Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

In a Friday, July 22 video message, Ronnie Sloan, president of The Outer Banks Hospital, announced that a new physician is now working at Outer Banks Family Medicine – Manteo.
He also outlined expansion plans for the Manteo office.

As previously announced, David Worthen, MD started seeing patients Wednesday, July 20, 2022 in the existing facility.

Sloan reported that the first day the special telephone number was active 1,000 calls were received from among the 2,418 people receiving a letter terminating primary care. Sloan reported that the number is now less than 20 calls per day.

Some 1,500 people are on the waiting list. Sloan said the process will take several months.

For the next several weeks, Worthen will work with Chris Handron, a physician’s assistant, in transitioning Handron’s patients to Worthen’s care.

Handron is relocating out-of-state and finishes his work in Manteo Sept. 1, 2022. In a letter posted along with Sloan’s video, Handron said those patients with appointments past Sept. 1 will automatically be moved to Worthen’s calendar.

“I will do my absolute best to continue the high-quality and compassionate care that you have received from your previous provider and look forward to caring for you and this community for many years to come,” stated Worthen in a provider information sheet. According to the information sheet, Worthen grew up in eastern North Carolina around the Cedar Island/Morehead City area. He is a 2014 graduate of the American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine, completed his residency in family medicine at VCU-Riverside in 2018 and has worked at Straub Medical Center – Hawaii Pacific Health in Honolulu, Hawaii.

In the video, Sloan next talks about expansion plans for Manteo. Expansion at Outer Banks Family Medicine – Manteo is a shared collaboration between ECU Health, Chesapeake Regional Healthcare and The Outer Banks Hospital. Worthen’s board certification is with the American Board of Family Medicine.

Sloan announced that the collaborative is working with Dr. Walter Holton to secure property adjacent to the existing Manteo practice.

A 2,500 square foot addition would be constructed and the existing facility renovated.

The existing facility was built in 1984, is 3,615 square feet and sits on 39,000 square feet of land. The existing facility is owned by Walter Holton and Barbara Holton.

Two parcels owned by Holton adjoin the existing facility. The vacant property in two parcels has 34,000 square feet. The properties are located outside the boundaries of the Town of Manteo in unincorporated Dare County, according to Dare County tax information.

Sloan continued his reports on ECU Health’s countywide medical services.

He announced a new physician for Outer Banks Women’s Care in Nags Head.

Robin Dillard, MD is board-certified obstetrician and gynecologist. She’ll arrive late summer or early fall.

She comes to Dare County from The Howard Center for Women’s Health, which has eight offices in Georgia. Dillard lives in Tifton, Ga.

Dillard received her bachelor of science degree in nursing from Virginia Commonwealth University in 2000. She worked as a labor and delivery nurse prior to returning to school to receive her certified nurse midwifery degree from Tufts University of Medicine. She then practiced as a nurse-midwife for seven years. She graduated from the Medical University of the Americas as a doctor of medicine in 2011 and completed her obstetrics and gynecology residency at Riverside Regional Medical Center in Newport News, Va. in 2015.

Dillard replaces Dr. Dan Dwyer, who will only practice one day a week as he transitions to the position of regional medical director – medical affairs for ECU Health.

Sloan also announced that Katie Caton, a nurse practitioner, will join The Outer Banks Hospital’s hematology/oncology practice. She graduated from Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Va. with a masters of science in nursing followed by a doctorate in nursing practice in 2012.

She comes to the Outer Banks from Sentara Brock Cancer Center, Supportive Care Services, Norfolk, Va.

Sloan reported recruitment is underway for an oncologist as well as to replace Dr. Daniel Terryberry, who practiced family medicine in Kitty Hawk.

READ ABOUT MORE NEWS HERE.