Watauga County Health Department Clinic

About Watauga County Health Department Clinic

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Eligibility
Services are provided for several programs based on your gross income and the number of family members living in your household. Specific programs this applies to are Child Health, Maternity, Family Planning, Primary Care, Breast and Cervical Cancer, Colposcopy/LEEP, Dental and WiseWoman. Clients with income that falls 60% or below have first priority for services.
Methods of Payment
Payment is expected at time of service. Methods of acceptable payment include Medicaid, Medicare, Health Choice, State Teachers Insurance, some forms of Blue Cross and Blue Shield and cash, check, credit or debit card.

Hours of Operation
Monday-Friday: 8:00 am - 4:45 pm
Unless otherwise posted for Holidays, Trainings or Special Events

The patient care services provided by our Clinics offer a variety of programs and services to improve the health and quality of life for the residents of Alleghany, Ashe and Watauga Counties. Please click the links under the Patients menu to learn about these programs and services. To schedule an appointment, please contact the Health Department in your county for assistance.

Primary care services provide health promotion and disease prevention such as complete physical exams, daycare physical exams, sports physicals as well as diagnosis and treatment of acute and chronic illnesses.
Appointments:
    Patients are seen by appointment to the best of our ability depending on the nature and severity of the patient request.
    Our appointment system allows for 1-2 day scheduling or you may be asked to call back for an appointment on a later date.
    If you are unable to keep an appointment, please call your local health department at your earliest convenience. This will allow us to be of service to others who are needing appointments.
    A certain amount of waiting time may be unavoidable on some appointments. Please try to be understanding if this occurs.
    You are expected to be on time for your appointment. If you are late you should notify the front office staff. YOU MAY NEED TO BE RESCHEDULED.
For questions regarding your charges, bills, account balance, or any financial aspect of your care, call your local health department and ask to speak to a billing staff member.
Phone Calls:
We do not believe in diagnosing or disease management over the phone, therefore phone calls should be limited to absolute necessities.
Your calls will be referred to a clinic nurse who will help address you concern or make a determination regarding a referral to the physician or nurse practitioner.
The family nurse practitioner or physician may call or will ask the nurse to return your call. The return call will be the same day when time allows. However, this may late in the afternoon depending on the schedule.
Lab and X-ray Reports:
You will be notified by letter or phone with recommendations if you have abnormal results. We will also be glad to answer any questions concerning your results at your next visit.
Patient Confidentiality:
Our confidentiality policy prohibits us from providing any of your medical information to anybody, including family members, without your consent. We will not answer any family members' questions over the phone without your consent. If you would like a family member to have access to your medical information, you must sign a consent form or have the family member accompany you to the clinic on your next visit.
Medications:
    Bring ALL your medications to the clinic for each visit-in their original bottles.
    Take your medications as directed by your family nurse practitioner or physician.
    Ask for refills at your appointment. Refills by phone will be limited.
    Requests for refills will be taken by the secretary or nurse. The request will be reviewed with the physician or family nurse practitioner and the patient will be notified of the decision.
    If you have missed an appointment or have not been seen recently, you will need to schedule an appointment before receiving a refill.
    You must notify the physician of any prescriptions you have received from other providers.
    You should never give, lend, or sell any of your medications to others.
    No prescriptions will be written or called in after business hours or on weekends and holidays.



Well Child Checkups include the following:
    Head to toe physical examination
    Developmental screening
    Vision and Hearing screening
    Blood pressure check
    Anemia and lead screening, as needed
    Urinalysis, as needed
    Immunizations
    Health education
    Dental Varnish with education is offered for children ages 6 months to 6 years

North Carolina Health Choice (NCHC) for Children is a free or reduced price comprehensive health care program for children. If your family makes too much money to qualify for Medicaid but too little to afford rising health insurance premiums, your child may qualify for NCHC. NC Health Choice can pay for many services. To find out if your child might qualify or for more details, visit the NC Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Medical Assistance website or call the NC Family Health Resource Line at 1-800-367-2229.


Immunizations (shots) protect our community from deadly diseases. These diseases do still exist today and can spread quickly. It is better to prevent diseases then to treat them. Your local health department offers immunizations (shots) in a safe and caring environment. We are committed to assessing and offering all shots to protect you from disease. No appointment is necessary for these services. Please remember to bring any insurance information and any vaccination records that you may have.
Services Provided
    Immunizations: Childhood, Adult, Adolescent, College Entrance
    Seasonal flu vaccine
    TB skin test
    Travel vaccines [Travel Clinic]

The Maternity Clinic of the Appalachian District Health Department is designed to assure that all women have access to affordable prenatal care. Our purpose is to help women have healthy pregnancies & healthy babies; provide appropriate screenings, education and referrals. Services are available to all pregnant women.
Pregnancy Care Management (PCM) is a statewide program in N.C. promoting healthy mothers and healthy babies. This program provides care management services by a social worker or registered nurse for high risk women during pregnancy and for two months after delivery.
The Family Planning Clinic of the Appalachian District Health Department is designed to provide all women with access to an affordable healthcare source for their reproductive concerns. Our purpose is to help women plan & space their pregnancies; prevent unintended pregnancies; and to provide appropriate health screenings and education. All services are confidential for all women.

Since this is a sliding fee scale clinic, we have provided the Federal Poverty Guidelines below. Visit the Watauga County Health Department Clinic website listed above to see what the level is needed for free care.