INDIAN TRAIL, NC – Helping people while burdening them with an exorbitant stack of medical bills is counterintuitive, but it’s the egregious monster millions of Americans face every day. Charlotte native Stephen Lapham with Lapham Medical Clinic hopes to alleviate the stress of his patient’s medical costs by providing an affordable care alternative for non-life-threatening health problems. After spending more than seventeen years in the healthcare system as a Certified Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP-C), with most of that time spent in the ER, Lapham has worked on the frontlines and witnessed the devastation that has plagued individuals seeking affordable medical treatment.
“If you go to an emergency room or urgent care, it’s usually costly; even if you have insurance, it’s still several hundred dollars,” Lapham explains. “People will come in for minor things, but they need treatment, and it would be considered minor in the realm of an emergency because they’re not having a heart attack or stroke. They end up waiting hours and hours, and they may leave without getting the treatment they needed, and their condition worsens.”
Impassioned by healthcare disparities and determined to practice medicine in a way that doesn’t fault his patients based on their lifestyle choices, Lapham was faced with a decision. After watching his patients in the Emergency Room struggle with healthcare costs and even walk away from medical treatment, Lapham opened his own practice. “I just wanted to find some way to help,” he says.
In April 2022, Lapham Medical Clinic opened in Indian Trail. Nestled in the busy Union Festival shopping center, the small medical clinic has a professional atmosphere with a warm and inviting touch that finds a way to make patients feel welcome.
They specialize in minor injuries and illness care and provide a cost-effective alternative to an urgent care visit or a trip to the emergency room. Lapham, the medical practice’s only healthcare provider, firmly believes his patients deserve a clean slate when they arrive at his office. While patients can often be ridiculed or shamed for previous lifestyle choices or health decisions, Lapham chooses to focus on the patient. “Everybody is different,” he says. “Everybody probably knows their body better than I do because they live with it daily.”
When it comes to treatment, Lapham has a realistic approach. “Is this something you’re going to do? What works best for you?” The nurse practitioner, who is bilingual in English and Spanish, will tailor a treatment plan that works for each patient’s individual needs and financial abilities. Lapham’s approach focuses on the patient: “My job is to figure out what works best for you in the situation that you’re in.”
Lapham Medical Clinic, located at 622 Indian Trail Rd, offers affordable services for minor injuries and illnesses. Lapham Medical Clinic is partnered with Any Lab Test Now and offers lab work at a discounted price when you book your appointment with Lapham Medical Clinic. While walk-ins are possible, appointments are strongly recommended. You can call (980) 748-7824 or book your appointment online at https://www.laphammedicalclinic.com/.
