Each year in East Tennessee, River Valley Health ensures that nearly 70,000 community members receive compassionate, high-quality healthcare—regardless of their insurance status or ability to pay.
Originally founded in 1960 as a mental health clinic, the organization—formerly known as Cherokee Health Systems—has grown steadily to meet the evolving needs of its patients. Today, as a Federally Qualified Health Center, River Valley Health offers a full scope of services, including primary care, while also staying true to its roots in behavioral health.
For the past fifteen years, Dr. Brad Carter has played a key role in shaping that vision. As Vice President of Primary Care Services, he supports physicians and providers, leads clinical improvement initiatives, and still sees his own panel of patients. Balancing leadership with hands-on care is no small feat, but for Dr. Carter, the two go hand-in-hand.
“To be a good leader and make changes in your clinic, you have to be on the ground too and really know what’s going on with your patients,” he says.
Last year, Dr. Carter received the Outstanding Practitioner Award from the Tennessee Primary Care Association. His nomination described him as someone who “epitomizes the heart of primary care.” When asked what the recognition means to him, Dr. Carter immediately shifted the spotlight.
“Primary care is a team-oriented approach,” he says. “It’s an honor for me, but also an honor for the whole clinic. It really is a team effort—the nursing, the support staff, case managers, behavioral health providers—it shows the team’s working well and using the resources that are available to get good outcomes, and really, serve people that are in need.”
Part of his leadership involves training and supervising River Valley’s Advanced Practice Providers (APPs), who help expand access to care. “They are a great part of the team and help us to extend our care and see more patients,” he explains.
Over the years, Dr. Carter has helped foster an environment where APPs can grow, thrive, and bring their own passions into their work. “I think my experience has taught me to help them find areas they really want to be advocates for and work harder in and support their specific interests.”
In his role, Dr. Carter has also led innovative projects like the Asthma Care Improvement Program, which aimed to elevate patient outcomes for a group that is often overlooked in research and quality improvement efforts. “It was good having a group of patients that might not always get included in an asthma-type study or quality improvement project be able to be represented in the same study as those that are going to an academic medical center or maybe a private clinic in a larger city,” he says.
His commitment to leading initiatives like this one ensures that the voices and needs of underserved patients are reflected in data and solutions that shape care.
Dr. Carter also emphasizes the importance of partnership beyond the clinic’s walls. “The longer you’re in healthcare, the more you realize we can’t do everything as a community health center or as medical providers,” he observes. “As much as we try, there are problems we want to help with but can’t. That’s why we’ve realized we need more connections in the community—partnering with organizations and nonprofits to bridge gaps and become more effective.”
For Dr. Carter, the mission of primary care is simple but profound: serve the people who need it most, with excellence and compassion. His leadership—and the dedication of the River Valley Health team—ensures that this mission continues to guide their work in East Tennessee every day.
Jayda Morse, TPCA
This interview was edited for brevity and clarity.
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