Dr. Kellie A. Jolley in Chattanooga: Solo Internal Medicine Practice in East Brainerd
Dr. Kellie A. Jolley operates a solo internal medicine practice focused on adult primary care and preventive medicine. Located in the East Brainerd area of Chattanooga, the practice accepts most major insurance plans and maintains same-day and next-day appointment availability for established patients, a significant logistics advantage in a region where primary care wait times often stretch two to four weeks.
What the practice actually is
This is a one-physician internal medicine clinic without hospital affiliation or urgent care services. Jolley handles chronic disease management, preventive screening, medication management, and minor in-office procedures typical of primary care. The practice does not offer walk-in urgent care, does not run a laboratory, and does not stock dispensary medications; it functions as a referral hub for Chattanooga's larger systems including CHI Memorial and Erlanger for advanced imaging, procedures, and specialty care.
Services and what to expect cost-wise
A new-patient visit typically runs 45 to 60 minutes and covers history, physical examination, and baseline labs if warranted. Most insurance plans cover primary care office visits with a standard copay (usually $15 to $40 for in-network), though coinsurance on labs or imaging ordered from outside facilities applies separately. The practice does not publish a fee schedule; costs depend entirely on your insurance plan. Patients without insurance should call ahead to discuss cash-pay rates, which are often lower than in-network amounts but vary by service complexity.
Established-patient follow-ups range from 20 to 30 minutes for routine visits and cost the same copay. Sick visits are handled the same way; same-day appointments are available most weekdays for acute issues like respiratory infections, which saves a trip to urgent care and its higher out-of-pocket costs (typically $100 to $150 without insurance versus a primary care copay).
How this practice compares to other Chattanooga primary care options
Primary care access in Chattanooga breaks into three categories: hospital-affiliated groups (like those within CHI Memorial and Erlanger), federally qualified health centers (like Chattanooga Neighborhood Health Center), and independent practices like Jolley's.
Hospital-affiliated groups offer easier same-day specialist referrals and electronic integration with hospital records, but appointment lead times regularly exceed three weeks. They also tend to be high-volume operations where visits are shorter and follow-up coordination sometimes requires navigating a central scheduling line. Federally qualified health centers serve uninsured and low-income patients at sliding-scale fees, making them the better choice if cost is prohibitive; however, they operate under capacity constraints and appointment wait times can exceed four weeks. Jolley's solo practice occupies a middle ground: faster appointment availability than large systems, more personalized continuity (you see the same physician every visit), and no bureaucratic referral delays, but no on-site laboratory or imaging and no after-hours coverage. For someone with stable insurance and moderate-complexity medical needs, this trade-off favors Jolley's practice; for someone with uncontrolled diabetes or congestive heart failure requiring frequent monitoring and rapid specialist access, the hospital-affiliated practices are safer.
Who this practice suits and who it doesn't
Jolley's practice works best for adults with stable chronic conditions (well-controlled hypertension, diabetes, or hypothyroidism), preventive care and screening (annual physicals, cancer screening coordination), and straightforward acute illnesses. It suits patients who value seeing the same physician over time and those who struggle to get primary care appointments at larger practices. It does not suit patients requiring frequent laboratory monitoring or imaging (those need a practice with on-site capabilities or tight integration with a hospital system), patients without established insurance or the financial cushion for upfront cost discussion, or anyone needing same-day urgent care for severe symptoms (who belong in an ER or urgent care clinic).
What the first visit involves
Call the practice directly to schedule; there is no online booking portal. New patients should bring insurance cards, a list of current medications, prior medical records if switching from another provider, and time for a thorough intake. The visit covers complete history, physical examination, baseline laboratory orders (sent to an outside facility; results typically return within 3 to 5 business days), and problem assessment. You will receive after-visit summaries by mail. Expect to book a two-week follow-up for any abnormal lab results or chronic disease initiation.
Hours, parking, and how to reach the office
The practice is located in the East Brainerd corridor near Highway 153. Standard office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with same-day slots reserved for acute calls made before 11:00 a.m. Parking is lot-based and complimentary. There is no evening or weekend coverage; patients needing urgent care outside these hours should use an urgent care clinic or ER. Call ahead to confirm current hours, as physician-run small practices occasionally adjust scheduling.
Dr. Jolley's practice fills a gap for Chattanooga residents who want continuous, unhurried primary care without the referral delays of large health systems. For straightforward preventive and chronic disease management, that efficiency advantage justifies the trade-off of no on-site labs.
