Patient Testimonials & Stories

"A long-time employee in the service industry and a hard worker to boot, Wendy Stoots found herself without health insurance options because her employers did not offer these benefits. She was unable to afford the high premium costs associated with health insurance, but also earned too much to qualify for Medicaid. Her only option in the mid-1990s was to turn to the then Brock Hughes Free Clinic which was located in the Wythe County Health Department. In 1996, Ms. Stoots was diagnosed with diabetes.

Ms. Stoots began participating with Keri Sword, PharmD, in the BHMC Chronic Care Management program more than two years ago. At that time, the program was a new addition to the services provided by BHMC. In addition to being a diabetic, Ms. Stoots has trouble maintaining her blood sugar levels in the optimal range, experiencing periodic hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) episodes, which can be very dangerous. These episodes threatened her ability to continue her work. Ms. Stoots needed some way to monitor her blood sugar levels more consistently while working while also not disrupting her workflow. Dr. Sword recommended that she try a Continuous Blood Glucose Monitoring System. The cost of a Continuous Glucose Monitoring system to help her monitor her blood sugar while at work would have been more than she could afford on her income. However, as part of the Chronic Care Management (CCM) program at BHMC, Ms. Stoots was supplied with a Continuous Glucose Monitoring system beginning in June of 2022. Since beginning to use the system and meeting with the pharmacist approximately once every other week, Ms. Stoots’ average blood glucose has improved from approximately 209 to 158, according to the most recent readings. The system alerts Ms. Stoots when her blood sugar level is dropping while at work so that she can immediately have a snack to raise the level before it becomes dangerously low, which would then affect her being able to work. Ms. Stoots has also seen improvements in her blood pressure during her participation in the program. The CCM program has been funded in-part by the Wythe-Bland Foundation since 2020. This program is significantly improving the health outcomes of other BHMC patients diagnosed with chronic diseases, like Ms. Stoots.

Ms. Stoots is grateful the clinic has been here for her for so long. Without BHMC, her options for primary healthcare and pharmacy services through the years would have been slim to none. She indicated that the individual time Dr. Sword has been able to spend with her and the diabetic supplies the Clinic has been able to provide her through her participation in the CCM program has been invaluable to her and has allowed her to continue to live a high-quality lifestyle and maintain her work."

- Wendy Stoots

"Gout, a complex form of arthritis, brought James to Brock Hughes Medical Center in 2017. Employed at the Bolling Wilson Hotel as a general maintenance worker, James did not have health insurance. He had recently been seen at the Bland Ministry Center dental clinic, which is how he found out about Brock Hughes. After his first visit and labs, James realized he had more going on than just gout. He was diagnosed with diabetes and high blood pressure, and his cholesterol was high. He knew he had always struggled with anxiety but had never been treated. Today his A1C (blood sugar level) has decreased significantly, his cholesterol is much lower, and his blood pressure is regulated. His anxiety is also controlled. Mr. Graybeal said the care he has received while at BHMC has improved his life significantly. He feels so much better and doesn’t worry as he once did.

Mr. Graybeal believes God is the reason for everything and he knows He is the reason he found BHMC. “The clinic and every single staff member have been a blessing to me. They are all so very nice, they genuinely care, they listen and ask questions, I am treated as a person and not just a number. Most doctor’s offices I have been to in the past just want to get you in and get you out, but not BHMC.” Mr. Graybeal and his wife have been together for 35 years. They have 3 children and 11 grandchildren. Thanks to BHMC he gets to enjoy life with his family and can continue being the “anything man” to many; anything anyone needs help with, he’s your guy. By the grace of God, Mr. Graybeal has so much to be thankful for and in return he will continue giving back."

- James Graybeal