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We're considering retiring about an hour's drive from Blowing Rock. As older retirees we're wondering if those who have already retired in this region feel the medical care is adequate for their needs or not. Do you have to drive into Winston-Salem for doctor appointments or have you established good dental, eye, cardiac and other specialized medical services nearby without driving too far for comfort?
We live in a large city now where everything is within easy reach, but the traffic and congestion are getting worse. It's so tempting to move to a more rural, pleasant area, but at our age we have many factors to consider.
An hour's drive from Blowing Rock - that takes in a rather huge area. Can you be more specific? In the High Country, general medical services are pretty decent, but cardiac surgery or neuro surgery would mean a trip to Winston-Salem or Hickory. But then, downtown Hickory is just 51 minutes from Blowing Rock. And, an hour's drive from Blowing Rock might put you within 30 minutes of Winston-Salem. Routine care such as dental, eye care is easily found anywhere in the High Country, from Jefferson to Boone. Cardiac care is also available in Boone. Depending upon where you'll be located, Winston-Salem could be closer time-wise than Hickory since there's freeway all the way from Boone to Winston.
Where is 1 hour from Blowing Rock?? We have a family home in Boone and I would want specialized care (like heart surgery) in Winston-Salem, Greensboro or the Triangle. For the eye doctor and dentist and GP Boone and Blowing Rock are fine, but if you're going to be another hour from BR I don't know.
I know folks in Abingdon VA who come down to Duke in Durham NC for specialized care, which is about a 4 hr drive.
We are retirement age and live near Boone in Avery County. I agree with most of the above. Eye, dental, GP, dermatology, routine screenings are fine in Boone.
I have friends who have had successful hip (and other parts) replacements in Boone, but others who insist in going "off the mountain" (e.g. Hickory, Winston-Salem, etc.) for anything beyond routine health care.
My husband recently had a diagnosis by a Boone-based doc of possible lung cancer. He got a second opinion at Duke. Guess what? No cancer. When we think of the unnecessary surgery he might have had.... he will continue all follow-ups at Duke.
Don't have any direct experience with cardiac care. However, we used to live in Winston-Salem, and are inclined to use NC Baptist if needed for special situations (other than his relationship at Duke).
We have lived in BRock, Boone and Deep Gap. Routine med care like those mentioned above are all in the High Country. Diagnosed conditions requiring periodic treatments would take you to RTP, WS or Hickory -- but those are usually planned and not emergency. Now, if you have a serious emergency situation, I have witnessed many Air Medic flights heading east (usually to Wake Health in Winston). This was a major factor for us in deciding the next stage(s) in life -- do I want a 10 minute EMS trip to a highly skilled ER or do I need a helicopter to get me where I need to be. Life choices ... sometimes literally.
We are retirement age and live near Boone in Avery County. I agree with most of the above. Eye, dental, GP, dermatology, routine screenings are fine in Boone.
I have friends who have had successful hip (and other parts) replacements in Boone, but others who insist in going "off the mountain" (e.g. Hickory, Winston-Salem, etc.) for anything beyond routine health care.
My husband recently had a diagnosis by a Boone-based doc of possible lung cancer. He got a second opinion at Duke. Guess what? No cancer. When we think of the unnecessary surgery he might have had.... he will continue all follow-ups at Duke.
Don't have any direct experience with cardiac care. However, we used to live in Winston-Salem, and are inclined to use NC Baptist if needed for special situations (other than his relationship at Duke).
That must have been quite scary! Glad to hear that you went for a second opinion!
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