday.

“We’re very excited about (the FirstHealth affiliation) and the changes it will bring,” Dr. Bell says. “I see it as all positive for us and for our patients.”

According to Dan Barnes, D.O., president of the FirstHealth Physician Group, Dr. Bell’s office, with its North Moore location, is a welcome addition to the FirstHealth network.

“Dr. Bell has been devoted to the Robbins community, with its diverse population, for almost 35 years,” Dr. Barnes says. “Although he is certainly no stranger to FirstHealth and Moore Regional Hospital, we are happy to have this more formal relationship with him and we look forward to helping him continue to provide quality health care to his patients.”

Both the extended hours and the advanced equipment and technology of a FirstHealth office will give Dr. Bell more time to do what he loves to do and what he has always done – practice family medicine. The variety involved with generational health care is one of the factors that attracted him to the field.

As is often the case in small towns and rural communities, many of the patients seeking Dr. Bell’s care are dealing with chronic conditions and many of those conditions are further complicated by longtime tobacco use and/or obesity. That can present a variety of challenges to a family practice physician.

“You never know what’s on the other side of that door,” Dr. Bell says.

According to Dr. Bell’s estimates, roughly three generations of patients have come to him for medical care since he opened his office in 1981.

“A lot of our patients, we’ve been seeing since we moved here,” he says.

A 1971 graduate of North Moore High School, Dr. Bell received his undergraduate degree in biology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and his medical degree from the UNC School of Medicine. He completed his residency in family medicine at Moses Cone Hospital in Greensboro.

Dr. Bell and his wife, Theron, have three children: two sons – an attorney and a college student; and a daughter – a teacher of autistic children. Both Dr. and Mrs. Bell are well-known in the community, and she has been especially active in local civic and community matters.

A former Robbins mayor, she was very involved in the development of the town’s library among other projects.

“I’m pretty sure that library building wouldn’t be here without her,” Dr. Bell says.

To make an appointment with William L. Bell, M.D., at FirstHealth Family Medicine in Robbins, call (910) 948-2911. The office is located in the Robbins Professional Building at 300 S. Middleton St.