To the Editor:

As a pediatrician, it has been my privilege to serve the families of Western North Carolina for over 20 years. My colleagues and I are honored to be invited into your lives, to share your greatest joys, and sometimes your worst fears as we work together to ensure the health and safety of your children.

The climate of medicine has changed both nationally and locally. Our practice has adapted in order to continue to provide the excellent quality healthcare our patients expect and deserve. 

In 2013, we became a part of Mission Health System. This allows us to bring the expertise and resources of Mission Children’s Hospital to our community. By partnering with other medical providers in the region to form Mission Health Partners, we have become part of a movement to ensure all patients in the region continue to receive exceptional high-quality care.  

To better focus our time and resources, my colleagues and I have made the difficult decision to stop seeing patients at Harris Regional Hospital after Aug. 1. We will improve patient access in our Sylva and Bryson City offices with extended office hours and designated walk-in times. We will also provide newborn care for babies at Angel Medical Center in Franklin. Our patients will have access to the hospital-based pediatricians and pediatric subspecialists at Mission Children’s Hospital should they require hospitalization. Being a part of the larger Mission Health team has allowed Eestern North Carolina to leverage the training and broad expertise of one of North Carolina’s premier healthcare systems to promote women’s and children’s health.

As always, we remain committed to the care of our patients and access to a provider for after-hour emergencies is just a phone call away. We look forward to continuing to care for your families for many years to come.

Dr. Penny O’Neill

Pediatrician