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Michigan · Video visits statewide
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Care that fits your life
Telehealth care in Alpena, Michigan.
Wade’s Care First sees Alpena patients by secure video for primary care, mental health, ADHD, weight management, urgent care and more. Labs, imaging and prescriptions go to facilities in and around Alpena.
Telehealth only. No office in Alpena: you join from wherever you are in Michigan. Pricing · Insurance Accepted
Services
What Alpena patients book.
Every service is available statewide by video. Each page explains what can and cannot be handled remotely.
Your ongoing Primary Care ProviderPrimary Care
Acute Care, Routine Care, Preventive Care, and Chronic Care with one provider who knows your history.
Screenings for your age and riskPreventive Care
Screenings, labs and risk checks chosen for your age, history and family history.
Evaluation and treatmentMental Health
Anxiety, depression, panic, PTSD symptoms and more. A full evaluation first, then a plan you help build.
Adults and teensADHD
Evaluation and follow-up for attention, focus and executive-function concerns.
Medication with a plan around itMedical Weight Management
A workup first, then nutrition, lab monitoring and medication when it fits.
Sick visitsUrgent Care
Sinus infections, UTIs, rashes and stomach bugs. Check the scheduler for available appointments, including same-day openings when offered.
Skin concerns by videoDermatology
Acne, eczema, psoriasis, melasma, fungal nails and rashes, evaluated from clear photos and a conversation.
Strains, sprains and flare-upsShort-Term Pain Management
Back and neck pain, sprains, joint flares and headaches over a short course of care.
Hormones, prostate and screeningMen’s Health
ED, testosterone testing, prostate health, PSA and the screenings men tend to skip.
Every stageWomen’s Health
Periods, birth control, perimenopause, menopause and the questions in between.
Ages 5 and upPediatric Care
Video visits for the things that keep a kid home from school.
Older adults and their familiesGeriatric Care
Medication review, chronic conditions and coordination with everyone involved.
Part of your primary careSleep Concerns
Insomnia, snoring, sleep apnea screening and sleep-study coordination.
Pharmacogenomic testingGeneSight® Testing
A cheek swab that adds genetic information to mental-health medication decisions.
Booking & Insurance
Plan your video visit.
Start with the care you need. We’ll guide you through the visit details and available times.
Choose your visit
Select your service and whether you are a new or established patient.
Choose how to pay
Select insurance or self-pay. Review the accepted plans and posted prices before continuing.
Find an available time
Confirm where you will be during the visit and your timezone, then review your appointment details.
More Than a Video Visit
How It Works Your care doesn’t end when the video visit ends.
Wade’s Care First is a full medical practice delivered through telehealth. When it is medically appropriate, we order, prescribe, refer and coordinate the services you would expect from a traditional outpatient practice.
- 1VisitSecure video from your phone or laptop
- 2TestingLabs and imaging ordered near you
- 3ResultsReviewed and explained with you
- 4TreatmentPrescriptions and a plan you helped build
- 5ReferralSpecialists and in-person care when needed
- 6Follow-upContinued care with the same provider
Laboratory testing
Blood work, urine tests, hormone and PSA testing, completed at a lab near you.
Diagnostic imaging
X-rays, ultrasounds, CT scans and MRIs ordered through local imaging centers.
Additional testing
Testing matched to your symptoms, history and plan, including sleep studies when indicated.
Equipment and supplies
Orders for durable medical equipment and supplies when medically necessary.
Specialist referrals
Referrals to cardiology, endocrinology, sleep medicine and more, with your care kept connected.
Prescription management
Prescribing and adjusting medications when clinically appropriate and allowed by law.
Results and follow-up
Every result reviewed with you, explained, and turned into a next step.
GeneSight® Testing
Pharmacogenomic information that may help inform mental-health medication decisions.
Care coordination
Orders and referrals sent to facilities near you, with Wade’s Care First staying involved.
Telehealth when appropriate. In-person services when needed. Coordinated care throughout.
Book a VisitHow It WorksOrders go local
Labs, imaging and pharmacies near Alpena.
MyMichigan Medical Center Alpena lists local laboratory services. Confirm the test, collection location, order requirements, hours and network participation before visiting. MyMichigan Medical Center Alpena provides hospital laboratory and radiology services, and Thunder Bay Community Health Service lists radiology in partnership with MyMichigan, so imaging orders can usually stay local. Walgreens lists an Alpena store, and Rite Aid closed all Michigan pharmacies in 2024. Tell us the exact pharmacy you use, including independents, and whether a 90-day supply would cut down on winter trips.
Imaging
MyMichigan Medical Center Alpena is the local hospital imaging provider.
Pharmacies
Walgreens lists Alpena in its Michigan store directory. Rite Aid closed all of its roughly 230 Michigan stores by late 2024.
Before you go, confirm the requested test, outside-order acceptance, insurance, collection fees and hours with the facility. These resources are examples, not a complete directory. Quest Location Finder · Labcorp Location Finder.
Patient Questions
All Patient Questions Alpena questions.
Does Wade’s Care First have an office in Alpena?
No. Wade’s Care First is a telehealth practice. You join your visit by secure video from home, work or anywhere in Michigan, and Charles Wade, FNP-BC is licensed to treat you while you are in the state. Anything that needs hands-on care is coordinated with facilities in and around Alpena, such as MyMichigan Medical Center Alpena (1501 W Chisholm St), Level III trauma center; the only hospital emergency department listed for Alpena in the March 2025 MCEP Michigan ED list.
Which Alpena hospitals have an emergency department?
MyMichigan Medical Center Alpena (1501 W Chisholm St), Level III trauma center; the only hospital emergency department listed for Alpena in the March 2025 MCEP Michigan ED list. For chest pain, trouble breathing, stroke symptoms, severe bleeding, a major injury or thoughts of harming yourself, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department rather than booking a video visit.
Are there community health centers in Alpena for in-person care?
Alcona Health Center (Alcona Citizens for Health, Inc.), 9 active Alpena sites in HRSA data and Thunder Bay Community Health Service, Inc., 2 active Alpena sites in HRSA data; headquartered in Hillman, serving Montmorency, Alpena, Presque Isle, Cheboygan, Oscoda and Otsego counties serve the area with in-person primary care on a sliding scale. Many patients pair that kind of local clinic with telehealth for follow-ups, medication management and specialist coordination.
Can I use Michigan Medicaid or other insurance for a telehealth visit from Alpena?
Michigan Medicaid plans are not on the participating list right now. Plans accepted in Michigan: BCBS / Anthem PPO, UnitedHealthcare PPO, UMR (PPO), Aetna PPO, Cigna PPO, Humana PPO, Ambetter PPO, TRICARE. Benefits are verified before your visit, and self-pay pricing is posted if your plan is not accepted.
Is Alpena a health professional shortage area?
Alpena County: 3 primary care HPSAs (MyMichigan Family Medicine RHC 17, Alcona Citizens for Health FQHC 17, Low-Income Alpena County population 15, all rural) and 2 mental health HPSAs (FQHC 13, RHC 11) (HRSA BCD_HPSA files). Telehealth can complement local clinicians by offering another way to access primary care, mental health and medication follow-up while you keep your local relationships.
Can orders be sent to a laboratory or imaging facility near me?
When clinically appropriate, we can send orders to a laboratory or imaging facility you choose. Confirm that the location performs the requested test, accepts the order and participates in your insurance network. Availability and travel distance vary by community.
More answers
Questions Alpena patients ask about urgent care, primary care and geriatric care.
- Can a sore throat be assessed without an in-person examination?
- How do you decide if sinus symptoms need antibiotics?
- How can home blood pressure readings be used during a virtual visit?
- Can primary care help when I have several symptoms that may be connected?
- Why is a complete medication list particularly important for older adults?
- Can dizziness or falls be discussed during a virtual visit?
All Urgent Care Questions All Primary Care Questions All Geriatric Care Questions
Good to know
Services, screening recommendations, testing, treatment options, referrals and prescribing may vary with your age, medical history, symptoms, where you are physically located at the time of the visit, state and federal requirements, insurance requirements, and whether your condition can be safely managed by telehealth. Conditions and services listed here are examples. An appointment does not guarantee a particular diagnosis, a prescription, a controlled medication, hormone therapy, a lab order, an imaging study, a sleep study, a specialist referral, an accommodation letter or a particular treatment. Treatment decisions follow a clinical evaluation and the provider’s judgment.
Sources
Practice provider: Charles Wade, FNP-BC. Information updated October 25, 2026.
Patient Education
Browse All Patient EducationHealth topics for Alpena patients.
Articles on the care people in Alpena book most, each linked to its service and booking.
Dermatology
Which Medications Can Cause Hair Loss in Women?
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Geriatric Care
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Urgent Care
Are Sinus Infections Contagious? When to Consult Virtual Primary Care for Quick Relief
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A local landmark
Alpena Light
Alpena Light beside the waterfront at Alpena Marina.
Photo: Dylan L. Tanner · Source · CC BY-SA 2.5. Resized for display.
Rural community · Alpena County
Getting care in Alpena
Lake Huron shoreline hub for Michigan’s rural northeast, with one Level III hospital, an aging population (one in four residents 65+), rural shortage designations and a notable share of households without internet.
Alpena is the hospital town for Michigan’s northeast shoreline, with MyMichigan Medical Center Alpena, a Level III trauma center on West Chisholm Street. Beyond that, options thin out quickly: HRSA designates the county’s low-income population and the local rural health clinic as primary care shortage areas, about a quarter of county residents are 65 or older, and one in ten households has no internet subscription.
A video visit with Charles Wade, FNP-BC, lets you handle primary care, mental health, ADHD, weight management, skin concerns and minor illness without a long drive. He orders labs and imaging to be done in Alpena and sends prescriptions to your pharmacy. Alcona Health Center and Thunder Bay Community Health Service are the area’s community health centers for in-person sliding-fee care.
Access in Alpena County
HRSA designates the low-income population of Alpena County as a rural primary care HPSA (score 15); MyMichigan Family Medicine is a rural health clinic HPSA (17 primary care / 11 mental health) and Alcona Citizens for Health an FQHC HPSA (17 / 13). ACS 2024 5-year: 25.2% of Alpena County residents are 65 or older (vs 16.1% in Detroit), 10.5% of households have no internet subscription and 85.1% have broadband; 5.2% uninsured. Only four Medicaid health plans serve Alpena County. Statewide, more than 212,000 Michigan households lack access to a high-speed connection (Michigan High-Speed Internet Office).
Who this helps most in Alpena
Telehealth helps Alpena-area residents who would otherwise drive for care: retirees managing blood pressure, diabetes, sleep or memory concerns; adults who want mental health or ADHD follow-up without a waiting room; and parents of children ages five and older with everyday illnesses. It also suits people in outlying townships who lose hours each time they come into town, especially in winter. A stable internet connection matters, so plan the visit where your signal is strongest.
Go in person for physical exams, vaccines, procedures and anything that needs hands-on evaluation. For chest pain, stroke signs, severe injury, breathing trouble or a mental health crisis, call 911 or go to MyMichigan Medical Center Alpena’s emergency department.
Local health considerations
- Aging population: 25.2% of Alpena County residents are 65 or older (ACS 2024 5-year), raising demand for chronic disease, geriatric and sleep care.
- Connectivity: 10.5% of Alpena County households have no internet subscription (ACS 2024 5-year), and Michigan’s High-Speed Internet Office reports 212,000+ households statewide lack access to a high-speed connection.
- Workforce shortage: the county’s low-income population, its FQHC and its rural health clinic all carry HRSA primary care shortage designations with scores of 15-17.
Not ready yet?
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