‘My Mother’s Fears Immediately Dissipated:’ Convenient Care Clinics Focused on Safety while Offering New Types of Care 

Alexa Roberts (right) and her mother, Jackie Mammolito

Whispering Pines, N.C. - Visiting a doctor’s office can be a stressful experience for some, especially during the age of COVID-19. 

But it doesn’t have to be that way. Whispering Pines Mayor Alexa Roberts and her mother, Jackie Mammolito, saw the proof of that recently during a trip to the FirstHealth Convenient Care on Highway 22.

Roberts decided to take her mother to see a provider because of a dry cough, shortness of breath and a fever. From the moment they pulled up to the clinic, new safety protocols were at work to keep Roberts, her mother and all FirstHealth staff safe.

“I pulled up in front of the clinic and followed the instructions to call in to register. My mother was a first-time patient, but the process to give her information over the phone was smooth and efficient,” Alexa Roberts wrote in a letter detailing her visit. 

“We waited in the car, but not for long. My mother was very anxious about going to a doctor’s office – she was concerned about possibly infecting staff or being exposed. But everything was clean and staff members were wearing personal protective equipment. My mother’s fears immediately dissipated.” 

Dr. James Liffrig, director of FirstHealth Convenient Care, said Roberts’ experience is one FirstHealth is replicating at all its clinics. 

“We have implemented some robust strategies to allow patients to come in and safely get their acute health needs taken care of,” he said. “We have been conducting curbside visits in some cases, and we are allowing patients to register from their car by phone. We even have the option to see a Convenient Care provider over the phone when appropriate. We are working hard to care for people in the safest ways we can.” 

Roberts said staff members treated her mother with respect and kindness and credited certified physician assistant Ashraf Kobeissi with going above and beyond during their visit.

“He was patient and thorough. He listed to all my mother’s concerns and answered all of her (and my) questions. He took time to talk with her and put her at ease,” Roberts wrote. “He reviewed X-ray results with her. He talked with her about options and recommended treatments, and he talked her through every step and was very helpful. My mother left the clinic with a smile under her mask and a bounce in her step.”

Roberts said her mother is on the mend following her visit and is thankful for the care she received.  

About Convenient Care 

FirstHealth Convenient Care provides treatment for all your urgent but non-life-threatening illnesses and family medical care needs. 

FirstHealth Convenient Care is here to fill the void between a true emergency (ER) and preventative care from a primary doctor. Patients are provided with a one-stop option for unscheduled, urgent care by a medical team led by a board certified physician specializing in emergency medicine.  

From strep to sprains, flu to fractures and everything in between, FirstHealth Convenient Care can help you get in, get out and get better.