Houston Healthcare welcomes new primary care physician to network

WARNER ROBINS, Ga. — Just near the crossing of Russell Parkway and Belmont Drive, a medical practice formerly operated by internal medicine physician Dr. Richard Smith reopened to the public Thursday, this time under the direction of internal medicine physician Dr. Dylan Carroll.

Celebrating another primary care doctor in Houston County, community leaders and their representatives came together Thursday afternoon for a ribbon cutting. Houston Healthcare CEO Charles Briscoe and Caroll spoke on the importance of this new addition to Houston County, and what the community can expect from it.

The practice, dubbed Houston Internal Medicine Associates, will operate within a network of primary care physicians working through Houston Healthcare. According to Briscoe, the opening of this practice is one part to a solution of a nationwide problem.

“In Houston County, we have tremendous primary care physicians in our community, we’ve got a rich heritage of good physicians, but where we find ourselves in the industry as we look forward to the future, there is a shortage in primary care physicians, much like with nurses and other healthcare professionals,” Briscoe said. “We we’re able to bring Dr. Carroll to town. It’s a big deal because it supplements our already fantastic care in our community.”

According to Carroll, his practice will focus mostly on adults. As a primary care physician, one specialized in internal medicine, he will provide care to Houston County’s patients, and coordinate their care with more specialized physicians when necessary.

“My scope is all inclusive of medicine, until the point when I feel a specialist, that expert care, is needed,” Carroll explained. “Things I’ll treat are hypertension, diabetes, kidney disease, liver disease, lung disease, COPD — all that kind of stuff.”

Carroll is an employed physician under Houston Healthcare’s Primary Care Group. Carroll’s practice will be Houston Healthcare’s third location prepared for primary care. This network, alongside the community of independent primary care physicians within Houston County, work to care for the entire area.

“[Accessibility to primary care] speaks to the overall health of the community,” Briscoe said. “It’s workforce development, it’s economic development.

“If you have access to care, that’s important to potential employers coming to the community. To have access to primary care is important to have a healthy community, so your workforce can come to work. Basic primary care is fundamental to a community, and to workforce and economic development.”

Briscoe recognized retired physician Smith’s years of service to Houston County and thanked him for his work.

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