Ocracoke Health Center
Editors note: This article was updated to reflect that it is now a Federally Qualified Health Center.
By Peter Vankevich
The Ocracoke Health Center has new personnel and changes to the staff.
The center, located at 305 Back Rd. next to the school playground, is a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) also known as a Community Health Center (CHC). It is open Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to noon and 1 to 5 p.m. Phone number during working hours is 252-928-1511. The After Hours sick line is 252-928-SICK (7425).
Amanda “Mandi” Cochran has joined the staff as a clinical registered nurse (RN). She started coming to the island in 1997 while she was in college. After graduating from nursing school in Charlotte in 2012, she moved back to the island and got a job as a private duty nurse for about a year, then took a job in Sea Level, Carteret County. Mandi began working at the clinic at the end of October and started full time in November. “I like being back here full time and working at the clinic,” she said.
Nicole O’Neal, who worked as the front desk receptionist, is now a certified nursing Assistant (CNA) having received her CNA certification from Abbott Education Center in Virginia Beach. A lifelong Ocracoke resident, she graduated from the Ocracoke School Class in 2006, class size of five. She enjoys spending time with her family and is anxious to meet her family’s newest member arriving soon–a little sister for her son, Kyler.
Merrian Midgette will greet visitors as the front desk receptionist. Merrian grew up on Ocracoke, Ocracoke School Class of 1997, a class of six. She enjoys spending time with and being a mom to her two children, Cody,14, and Payce, 7.
Alfredo Contreras has three duties. He is a medical interpreter, translating documents into Spanish for the Hispanic patients. These relate to medication, programs offered at the clinic, and any other related information.
He is also a Senior’s Health Insurance Information Program, which operates under a division of the North Carolina Department of Insurance. It was created to help Medicare beneficiaries with counseling about the different parts of Medicare since it can be confusing for some people. He helps Medicare beneficiaries or potential beneficiaries with questions or any confusion they may have, and to help them get the appropriate plan for their needs.
Finally, he is a Community Outreach Worker for the Ocracoke and Engelhard Medical Centers helping farm and agricultural workers.
