“I always knew I wanted to care for people in a more personal way. Working in the Emergency Room, I kept wondering, what happens to my patients after they leave? Now I get to find out.”
— Amy Shepherd, FNP
Let’s talk about Amy.
She’s a wife, a mom of two, a historical fiction book lover, a hiker, and a Family Nurse Practitioner at Hopscotch Primary Care in Shelby, NC. She’s also one of those people who radiates warmth the second she walks into a room, the kind of provider who really listens and takes her time.
Amy has been with Hopscotch Primary Care since February 2024. In just over a year, she’s become a go-to for her patients and a trusted teammate in the clinic. We sat down with her to hear about how she made the switch from the Emergency Room to primary care, what it is like working at Hopscotch Primary Care, and why she believes this care model is the future.
Keep reading to learn more about Amy, just one of the many people who make Hopscotch Primary Care a special place to give and receive care.
From Emergency Room Hustle to Primary Care Heart
Let’s rewind a bit. Amy started her career in a setting that many of us associate with busy shifts and sick patients: the emergency department.
“I worked in the Emergency Room for 10 years,” she says. “Working in the emergency department, I did decide that that’s what kind of sparked my interest in primary care because we would see patients and treat them and we may never see them again. I quickly learned that I was the one that wanted to know how my patients were doing after they left the acute care setting.”
That curiosity, the need to know how people were doing, kept tugging at Amy.
So she went back to school, earned her Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) from Gardner-Webb University, and made the leap to primary care. Why? Because she wanted to build relationships, not just treat symptoms.
“I believe that developing that patient-provider relationship is important,” Amy says. “And now I can follow my patients throughout their health journey.”
The Tech That Actually Helps
Let’s be real: a lot of places say they’re tech-forward, but what that can mean is “here’s another charting system that’ll eat your weekend.”
Hopscotch Primary Care? Different story.
When we asked Amy what drew her here, one of the things she highlighted was technological advancements.
“I think what stood out to me about Hopscotch Primary Care was the extra support we get as providers to focus more on our patients,” Amy says. “One of my favorite tools helps document visits so I can spend more time listening and connecting.”
When Amy first started, she had a human scribe in the room with her. That was helpful, but the transition to a scribe that uses Artificial Intelligence was even better.
“It does not miss a thing. I’ve actually went out of the room and looked at the transcription and realized, ‘Oh, I forgot that they mentioned this,’ and I would actually go back in and address it,” she describes. “It just really helps to be thorough with patient care and with documentation and time saving, so I really love that. And other offices don’t have that.”
And it’s not just the scribe. Amy starts each morning with a tool called the Daily Huddle App, which helps her review the patients she will see that day and quickly spot things like overdue screenings or vaccine reminders. She also uses a broader data platform that gives her a big-picture view of her entire patient panel, providing her with access to insights on things like diabetes control, colonoscopy rates, and blood pressure management, so she can keep care proactive and personalized.
“It’s like having a bird’s-eye view of how we’re doing as a clinic, in addition to patient by patient,” Amy says. “And that helps me care better.”
Care Is a Team Sport & This Team Shows Up
One of the things Amy says makes Hopscotch Primary Care really different is how team-based the model is.
Sure, she’s the primary care provider. But she’s not in it alone. Hopscotch Primary Care employs a team of individuals designed to support the patients, providers, and clinic as a whole. To name of couple, this can be a Welcome Coordinator or Medical Assistant, but there’s one team member in particular that Amy absolutely raves about: the Patient Relations Manager.
“Their job is to help our patients understand their insurance and help compare and contrast the different insurance plans and help them find the best plan for them that’s going to cover the most for their specific medical needs.”
Amy tells us about a case where a patient asked about one of their bills and the Patient Relations Manager caught an error and saved that patient from paying out-of-pocket when they didn’t need to. “Even as a provider, insurance can be so confusing, so being able to have that resource for our patients, and at no additional cost to them, is really great.”
Shelby Roots Run Deep
Amy didn’t just land in Shelby – she grew up here.
“As a teenager, I couldn’t wait to get out,” she admits. “But after living in Charlotte for college, I realized how much I missed the slower pace.”
These days, Amy lives on a quiet road with a cow pasture behind her house, neighbors she knows by name, and no visible houses from her porch.
“I love it,” she says. “It’s peaceful. And Shelby has really grown, there’s more for families and kids now, but it still has that small-town feel.”
Her clinic reflects that too. Before it became Hopscotch Primary Care, the physical Shelby office was Jones Family Practice, a longtime staple in the community.
“A lot of our patients are known to the people that work here; they’ve taken care of them for years and years,” Amy says.
She goes on to describe the long-standing patient relationships: “They can see if they’ve had a change in their condition because they know them. They know their family members and they feel comfortable talking to the staff because this has always been their primary care home. So having that extra bit of relationship there is really helpful.”
That continuity? It matters.
Seniors Are the Heart of It
Hopscotch Primary Care focuses on caring for older adults that have Medicare as their primary insurance. For Amy, it’s a great fit.
When asked what she enjoys most about working with the senior population, she said, “I think that there’s still just so much to learn from them. I enjoy being able to talk to them about their hobbies, whether it’s knitting or crocheting or gardening or baking. And I like to listen to their stories about their children and grandchildren.”
Her approach to caring for this population is deeply rooted in shared decision-making. She explains guidelines and recommendations, then lets the patient weigh in.
“There’s a lot of fear out there, especially around vaccines,” she says. “Instead of pushing, I explain. I want people to feel empowered, not pressured. Because I do think that that autonomy is important.”
A Patient Story That Stuck
Of course, we had to ask Amy about a patient who left a lasting impression.
She hesitated at first, because she’s already had so many wonderful experiences, but she returned to when she started with Hopscotch.
“One of my very first patients came in completely exhausted. She hadn’t been to the doctor in years. Her A1C came back at 14.”
In case you’re not in the medical world, that’s quite high. A clear sign of Type 2 diabetes.
Amy got her on a treatment plan, and over the next few months, watched her transform.
“She started feeling better, came to her appointments regularly, and we built this great rapport. That’s what this job is all about, helping people feel better and stay better.”
No drama. No flash. Just good medicine and a real human connection.
Your Voice Actually Matters Here
We asked Amy what she’d say to other providers who are thinking about joining Hopscotch. Her answer was refreshingly honest:
“It’s a good company. I feel heard here.”
She says that in team meetings, feedback and questions are encouraged and valued.
“It doesn’t feel like a giant system where everything’s top-down,” she says. “It feels like we’re building something together.”
For providers used to feeling like a cog in a machine, that’s no small thing.
Outside the Clinic: Mom Life, Mountains, and Books
When she’s not in scrubs, Amy is soaking up time with her husband and two kids.
“My oldest is eight, and patients always think I’m way younger than I am,” she laughs. “I could win any guess-my-age game.”
She loves hiking, traveling with her family, and curling up with a good historical fiction book.
(If you ever need reading recs or trail tips, you know who to ask.)
Final Thoughts: Why Hopscotch Might Be Your Next Chapter
Amy didn’t set out to work at a tech-savvy, team-based primary care practice nor did she expect to plant roots back in the same area she grew up in. But here she is, and she wouldn’t have it any other way.
“If you’re a provider looking for a place where you can take your time, connect with your patients, and actually love your job, Hopscotch Primary Care is it.”
So whether you’re experiencing burnout in your current role, curious about value-based care, or just ready for a clinic culture that gets it, we hope Amy’s story gives you a glimpse of what’s possible.
We’re always on the lookout for providers who care deeply and want to make a difference. If Amy’s story resonates with you, we’d love to connect. Learn more about what it’s like to work at Hopscotch, explore our clinics, and check out current openings.
And if you’re a patient looking for care that feels personal, grounded, and built around your needs, Hopscotch Primary Care might be the right fit for you too. We’d love to chat with you!