Carilion Opens Pediatric Practice In Downtown Lexington
Carilion is expanding health care options available to Rockbridge County residents with a new pediatric practice operating in downtown Lexington.
The practice, which began seeing patients this week, was officially opened with a ribbon cutting ceremony last Thursday.
Operating at 146 S. Main St., there will be two doctors on staff at the practice, along with two nurses and support staff.
The more than 2,400-square-foot space includes five exam rooms with a variety of colorful and interactive designs on the walls and floor, including a colored hopscotch pattern on the floor of the hallway.
It is a full service practice, with doctors able to perform physicals and wellness check-ups, and treat illnesses as well as simple sprains and minor burns.
The recently renovated space, which previously housed the family medicine practice of Drs. David Ellington, Robert Pickral and Laura Lanier, “enhances the care experience for pediatric patients and their families, allowing more personal interaction with Carilion pediatric experts and shorter wait times,” Carilion said in a press release.
“We know that children are truly the heart of our community and we have a growing and thriving community, and it means a lot to be able to take care of them right here at home,” said Tracy Lyons, who serves as both the executive director of the Lexington-Rockbridge Chamber of Commerce and the chair of the Carilion Rockbridge Community Hospital board of directors.
The lack of a dedicated pediatric clinic, Lyons noted, was something that had been highlighted as a need in the annual community needs assessment study for the past several years. The opening of the practice on Main Street, she said, shows that Carilion “is here to stay.”
Lexington Mayor Frank Friedman also praised Carilion for its commitment to providing pediatric care for the community and helping fill a “void” in the area. He also noted the economic benefits for the community of having a pediatric practice in Lexington.
“It’s a whole lot easier to recruit and support companies to the area with local infrastructure,” he said. “Health care plays a part in businesses wanting to come here and expand.”
The Pediatric Medicine practice was made possible through funding from the Carilion Clinic Foundation and the Children’s Miracle Network, the latter of which reinvested donations from the local community into the practice.
Dr. Andrew Herman, chair of pediatric medicine for Carilion, was given the honor of performing the ribbon cutting at last week’s ceremony, and was surrounded by representatives of several community partners as he did so.
“I’m so thrilled that this clinic is connected with the community,” he said. “At the ribbon cutting today, it was so clear that this is something that is needed, it’s something that is wanted … I’m thrilled that this really is meeting a need for Lexington and its families and their kids.”
The practice operates on regular hours, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. To learn more about the practice visit https://www.carilionclinic.org/locations/ carilion-childrens-pediatric-medicine-lexington, or call (540) 462-6270.
