About the Owner

Dr. Michelle Grimes is a doctoral-prepared board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner. Michelle has always enjoyed nursing and during her career has held many roles as a nurse. Always searching to better herself and be the best she could be, she has always found her way back to education to quench that thrust. Michelle has been a nurse for over 30 years. She graduated from Chamberlain University in 2017 with a terminal degree in Advanced Practice Leadership and the University of Missouri St. Louis with a Master’s in Science in Nursing and her Family Nurse Practitioner degree in 2014. She received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Missouri St. Louis in 2002. Her Masters in Business Administration in 2004 and her Associates Degree in Nursing from Forest Park Community College in 1987.

Michelle is former CEO/President/Founder of the St. Louis Chapter of Black Nurses Rock, leading her chapter in healthcare events and awareness throughout the local community. She is an American Heart Association Ambassador and a member of their support network of responders where she answers questions via email that patients or families may have. She became a member of the Association of Missouri Nurse Practitioners Advocacy Committee, where she along with other nurse practitioners advocate for better healthcare and delivery, removal of barriers to healthcare such as geographical restrictions, physician/nurse practitioner ratios, and acquiring full practice authority. She was also featured in their March 2018 Missouri newsletter. Michelle is also a Legal Nurse Consultant and a Stop the Bleed instructor.

Michelle is also an active member of the ANA, AANP, BNA, MONA, NBNA, STLNAP, AMNP and INA. Michelle serves as an Advisor on the board of the Kwesi Prince Foundation and recently started the Education Athletes and Heart Health Foundation which is a 501c3 foundation that focuses on prevention through education of athletes, coaches and families bringing awareness to various undiagnosed heart conditions leading to death. The emphasis is on getting physicals that include EKG’s and knowing the warning signs of heart issues through education. She is Suboxone and MAT certified and holds a certification in Obesity Management. Michelle states she has always been an advocate for people in general but when it comes to healthcare she says, “I am a voice for those that don’t have one.” She is also a voice for the nurse practitioner profession and has spoken at several hospital meetings, local federally-qualified healthcare clinics, and schools promoting the role of the nurse practitioner.

Michelle advocates for patients, as well as nurse practitioners. Her goal is to advocate for patients and to be aware of changes which may affect them. She believes it’s extremely important for a practice or the leader of a practice to understand changes which are evolving for business owners and their medical facilities that will affect healthcare and its delivery.

Michelle says, “Let’s not take the care out of health!!” As a visionary, she believes we should allow innovation to be the key when it comes to healthcare. With rapidly changing healthcare we have to accommodate for the change. Michelle notes that some ways to accommodate for the changes are; telemedicine/telehealth, concierge medicine and direct patient care delivery systems. These options make a big difference in the delivery of healthcare today and how people value their time. Being in healthcare for such a long time Michelle recognizes that people are looking for quick office access, low-cost, caring and compassionate providers and most of all convenience and she is here to accommodate their needs.

She has been a mentor, preceptor, and volunteer in the community and to future nursing students. What she loves most about her career as a NP is the ability to care for patients on a broader scope than that of the registered nurse. Her NP role allows her to really spend time with the patient helping them understand as well as manage their conditions. Michelle believes “nurse practitioners who are part of a bigger collaboration have the opportunity to decrease the gaps in provider wait times, help prevent follow-ups from falling through the cracks, increase outcomes, decrease co-morbidities, and increase quality of life through the care provided.” Michelle has worked several jobs as a nurse practitioner including caring for veterans. She is currently the Chief Nursing Officer for CareSTL Health an organization of Federally Qualified Health Centers with four free standing clinics and 4 school-based healthcare centers offering Integrated health services in four different school districts. Michelle is a wife, mother of three children and grandmother of eleven. When not caring for patients, she is spending time with her family and traveling.