Stafford Family Care

11/11/2025

Hey everyone, Nurse Debi here. Hormones are in the news. The FDA has removed the black box warning for synthetic hormones potentially causing cancer. As I understand it, synthetic hormones are still associated with an increased risk of cancer, but hormone replacement therapy is associated with other benefits, such as reduced risk of dementia, cardiovascular disease, and/or bone fractures. The reason for removing the black box warning wasn't because the cancer risk isn't there, it's because women need help with the other things.

So what's a person to do? I only offer bio-identical hormones at our practice. Multiple studies have shown that soy does not increase the risk of cancer. Citation:

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2161831324001613

All this to say, we don't know what we don't know. But, so far the body of evidence showing the increased risk of cancer from of synthetic hormones, while phytoestrogen has not been shown to have the same risk; therefore, I choose to only offer bio-identical hormone replacement therapy at our clinic.

We do still recommend up-to-date mammogram and pap testing prior to starting any hormone replacement therapy.

Call us if you'd like to discuss it further. 865-340-6346

11/09/2025

Hey everyone! We see there’s a chance of flurries Monday. And we know what that means in Knoxville — panic!!! But no worries, we will be open!!! We ain’t scared!! If you prefer a telehealth for your visit just call us first thing Monday. Obviously, wellness exams cannot be done telehealth but sick visits and medication refills can be telehealth. 865-340-6346.

11/06/2025

https://knoxvillevoyager.com/interview/exploring-life-business-with-debi-stafford-of-stafford-family-care

11/06/2025

Hey everyone! One of the statements said to me from time to time, "I didn't know you do x, y, z at your clinic." I'm always a bit perplexed how it's not known because we frequently post about the services in social media, have information up at the clinic, etc.

I have updated our list of services. If you come here & don't have any idea that we offer this range of services, please let us know what you think we can do to help get the information out..

Stafford Family Care provides direct patient care, allowing you to pay for services at the time of your visit. While we don't participate in insurance plans, we can submit your insurance to our participating lab, subject to your insurance agreement.

11/04/2025

Hey everyone, Nurse Debi here. We've had a lot of people ask about our Stafford Medispa services. I wanted to let everyone know we are going to have some excellent Black Friday deals. If you've ever wanted a facial, new, better skin care, get/receive a nutritional IV, and/or try the Derive Hair Restoration System or our advanced formulas, or get on a weight loss plan for 2026, now is the time!

Have you ever wanted to try Botox but are unsure? We offer "Baby Botox" where we can target just one part of your face, such as your forehead or eyes, or lips only so you can see what you think. Please note, Botox is NOT hyaluronic acid filler, it's a substance from bees that helps relax muscles, which in turn reduces wrinkling. We only use plasma-rich platelets for filler which is 100% your body and doesn't migrate.

Please stay tuned and consider following our Medispa page for special pricing and gift cards are and will be available again this year.

11/03/2025

Hey everyone! We administered another iron infusion today for an anemic patient. I'm commenting because I watched someone with pale, ashen skin on arrival leave with color on the face! I wish I'd taken a photo the contrast was so noticeable! The person also commented the person stopped feeling cold for the first time in a while!

If you have iron-deficiency and cannot afford the cost of the infusion center, our price is about half of what they charge. We can even set you up with a monthly membership if you cannot pay it all up front. Remember, we are direct pay which means we do not bill insurance. We can use your Care Credit or medical savings.

Just give us a call, 865-340-6346. We need labs done in the last 30 days and can do those here if you haven't had them in a while but feel you're deficient and oral replacement just isn't doing the job.

11/03/2025

Hey everyone! Our phones should be working!!!! We have some last-minute appointments for this morning & afternoon, so please call us now! And remember, if you do call & get the voicemail, LEAVE A MESSAGE!!!! We check our messages throughout the day. Sometimes, 4-5 calls come in at once. We only have 2 people answering phones. When that happens, it will send you to voicemail. We WILL call you back!

11/01/2025

I just found out this day is a thing. Many of you come to our clinic and some do not. You may not understand what direction primary care is. We are a fee-for-service model.

When insurance is involved, clinicians pledge to only follow the protocols insurance companies dictate. Office notes must be completed in such a way with proper billing codes. An office must hire someone who specializes in coding to ensure it’s just right so payment will go through — if you have met your deductible. It’s standard practice to bill higher than what is believed insurance will eventually decide to pay in hopes of the clinic getting a decent reimbursement. Last I heard, Tenncare pays a provider around $35/visit. Additionally, the insurance you pay has a team of suits whose sole jobs are to pay as little as possible in reimbursements. Then there are the insurance lobby who work over politicians to get more money but pay out less for benefit to the patient. All of that is what your insurance costs are going to, not you.

Direct primary care says forget all that. It’s my clinic and you. We use our training to offer you the best care. You pay per visit at our office. We only do memberships for specialized programs within the clinic you want to participate in. That’s it. No additional staff for coding, and we don’t feed the insurance beast. We treat based on training and not the threat of losing contracts if we dare deviate.

It’s a sad day in America when catastrophic insurance coverage costs as much as a house payment. You shouldn’t have to second mortgage your home to afford a primary care office visit.

Support your direct primary care offices so we can do our parts to keep health care costs affordable.

10/30/2025

If you're looking for some last-minute gluten-free candy recipes for Halloween, here you go:

10/29/2025

Hey everyone, Nurse Debi here! Our clinic has partnered with a leading personalized cancer care company to provide advanced testing beyond what traditional mainstream care is currently delivering. Have you ever wondered if certain herbs, supplements, and anti-parasitic drugs can help heal your cancer? We now can offer a test to help determine whether targeting whether these types of therapies may improve your cancer outcome.

We make no claims that this will cure your cancer or give you the outcome you desire. This test is not FDA-approved and not covered by insurance. This testing falls under a right to try and my desire to help you. I am not an oncologist and make no claims that I can successfully treat cancer. I do encourage you to engage with oncology regarding the test results.

Knowledge is always power. If you are interested, please call us to schedule a visit to discuss further, 865-340-6346.

10/28/2025

More on the phones...we now have our new phones installed but the servicer is going to change. Like good tech that *should* be done in the stroke of a keypad, the changing of the actual line servicer won't be done until Friday. The end result to you is that when you call, it goes to voicemail as it's not ringing to our new phones. Glen & Megan are checking the voicemail through the day until Friday when that magic change arrives. We can call out, but we cannot receive incoming, thus the voicemail.

The good news is, once complete, you will be able to text our office if you wish. So please, please be patient with us. We are trying to do this to make it easier for you, I promise!!!

865-340-6346 and please leave a message!

10/27/2025

Hey everyone! We are upgrading our phones. You know how upgrades go, right? Nothing it working as it's supposed to. If you are calling us, please, PLEASE leave a message. Glen will be continuously checking the voicemail and returning calls.