Now in its second month of operation, the Boothbay Region Health Center in the Meadow Mall is in full swing. Open seven days/week, the Health Center is meeting its goals of attracting patients who don't have a primary care provider on the peninsula, and/or patients who need same day local, affordable primary care. The Center is seeing several walk-ins per day in addition to patients with scheduled appointments.

We are delighted to report that Dr. Allan "Chip" Teel is available for appointments and walk-ins Saturdays and Sundays between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Known by many in Boothbay, Teel is a board-certified family physician since 1988, and has been practicing in Damariscotta for 29 years. He is now available to Boothbay area patients on the weekends. Chip received his M.D. in 1985 from Vermont College of Medicine. Although he has a fondness for seniors, Chip treats patients of all ages, from infants to adults. Chip has served as the Medical Director for both Cove's Edge Nursing Home and Lincoln Home Assisted Living. He is the co-founder of ElderCare Network, which runs the seven "Greens" -- small, home-like assisted living residences serving 60 people, mostly over 85, on state assistance. Chip is also the founder and CEO of Full Circle America, which provides remote video monitoring, telemedicine, and care coordination to seniors living in their own homes. We are excited to have him available for Boothbay area patients.

Dr. Patricia "Pat" Phillips is new to our region. Those of you who have muscular and skeletal issues and/or nutrition will be particularly interested in consulting with Pat. She is available at the Health Center every other Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and every Monday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. She has been in private practice in family medicine in Yarmouth for 30 years, but is now spending more time on Southport Island and wants to practice here as well. Pat is a board-certified family physician. She received her doctor of osteopathy from University of New England in 1985, and was a teaching assistant and then an associate professor at UNE until 1998. Pat is enrolled in the Certified Culinary Medicine Specialist program for physicians at Tulane University School of Medicine.

Susan Lord, a family nurse practitioner, is also currently available at the Health Center on many weekends. She has been specializing in family planning, obstetrics, and gynecology. She has been serving as a nurse practitioner for Maine Family Planning. From 2000 to 2004, she served as a nurse in the psychiatric unit at Mid Coast Hospital and as the coordinator of obstetric services at Pen Bay Medical Center in Rockport. She received her bachelor of science in nursing in 1980 from the University of Southern Maine, received her OB GYN NP in 1988 from the University of Pennsylvania, and her master’s of nursing, FNP from the University of Southern Maine in May 2000.

Pat, Chip, and Susan join our two long-time providers: Dr. Nancy J. Oliphant and Rebecca (Becky) Traquair, family nurse practitioner. Nancy is a board-certified family physician who has been serving the Boothbay region since 1997. She has been practicing independently since 1999. She earned the degree of MD at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey – New Jersey Medical School in 1994. She completed her family practice residency at Mountainside Hospital in Montclair, New Jersey, in 1997.

Becky Traquair has been practicing in Boothbay since 1990, first as a registered nurse and then as a family nurse practitioner. She has been the FNP in Dr. Oliphant’s office since earning her master’s degree in nursing in 2001. She served as the family nurse practitioner for Dr. Steven Katz, orthopedic surgeon, from 2001 to 2008. From 1990 to 2001, Becky worked as the nurse manager for the emergency dept. at St. Andrews Hospital. From 1983 to 1990, she worked as the charge nurse at St. Andrews Hospital, a staff nurse at Bath Memorial Hospital, and at McMinnville Community Hospital in Oregon. She has also served as a volunteer nurse doing hurricane relief in the Dominican Republic.

Here's the current schedule and providers' roster:

• Saturday and Sunday: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. -- Alan "Chip" Teel, M.D. and Susan Lord, FNP
• Monday: 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.: Pat Phillips, D.O.; 12:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.: Nancy J. Oliphant, M.D.
• Tuesday and Wednesday: 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.: Becky Traquair, FNP, 12:30 to 4:30 pm: Nancy J. Oliphant, MD
• Thursday: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.: Becky Traquair; 12:30 to 4:30 p.m.: Nancy J. Oliphant, M.D.
• Friday: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. -- Pat Phillips, D.O. (every other Friday), and Becky Traquair, FNP (every other Friday).

You can call any time at 633-1075. And, remember that if you don't have transportation, the Health Center will provide free transportation to and from the Center, thanks to volunteers.