Pikeville Medical Center unveils new medical facility

The region's largest employer opened another medical facility Monday.

Pikeville Medical Center (PMC) held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for its Primary Care Building.

The 12-exam-room facility is located directly behind the main PMC building.

PMC invested more than $811,000 into the facility. The project was in development during the past year.

"The hospital is the largest employer in the region with over 3,000 employees making investments like this," said PMC CEO Donovan Blackburn.

Blackburn said he is excited for the clinic to begin accepting patients.

The clinic is adding four new jobs and two physician positions.

"Because it's not just about the doctor. It's about the clerk sitting at the counter, the receptionist, the person that's taking the order. It goes on and on," Blackburn said.

Pike County native Robert Shurtleff is a physician at the new Primary Care Clinic.

"I can remember back when there was almost nothing in Pikeville. Walmart wasn't even there," Shurtleff said.

Shurtleff said he is thankful to be able to live in the mountains and do what he does.

"The hospital was tiny and now you know, you don't have to go anywhere else. You can stay right here," Sturtleff said.

The clinic started taking patients at 1 p.m. Monday.