Our clinic on Yorkshire Street in Asheville is focused on supporting the health and wellness of WNC seniors—and they’re already seeing the impact their efforts are making in the community.
As new patients are welcomed into the clinic, Drs. Robyn Latessa and Amy Santin have been excitedly building their team—so they can best serve the diverse needs of the seniors in the Asheville community.
That team now includes JT LaBrueye, a Physician’s Assistant who grew up in the area and is deeply committed to this community and helping it thrive.
That’s why he joined Hopscotch—to be a part of our mission to deliver seniors the quality primary care they need, provided by a dedicated team who truly care for them.
We recently got the chance to chat with JT, to hear about his history and approach to care.
Read on to learn what JT had to say about his experience working with Hopscotch to offer WNC seniors what they deserve in a primary care provider.
7 Questions with JT LaBruyere, PA at Hopscotch Asheville on Yorkshire Street
Hopscotch Primary Care:
Thanks for carving out some time to chat! We loved reading your bio on the Hopscotch site and are excited to learn more about you.
You’ve experienced many different roles in the healthcare field. What’s the most important lesson your diverse background has taught you about caring for others?
JT LaBruyere:
The earliest point in my background is probably when I was a medical assistant in high school. I grew up here in Asheville, and part of our assistant rotation was at Givens Estate. So I did CNA work and cared for people in that setting.
Doing this work gave me the chance to provide care and connect with people one-on-one. CNA work involves things like toileting, showering, and helping people with their daily needs. I learned that I enjoyed the work and that it gave me a lift to help people directly like that. It also helped to confirm that I would enjoy medicine. So, my desire to help others in this way goes way back.
Hopscotch Primary Care:
We got the chance to speak with Drs. Latessa and Santin when they were excited to begin assembling their team. What’s it like working with them and being a part of that?
JT LaBruyere:
I’ve known Dr. Santin for many years. We worked together in a clinic for seven years. I also worked with Dr. Latessa but actually got to know her more through the community as my wife was her Pilates instructor.
So, I already had a foundation of knowing them and trusting them. Then, talking to Dr. Latessa and hearing how excited she was about this model of care and clinic was encouraging. They were both very comfortable and excited to bring me on board. And we knew we’d all work well together.
The whole team at our clinic is committed to the mission and is very collaborative. It’s been a great environment so far. I’ve only been here for a few months, but it already feels like a well-functioning system and team. And we’ll continue to build from here.
Hopscotch Primary Care:
You’ve got deep roots in Western NC and the Asheville community. How does Hopscotch serve the needs of your community?
JT LaBruyere:
The team-based approach at Hopscotch with our current nurse coordinator, Renee, and our ability to offer home visits and provide more comprehensive care management is huge. It makes such a difference in outcomes and support for our patients.
The connection of resources and the way the system works is so efficient and patient-centered. It provides a really high level of care.
There’s also the fact that we’re a Medicare-only clinic and we have the capacity for new patients. Many clinics in the county are often at capacity and cannot take on new Medicare patients. So there’s a huge need right now in that population.
Hopscotch Primary Care:
What’s the best part about being a Physician’s Assistant with Hopscotch?
JT LaBruyere:
What I really enjoy about being a PA is I have autonomy to manage my patient panel independently and make clinical decisions, while also having colleagues and support to talk through decisions when needed. So, from a primary care perspective, I think that’s the best part of being a PA.
In the Hopscotch system, the level of support is really top-notch.
Here is my first experience with digital scribes, and that is life-changing. I’m able to sit and talk and connect with my patients. The digital scribe generates a summary and bullet points of what we discussed and provides instructions. That’s phenomenal. Particularly with our population, this provides a written account for them to review, where nothing is missed and everything is laid out for them.
I’m still building my patient panel here, and I’m at about 75% of my capacity now. So, we’re working to bring in patients.
Hopscotch Primary Care:
You’ve got a family, a dog, and a career—so we know you’re busy! What are some of your favorite ways to nurture your health and wellness as a resident of WNC?
JT LaBruyere:
I play a lot of soccer and have been in the adult soccer community forever. I coached at Roberson when I moved back to town after college. I also help to manage my men’s open soccer team.
A lot of evenings, I also take my six-year-old and three-year-old biking on the Greenway in West Asheville where we live. It’s been a bit different after the storm but now that it’s cleaned up a bit we still get out to the river for some exercise. We also do lots of hiking. That’s my mental health and quality of life time—getting out in nature.
Hopscotch Primary Care:
Why does value-based care for seniors matter?
JT LaBruyere:
One component is focused on disease prevention. That involves cancer screenings and also proactive management of diseases like diabetes and kidney disease. Another important component is caring for high-risk codes, which are diseases that can be more difficult to manage and pose more complications for patients.
As value-based primary care providers, we acknowledge those high-risk categories and also coordinate with other specialist providers to attend to the full continuum of care for that patient. We make sure we receive all their records and understand what other providers are doing so we can adjust our plans and coordinate with specialists like cardiologists and pulmonologists.
The care coordination component of value-based care is a big area of improvement in patient outcomes.
Hopscotch Primary Care:
How is Hopscotch different from other healthcare providers you may have seen or worked with in the past?
JT LaBruyere:
For me, the thing that really stands out is the way Hopscotch approaches the value-based care model. It really is patient-centered care and care management. We focus on the continuum of care for our patients, even outside of our visits. The system is set up so that all team members have specific roles and responsibilities. It doesn’t feel like anyone is overburdened.
My past experience in healthcare is that there’s a desire to provide this level of care management but so much of it falls on components that just aren’t synchronized, so things fall through the cracks and take longer to address. That can lead to burnout for providers.
The system at Hopscotch is very efficient and very supportive of providers and all staff members, while also focusing on our patients and their outcomes. It’s pretty great.
With our exceptional model of care and focus on serving the needs of seniors on Medicare—Hopscotch Primary Care is here to offer you the quality healthcare services you deserve, close to home!
Reach out today to connect with JT or any of our providers. You can also request an appointment online, and find your nearest Hopscotch clinic location to visit us in person. We can’t wait to be your partner in health!