Can you feel it?
It’s the sparkle of excitement in the air for our newest Hopscotch Primary Care location, which celebrated its grand opening in August 2024!
That’s right—Hopscotch Primary Care Boone had its official ribbon-cutting ceremony on August 20, and we couldn’t be happier or prouder of our newest clinic and team on the scene.
Boone, NC is well-known as a vibrant, scenic mountain community. It’s full of dynamic folks who love being active, exploring nature, nurturing community spirit, and living the unique lifestyle that WNC affords both year-round and seasonal residents.
Kari Morris is the perfect embodiment of a Boone resident. Her joy in being an active part of the Boone community was evident in her thoughtful, insightful responses throughout her recent interview with us.
She’s thrilled that her Boone clinic has opened its doors to patients in her beloved community. “I’ve been in the office since May and we recently added two providers. It’s been very exciting and good to have this time as we ramp things up,” she explained. As a Family Nurse Practitioner, Kari is passionate about serving the needs of seniors in the Boone area and helping them live their best, healthiest lives in this unique Southern hamlet.
She even set aside some time during her recent family vacation to connect with us and share what she loves most about nurturing the health and wellness needs of the seniors of WNC with Hopscotch Primary Care!
Let’s dive into what Kari had to say!
7 Questions with Kari Morris, FNP at Hopscotch Primary Care’s Boone Clinic
Hopscotch Primary Care:
In your bio, you mention feeling drawn to medicine as a way to combine your drive to provide compassionate care with your other interests. Tell us about what led you to work with the senior population as a Family Nurse Practitioner.
Kari Morris:
My degree is in family practice. I have worked in orthopedics and have critical care and cardiovascular nursing experience. In Boone, we have a large retiree population. We also have many folks who are seasonal residents. For seniors, their healthcare needs are often more complicated than just dealing with one issue. Many of them are on top of their healthcare, but it can be difficult to understand how to navigate the different specialists and systems within our rural community. Part of my job is to be an advocate for them and make sure all of their healthcare needs are addressed. Having been in the healthcare system in the Boone area since 2012, I understand how to navigate the opportunities in this area as well as specialists outside of Boone if that is necessary.
My patients are wonderful and so kind. They have so many experiences to share. I love to take the time to listen to my patients and get to know their families, hear their stories, and learn about their backgrounds and where they are from.
Seniors enjoy being personal with their providers and having someone knowledgeable to help them put the pieces together and coordinate their care. Too often, healthcare for this population can feel confusing and fragmented.
Hopscotch is so amazing and different. I absolutely love it! I wish healthcare could be like this for everyone. Our patients are so appreciative of our goal to provide comprehensive care. They tell us often it’s how great care used to be.
Hopscotch Primary Care:
We know you’re about to celebrate the grand opening of the Boone clinic. That must be exciting! What do you love most about your clinic? What’s special about your office?
Kari Morris:
Our office was previously a medical office, but Hopscotch came in and revamped the space. We are on the upper floor of our building, there is an elevator available for those who need assistance with access. Our clinic is very clean and feels very modern without being too sterile. We have lots of plants in our waiting area and our space is very welcoming. Our Welcome Coordinators are both friendly and inviting. They also provide prompt service. We offer beverages in the waiting area and want our patients to feel relaxed while they are spending time with us.
Hopscotch Primary Care:
Tell us about your team at Hopscotch Boone. How do you collaborate to deliver comprehensive care to the seniors you serve?
Kari Morris:
What I value most about our clinic is the cohesiveness of our team. Everyone here has an important role and we’re able to come together to benefit our patients. We have such an amazing team. We work well together and try to make sure all the pieces fit together for our patients. Often when we welcome patients with more complex needs into our clinic, our RN and our Community Health Worker will join me in meeting with the patient to ensure there are no gaps in their care. We also discuss that we will often ask about the patient s needs at home, as we understand that things can change quickly and want to be able to prevent problems such as food insecurity before it happens.
We’re also able to go to our patients if they can’t come to us. We have the team (RN and CHW) and resources to have all hands-on deck for our patients.
Hopscotch Primary Care:
What’s the most rewarding part of being an FNP with Hopscotch?
Kari Morris:
There are so many things I find rewarding about working with this population of patients. The thing I’m most happy with in working with Hopscotch is the level of support we have and the fact that we have time to spend with our patients. It’s very different from other healthcare models that I have been involved with in the past. Typically, in larger healthcare systems, the time you have to spend with patients is very limited. You must move people through quickly to see the number of patients scheduled. It’s not like that
at all with Hopscotch.
Prior to taking this job, I had discussed with my family that it seemed too good to be true. Hopscotch wanted me to spend time with my patients. I had some initial fears about making the leap because the care model is so different. Now that I’m on the other side, I understand that there are like-minded people who want to deliver quality care. Hopscotch has delivered on everything they told me it would be. Hopscotch supports their providers and gives us the resources we need. I feel supported and valued as a provider with Hopscotch.
I wish every population of patients could have care like Hopscotch provides. This model of care is especially important for seniors. They deserve someone to take the time to understand their needs and explain things to them.
With Hopscotch, I feel like I’m appreciated and have an opportunity to make a difference. It’s very exciting.
Hopscotch Primary Care:
What are your hopes and goals for the future as Hopscotch continues to grow roots in the Boone community?
Kari Morris: We are accepting new patients and working to spread the word in our community about our practice.
Honestly, I believe there are people in our community who are unsure and don’t understand how Hopscotch works. They want to believe in what we offer but they haven’t seen this type of care model in action before. I think as they see us more in the community, learn more about our care model, and then become patients and experience the type of care we have to offer they will be extremely satisfied and will share this with their friends and family.
We have been doing more community outreach and providing educational sessions with seniors in our community. It is important for us to continue to have visibility in our community and support our seniors. As things start to settle down following our grand opening, I hope we will be
able to provide even more outreach and education.
Currently we visit our local senior center and assisted living communities to offer free resources, support, and education, whether they are patients of ours or not. We educate about preventative care and screenings and other important health considerations for seniors.
Reaching out to the local senior community, offering support and resources is so important. It encourages our community to be healthier. We’re not only investing in our seniors but also in our community.
Hopscotch Primary Care:
Boone is often thought of as a college town. Can you speak about your senior population in this area?
Kari Morris:
Boone is definitely a college town. We are the home of Appalachian State University. We also have a very dynamic senior population in this area!
We are within a 25 mile or so radius of several communities that have large retiree populations. We have patients who drive to us from all around. Blowing Rock is a big retirement community. West Jefferson, Linville and Banner Elk are also close, and we have many patients from those
areas.
There are a lot of retirees in Boone and the surrounding areas. We have many seasonal residents here as well. Many of them are here from Florida through our summer months. We have experienced a loss of primary care providers in our area in the past few years, which leaves this population with fewer options when it comes to their healthcare. I am very happy that we are here to offset that burden and serve this population.
Hopscotch Primary Care:
From what you share in your brio, it sounds like you have lots of hobbies and enjoy staying active. What are your favorite ways to stay active and healthy in the Boone area? How do you encourage your patients to do the same and take advantage of where they live to nurture their wellness?
Kari Morris:
My favorite activity is hiking. This gives me an opportunity to turn off my thoughts and relax. Many of our patients are also avid hikers. I learn a lot from them! I also love biking on flat easy trails such as the Virginia Creeper trail and our greenway trail here in Boone.
I encourage our patients to seek out outdoor activities because we live in such a beautiful area and there are so many amazing trails to explore. Whether they’re more experienced hikers or just like to get out in nature once in a while, we really have something for everyone here.
Boone has many outdoor activities to offer. We also have a greenway that they’re currently expanding. Many of our patients walk our greenway regularly. We also have a recreation center in Boone that offers pickleball courts, indoor track, indoor workout equipment and more. They also offer the Medicare Silver Sneakers program.
We also have a senior center that offers a lot of great programs. They have one that’s focused on weight-bearing activities for seniors for the treatment/prevention of osteoporosis. That’s a free program. I’m always available to support my patients in finding ways to stay active and healthy in this area!
We loved connecting with Kari and hearing about her passion for serving the healthcare needs of seniors in her community! We know she and the team at Hopscotch Boone will deliver comprehensive care that goes above and beyond for seniors in the Boone area.
If you’re interested in learning more or becoming a Hopscotch patient, we’re ready to welcome you! Come meet Kari and the rest of the team in person at our brand new Boone location, or find your nearest neighborhood Hopscotch clinic to plan a visit. You can become a patient easily online and learn all about our approach and offerings on our website.