KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Interstate Health has opened a new walk-in care and primary care clinic adjacent to the Pilot Travel Center at 7210 Strawberry Plains Pike, off I-40 at exit 398 in Knoxville, Tenn.
“Knoxville is an important travel corridor for Tennessee and the Southeast United States with a vibrant community that lives and works alongside its highways. We are proud to offer local residents and those traveling on I-40 a convenient place to turn for walk-in and basic urgent care needs, primary care and occupational health services,” said Jeff Seraphine, Interstate Health chief executive officer (CEO). “We are especially excited to offer truck-friendly parking and efficient care to commercial drivers, the backbone of our nation’s transit and logistics infrastructure.”
New clinic available to provide high-quality, convenient healthcare commercial drivers
According to a media release, the clinic, partially funded by a grant awarded to Occupational Health Center – Interstate Health by the Tennessee Department of Health (TDH), offers high-quality, accessible healthcare services to area residents, commercial drivers and interstate travelers.
“Access to facilities providing quality health care and services is more important than ever in Tennessee’s local communities,” said Ralph Alvarado, Tennessee Health Commissioner Ralph Alvarado, MD, FACP. “Leadership in both the public and private sectors is exactly how we improve the culture of health and healthcare in Tennessee, and how our state becomes the model in the southeast U.S. for meeting the needs of citizens where they live, work, play, and worship.”
Ribbon cutting ceremony
Interstate Health providers and company leaders, Tennessee Trucking Association leadership, Pilot Company representatives, local business leaders and representatives from the Tennessee Department of Health celebrated the new clinic’s opening on January 14 during an open house and ribbon cutting ceremony.
Hours and operation
Open Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. ET and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., Interstate Health Knoxville offers walk-in access for basic urgent care needs, primary care and occupational health services. Along with sick care, the clinic helps patients stay well with vaccines, medication management and other resources.
Special services for commercial drivers
According to the release, Interstate Health Knoxville also provides Department of Transportation and pre-employment physicals for area workers and commercial drivers. A complete list of services and contact information may be found on Interstate Health’s website. Healthcare providers at the clinic include Kennedy Thames Shull, PA-C; Amanda Partin Chitwood, NP; Stephanie Green, NP; and medical assistant Whitney Johnson.
Grant funding supports clinic
The new Knoxville clinic represents a $900,000 investment in the local community. It was funded in part through the TDH’s Health Resiliency Grant Program, a statewide effort to expand capacity to deliver quality healthcare services. The program is the result of the Tennessee Resiliency Plan with oversight from the Tennessee Financial Stimulus Accountability Group, a bipartisan legislative and executive branch committee charged with planning the use of federal funding available to states through the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.
“Interstate Health’s mission is to ensure access to quality healthcare for people who live near and frequent America’s highways. Backed by veteran transportation and logistics executives, the company aims to address glaring health disparities facing our nation’s commercial drivers, including increased risk of heart disease, obesity, diabetes and hypertension, while increasing access to quality healthcare for communities along the nation’s highways,” the release said. “Along with the new Knoxville location, the company operates Occupational Health Center – Interstate Health in Cookeville, Tenn.; as well as locations in Shelbyville, Tenn.; Port Wentworth, Ga.; and Racine, Wis.”
Dana Guthrie is an award-winning journalist who has been featured in multiple newspapers, books and magazines across the globe. She is currently based in the Atlanta, Georgia, area.
