Pinehurst Medical Clinic and FirstHealth of the Carolinas are expanding their Pinehurst cancer-care team with the addition of Dr. Alessandra Carrillo.
Carrillo is a hematology and medical oncology physician who will provide patient services through Pinehurst Medical Clinic’s continuing partnership with FirstHealth.
She will see patients at the FirstHealth Cancer Center at 135 Page Road North in Pinehurst.
New Physician Joins Established Cancer Team
Carrillo joins 10 other Pinehurst Medical Clinic hematology and medical oncology providers who deliver services under an agreement with FirstHealth.
The team includes physicians, nurse practitioners and physician assistants who care for people facing cancer, blood disorders and other related medical conditions.
Pinehurst Medical Clinic CEO Brandon Enfinger said recruiting and retaining highly trained physicians is important to maintaining the level of cancer care available to patients in the Sandhills.
The addition of another specialist expands the team’s depth while continuing the collaboration between Pinehurst Medical Clinic and FirstHealth.
Army Veteran and West Point Graduate
Carrillo’s path into medicine included service in the United States Army. She earned a Bachelor of Science from the United States Military Academy at West Point before receiving her Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine.
She completed her internal medicine residency at Franciscan Health Olympia Fields in Illinois. Carrillo then completed a fellowship in hematology and oncology at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist in Winston-Salem.
Her family previously lived in North Carolina while stationed in the state during her military service. Carrillo said her family developed a strong connection to North Carolina and is pleased to return.
Focus on Personalized and Compassionate Care
Carrillo’s approach emphasizes strong relationships between physicians and patients. She plans to combine evidence-based medicine with personalized care for people navigating cancer or a blood-disorder diagnosis.
Those diagnoses can create emotional and physical challenges for patients and their families. Carrillo believes physicians must consider those challenges while helping patients understand their diagnoses and treatment options.
Hematology focuses on conditions affecting the blood and blood-forming organs. Oncology focuses on the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. Some patients may require care involving both specialties, particularly when dealing with blood cancers such as leukemia or lymphoma.
Specialized Care Close to Home
The partnership between Pinehurst Medical Clinic and FirstHealth allows Sandhills patients to receive specialized hematology and oncology services without routinely traveling to larger metropolitan areas.
Services available through the FirstHealth cancer program include diagnostic testing, chemotherapy, infusion therapy, radiation treatment and coordinated follow-up care.
Patients seeking additional information about Carrillo or the cancer-care program may visit the Pinehurst Medical Clinic or FirstHealth websites.
Source: Information provided by Pinehurst Medical Clinic and published locally by Sandhills Sentinel.
