Wilmington’s Second Michael Jordan Clinic Expands Novant Health’s Care and Reach

Home / Wilmington’s Second Michael Jordan Clinic Expands Novant Health’s Care and Reach

Dr. Shelby Stoneking, family medicine doctor, and Sonya Graham, referral coordinator, welcome patients to the new Michael Jordan Family Medical Clinic – East Wilmington.

Wilmington’s second Novant Health Michael Jordan Family Medical Clinic is now offering more families nearby access to primary care, which includes health screenings, physicals, vaccines and wellness exams. The new clinic, located in East Wilmington at 416 N. 30th St., next to the Creekwood South community, will begin to welcome patients Feb 19. 

The new location complements the Novant Health Michael Jordan Family Medical Clinic – Greenfield, which has served the community since April 2024. (Two Charlotte clinics have been accommodating families since 2019.) 

A $10 million gift from Michael Jordan to the Novant Health Foundation established the two clinics on land donated by New Hanover County. And the clinics were conceived with a specific goal in mind: to serve all patients, with or without medical insurance coverage, and stop the cycles of preventable illness that occur in communities without access to primary health care. 

Many people and their families would otherwise have no access to a local primary care clinician, said Dr. Shelby Stoneking, the new clinic’s family medicine doctor. And primary care is a critical pathway to good health. Beyond offering lifesaving wellness exams and screenings, primary care physicians also connect patients to specialists, prescribe medications and make referrals for surgeries. 

“Underserved people don’t have as many doors open to them,” Stoneking said. “They have barriers to navigate, like getting a ride to the doctor, being able to take off work and sorting out childcare. But by being intentional about putting clinics in medical deserts, a lot more people will be able to access these services.” 

Underserved communities include low-income families and people who experience discrimination, whether racial, ethnic, disability, gender, sexual orientation, economic and/or linguistic. Three critical components of health care that underserved communities commonly lack are familiarity with the health care delivery system, access to nearby health care facilities and health insurance coverage. The Michael Jordan Family Medical Clinics aim to remove all three barriers to accessing health services.

In 2024, about 14% of people living in Wilmington lacked health insurance, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. 

“As I’m learning more about the community, I’m seeing that ‘underserved’ doesn’t really fit any specific person,” Stoneking said. “Our goal is to treat everyone with quality care. No matter the circumstances, our team welcomes them with open arms.” 

A Passion for Helping People

A Greensboro native, Stoneking admired her father’s work as a primary care physician and his impact on families in desperate need of health care. 

“I grew up seeing firsthand what a trusted doctor can do for people,” she said.

But it wasn’t until Stoneking graduated from Washington University in St. Louis that she decided to pursue medicine. She spent a year working with underserved communities at a nonprofit clinic in Memphis, Tennessee.

Then, in 2018, Stoneking traveled across the world to southern China, where she researched new ways of improving sexual health education among the country’s gay and bisexual men. Stoneking helped develop crowdsourcing technology to increase awareness of HIV testing, an experience that deepened her passion for addressing sexual health disparities among marginalized communities. 

Stoneking graduated in 2021 from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine and joined Novant Health in 2024 as a family medicine doctor. 

“Her knowledge of serving people in underserved community health settings is amazing,” said Dr. Emilia Parrott of Novant Health Michael Jordan Family Medical Clinic – Greenfield. “She loves what she does.” 

Anyone — whether they carry no insurance, Medicaid or private insurance — can visit a Michael Jordan Family Medicine Clinic, and Stoneking said providers are constantly working to earn patients’ trust. 

“Getting people to open up about their finances or previous trauma can be difficult,” she said. “The biggest thing I can do is listen to where they’re coming from and work on finding solutions that help them meet their health goals.” 

That effort depends on the push to expand public awareness, with many patients often learning of Novant Health’s resources through referrals from family and friends, Parrott said. 

Stoneking said connecting with families encourages them to realize that help is within reach, right where they live. 

“I’m very blessed to be part of a team committed to caring for people who lack access to the best services,” Stoneking said. “And this is a way I can help empower them.” 

Focusing on Preventive Health Care

During its first nine months of operation, the Michael Jordan Family Medical Clinic – Greenfield welcomed 1,770 patients and completed hundreds of health screenings, including: 

• 156 breast cancer screenings
• 148 colorectal cancer screenings
• 381 cervical cancer screenings
• 156 prediabetes/diabetes blood sugar tests
• 318 flu tests
• 104 well child visits

Dr. Stoneking emphasized that at all Michael Jordan Family Medical Clinic locations, the goal is to promote good health and stop cycles of illness through preventive care. “If you know someone who hasn’t seen a primary care doctor in a while, tell them that we’re here,” she said.

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