Premier Internal Medicine and Pediatrics

05/08/2026

Hey everyone. You may have been notified, either through the patient portal or by mail, that I will be closing my office after almost 8 years on June 4th.

First off, unlike what I’ve been seeing on Facebook already, WE WILL STILL BE TAKING APPOINTMENTS AND SEEING PATIENTS IN THE OFFICE UNTIL JUNE 4TH. If you need an appointment, call, book online, or schedule through the patient portal.

So….why did I decide to physically close on June 4th?

* 1. There are billions in Medicaid cuts coming in less than a year, meaning millions will lose their insurance, including a lot of you reading this. 70% of McNairy County and 50% of my patients are on Medicaid. Why would an independent medical practice stick around?
* 2. I am frustrated by individuals who do not pay their bills, issue bad checks, use debit cards linked to accounts with insufficient funds, or cancel credit cards immediately after receiving their care. You have no idea how horrible this makes me feel, and it’s gotten much, much worse.
* 3. Business costs have risen 20-30% over the past year due to illegal tariffs. That’s not sustainable. Doctors' offices can’t raise prices, especially those without federal, corporate, or county funding.
* 4. I’m exhausted. Full stop.

That said, only my physical office will be closing. I will be available for virtual/telehealth visits in the evenings. More details about transitioning to a virtual care clinic will come soon.

So where am I going? I joined a practice just north of Nashville that focuses on senior care. It met all my standards for what I wanted and needed for the next chapter of my life. Trust me, it would have to be a great opportunity to convince me to move 3 hours away.

So, if you or your kids are our patients, what should you do? I’M STILL THERE MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY UNTIL JUNE 4TH. So make an appointment, get your refills and well-child visits, give good hugs, and make me cry under my large sunglasses to hide my swollen, red eyes. If you know you owe me money, pay your bill because you WILL BE sent to collections. And hug Shavon, Chandler, Melba, Tiffany, and Angie.

Although I have lived privately in Selmer for fifteen years, this community will always have a special place in my heart.

01/29/2026

Good morning! I hope everyone is settling back in after the recent wintery weather. I’ll be in the office today and tomorrow and am available for both in-person and virtual visits. If you schedule a virtual visit, please note that I’ll send the link via text or email around your appointment time, as I may still be seeing another patient and may not be able to step away immediately.

You can book an appointment using this link: https://app.elationemr.com/book/431970421440516 or visit my website for more options.

10/16/2025

Hey everyone, I wanted to clarify something that is causing some confusion. It is very much true that I've gotten into professional photography and started a business named GraceAlise Photography. However, I AM NOT CLOSING MY CLINIC TO DO PHOTOGRAPHY FULL TIME!!!!!!!!! My photography is on Saturdays and some Sundays when my office has and will always be closed. I have always done photography, dating back to my college days, and decided that my mid-life crisis would manifest as doing professional photography instead of buying a motorcycle or getting hair implants. There has never been a day in the past 8+ years that I've dreaded coming to my office and doing the work that I do. I LOVE my patients and I LOVE my employees. I remain 100% committed to Premier Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, my employees, and especially my patients, until God says my assignment is done. So ya'll...please chill!!!! I just wanted to start a side hustle career that allows me to have a creative outlet. That said...I am on all the socials at GraceAlise Photography by Keith Perkins.

10/14/2025

Good morning. This is a blog I've been wanting to put out for years, and I finally got around to do it. If you have any questions, feel free to DM me.

Decisions, Decisions

06/27/2025

https://open.substack.com/pub/soloprimarycaredoc/p/hypertension?r=5h4wb1&utm_medium=ios

Silent until it becomes deadly

04/17/2025

https://open.substack.com/pub/soloprimarycaredoc/p/fibromyalgia?r=5h4wb1&utm_medium=ios

Fibromyalgia is prevalent and affects about 2% of Americans.

04/09/2025

https://soloprimarycaredoc.substack.com/p/infant-reflux?r=5h4wb1

Very common, rarely dangerous

05/26/2023

Good evening. I was just informed of a new Tennessee state law that might affect some of you. Many family members bring children in for well child visits and vaccines when their parents are unable to. Unfortunately, although they can continue to bring the them in for sick and well child visits, only the parents and legal guardians are allowed to accompany children when they receive vaccines. This means that grandparents, aunts, uncles, and even siblings are not allowed under any circumstances to bring your child in if they are receiving vaccinations. Failure of any pediatrician to do so will result in them losing their license and will essentially end their career.

To stay in compliance with the law, if your child is coming in to receive vaccines every parent needs to bring a copy of their child(ren) birth certificate so that we know you are the true parent. Legal guardians must provide a legal court ordered documentation. If we don’t have those documents they will not receive vaccines. There will no exceptions because I’m not risking my career. I can assure you no one else in the state will. Once we have them, you never have to bring them again because those documents will be in their chart. People who know me know how I feel but I don’t individually have the power to change it and I’m not quiet ready to retire.

04/13/2023

As we all know, there have been major issues with pharmacy shortages of ADHD medications. Because of this, we have been inundated with phone calls asking us to send prescriptions to multiple pharmacies hoping that that pharmacy will have it. Others have been demanding we call pharmacies to see if they have the medication available which is something that we aren’t ever going to do. Starting this week, I will be printing all prescriptions for ADHD medications to be picked up at my office until further notice. I am well aware that this will be an inconvenience for those that I am treating but the amount of phone calls we are getting is out of hand. Having a script in hand will allow you to take it anywhere that has the medication available. We hope the shortage resolves soon and I can go back to eprescribing those meds again.

04/14/2022

Good morning. I hope everyone is safe!! Unfortunately we will be closed today due to a lack of internet service and hot spots!! I hate it but there is nothing I can do. We will be back open on Monday Lord willing. For those who we don’t call to reschedule I apologize. I don’t have access to the schedule. If you need refills please have your pharmacy send us a request. Please spread.

03/08/2021

I wanted to announce that we have the Moderna Covid vaccines available for anyone who wants one. Qualifications according to the state of Tennesse is anyone who has chronic health problems over the age of 16 or if you are exposing someone who has a chronic health problem, however we often have doses left over and we do not want to waste any. Because we have a 6-hour window to give 10 vaccines per opened vial, for now, we are scheduling appointments only between 10am and 4 pm but on Thursdays we will have them available between 11 am and 5pm. You DO NOT have to have insurance and you DO NOT need to be patients of ours. We simply ask that you do not walk in. We are located at 714 Federal Drive in Selmer, TN.

Call our office at 731-540-9083 or book online through our website if you want one.