© 2025 Public Radio East
Public Radio For Eastern North Carolina 89.3 WTEB New Bern 88.5 WZNB New Bern 91.5 WBJD Atlantic Beach 90.3 WKNS Kinston 88.5 WHYC Swan Quarter 89.9 W210CF Greenville
Donate
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
89.3 WTEB operating at reduced power

New clinic serving uninsured patients opens in Greenville

PRE News & Ideas | By Annette Weston
Published September 20, 2024 at 6:30 AM EDT
The clinic is named for Dr. Thomas Irons, a lifelong advocate for community health and served as the chief medical officer for Access East, a nonprofit ECU Health affiliate. He recently retired as a professor at East Carolina University’s Brody School of Medicine, where he was also a pediatric physician.
ECU Health
The clinic is named for Dr. Thomas Irons, a lifelong advocate for community health and served as the chief medical officer for Access East, a nonprofit ECU Health affiliate. He recently retired as a professor at East Carolina University’s Brody School of Medicine, where he was also a pediatric physician.

A new clinic serving uninsured patients held a ribbon cutting this week in Greenville.

The Dr. Irons HealthAssist Clinic at JOY Community Center will provide free care for non-emergency conditions like colds, bug bites and rashes, as well as manage chronic illnesses such as heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol.

Uninsured patients from Pitt and surrounding counties, including Beaufort, Greene, Edgecombe, Hertford, and Martin, will also have the opportunity to join the Access East HealthAssist program, which helps coordinate more comprehensive health care at no cost.

The clinic is named for Dr. Thomas Irons, a lifelong advocate for community health and served as the chief medical officer for Access East, a nonprofit ECU Health affiliate. He recently retired as a professor at East Carolina University’s Brody School of Medicine, where he was also a pediatric physician.
Annette Weston
Annette is originally a Midwest gal, born and raised in Michigan, but with career stops in many surrounding states, the Pacific Northwest, and various parts of the southeast. An award-winning journalist and mother of four, Annette moved to eastern North Carolina in 2019 to be closer to family – in particular, her two young grandchildren. It’s possible that a -27 day with a -68 windchill in Minnesota may have also played a role in that decision. In her spare time, Annette does a lot of kiddo cuddling, reading, and producing the coolest Halloween costumes anyone has ever seen. She has also worked as a diversity and inclusion facilitator serving school districts and large corporations. It’s the people that make this beautiful area special, and she wants to share those stories that touch the hearts of others. If you have a story idea to share, please reach out by email to westona@cravencc.edu.
See stories by Annette Weston