October 12, 2022 : The News Herald, beach locals have another option for health care, as a new primary care office expanded its footmark to Panama City Beach. Tallahassee Memorial Healthcare newly opened the TMH Physical Partners – Primary Care. This is the foremost TMH medical practice in Bay County.
Residents gathered Friday morning for the inaugural ceremony with TMH administrators and the Panama City Beach Chamber of Commerce. Panama City Beach Mayor Mark Sheldon expressed it’s a “phenomenal opportunity” to give additional community health care opportunities.
“Good health care is always needed, and the demand we see is even greater. We are thankful for TMH to expand its footprint in our community to show that health care is essential to them just like it is for us,” Sheldon stated. “We want our residents to have options for excellent health care, and this is an additional step forward for that.”
Dr. John Woltz is the foremost primary care physician at this location and is accepting new patients. A second physician will start the practice in early 2023. Operation hours are from Monday to Friday, time 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The new primary care clinic features six exam rooms, a lab, and a separate waiting room. It delivers all the services expected from a primary care provider, including sports physicals, immunizations, preventive health care, annual screenings, treatment for minor injuries and illnesses, lab work, chronic disease management, and minor surgical procedures.
Mark O’Bryant, president and CEO of TMH, said the new location is just the start for Panama City Beach, and the practice plans to continue its growth in the community.
Last year, TMH collaborated with St. Joe Company and Florida State University College of Medicine to develop a new healthcare campus in Panama City Beach. “This is the first step of a very long and exciting journey. Over time we’ll build a larger primary care base,” O’Bryant spoke. “What we realized is that in the health care environment the most important relationship is among the physician and the patient.”
Plans display for 80,000-square-foot medical office building near State Road 79 and Phillip Griffitts Sr. Parkway. The building is anticipated to be completed by the end of 2024. It will include a second TMH Physician Partners Primary Care, TMH Urgent Care, an ambulatory surgery center, and cardiology and orthopedic services.