828-625-9121 Day or night
828-625-4195 Home
828-625-4798 Fax- on 24 hours a day.
828-779-5775 Cell phone
Email: whburch@bellsouth.net
Family practice with the exception of Obstetrics.
Location-Western North Carolina- About 25 Miles East of Asheville in the
Blue Ridge Mountains.
The practice is a single physician with a support staff of 5. We do not
deal with HMO's, PPO's and the like. I refuse to "buy" patients. We expect
to be paid for the work we do when we do it. We give each patient a receipt
that details the service, the diagnosis and the charges made. It includes
all the coding and identification needed for submission to your insurer.
We have the usual facilities for both diagnostic work (Lab, Xray, ECG,
Holter Monitor, Respiratory testing) and emergency service one would expect
in the so called walk in clinic. We adjust our pace to the demand rather
than trying to make appointments in advance. A Phone call is enough to
allow us to fit most people into our schedule or adjust ours to their need.
If we cannot help then we will try to find a facility that can help.
Our phones are answered 24 hours a day by a live person. No Answering machines.
To People coming into the area, either for a short stay or permanently-
If you are likely to need continuing care, ask your doctor to send us a
summary of your case. In return, we will give you a copy of our record when
you return home or move on to another area.
The material can be FAXED to 828-625-4798
We can be reached by E Mail at
whburch@bellsouth.net. I check the mail
several times a day.
Medicaid-We accept this only in the case of Medicare people who have
Medicaid in association with their Medicare.
Hospitals in the area-There are 7 hospitals within a 30 mile range. These
vary from 30 bed to 400+ tertiary care centers. 25 miles west of us is a
medical center with all the specialized care one could imagine.
We do not attend patients in hospitals but consider our job to know who is
doing what in the various hospitals and keep track of the patient while in
the hospital and after discharge till they can get back to their own home.
We keep a minimal supply of medicines in the clinic to be used for those
who need them immediately and the pharmacy is closed.
Home Health Care-Respiratory Therapy-Physical Therapy-All of these are
available as needed no matter which county one lives in.
Typical hours-I usually get to the office about 6 or 6:30 AM. By 7:30 AM
some of the support staff begin to arrive. About 8:30 we begin to see
regular patients. We stop at 11:30 for lunch and I try to take a nap of an
hour or so. By 2:30 P we are back at it again. On Tues and Thur we stay
open till about 7P to take care of those who work for a living.
Sunday I am usually here till 11:30 with the exception of 8 to 9 when I try
to go to early Mass.
Medical information-
We try to answer questions as we can. Whether these concern our patients or
not does not matter. We use a number of resources to get answers or at
least guidance. Among these are the Scientific American Medicine CD disc,
Physicians On Line (a web based organization of some 200,000 physicians
who are computer oriented), the internet and especially Medscape. With
these we can usually get an update on most any type of treatment or disease
that exists, including Alternative medicine techniques.
Many of these can be handled with little or no charge. In the event of
extensive research and time, then a charge will be made. This will be made
known before the work is undertaken.
Burning permits-The Forest Service has asked us to issue burning permits
for them. There is no charge but they must be picked up, and signed for, in
person. In other words they cannot be ordered by phone.
Staff
William H. Burch MD
Kathleen Burch RN
Robin Parton Office mgr
Jo Marple
Linda Calton
The terrain is a mix of mountains and foothills. Mild weather year round.
We get perhaps 3 snows a year that lays as long a 24 hours.
There is a mix of permanent population, both city and rural, and tourist
and summer type people.
Communities, Towns, Counties, Cities served
Lake Lure, Chimney Rock, Bat Cave
Gerton, Bearwallow, Bill's Creek,
Fairview, Fletcher, Sunnyview,
Greenhill, Flat Cr, Broad River,
Shingle Hollow, Mill Spring, Fairfield ,
The Col Union Mills, Riverbend,
Edneyville, Henderson County, Polk County,
Buncombe County, McDowell County, Rutherford County