Our Philosophies About Medicine
Embarking on this new journey gives me the opportunity to expand my practice to include things that are really important to me. Specifically I will be moving into practice that involves more holistic care. I strongly believe in the Mind and Body Connection and that as a Primary Care doctor I should take care of the whole person. That means that I would like to focus on your health care goals in broader terms, beyond medications. Together we can focus on nutrition, mental well-being as well as physical well-being.
-Rachel Kelly, DO
I'm looking forward to partnering with my patients at a much deeper level than I ever could previously. It takes time to develop the relationships needed to provide proper Primary and Geriatric Care that address the physical, psychological and social needs of the patient. It's impossible to address all of these needs at just one or even a few visits. Primary Care is a marathon, not a sprint, involving the patient and their family. I'm very excited that the Direct Primary Care model will allow the time needed to assist my patients in reaching their long term health goals.
-Anne Gonzalez, MD
Hear what our patients are saying...
Dr. Kelly is very nice and very easy to talk to. She seems genuinely concerned with your issues and does all she can to help fix them. Definitely recommend her!
Dr. Kelly answered all my questions about a variety of health issues. She is a good listener and very knowledgeable. She also advised me on needed vaccines for travel. I will recommend her to my friends.
Dr. Gonzalez is so patient and caring. She never rushes me and always takes the time to answer all my questions. She validates my concerns.
Dr. Gonzalez is the BEST! She truly cares about the health of her patients... taking the time necessary to listen to and clearly explain the patients concerns!
Meet the Team
Rachel Kelly, DO, MS, FACP
Dr. Kelly grew up in Michigan on a lovely little hobby farm. She graduated from the University of Notre Dame before becoming a high school teacher in Calfornia. She greatly enjoyed this adventure but felt she wanted to do more in science and decided to attend medical school at Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine. While there, she also received a masters degree in Epidemiology.
She did her residency at Riverside Methodist Hospital in Columbus, Ohio. During the first 7 years of her career, she was an academic hospitalist then the Program Director of the Internal Medicine Residency Program in Morganton. In 2019, she joined A Woman's View and started working closely with Dr. Gonzalez on improving primary care for women in our community. She especially enjoys helping patients obtain the best whole body health that they can, while being mindful of everyday roadblocks that make it hard to consistently care for oneself. She is Board Certified in both Internal Medicine and Obesity Medicine and is a Fellow of the American College of Physicians.
Dr. Kelly is married to DJ Costic, who is the Hospitalist Director at Frye Hospital. They have two children, Ethan and Ceci. They have a gaggle of pets including dogs, bunnies, chickens, ducks and a VERY eccentric parakeet named Emerald. Dr. Kelly enjoys showing her Icelandic Sheepdogs in dog shows and riding her black Arabian, The Empress, in her free time.
Anne Gonzalez, MD, CAQ-Geriatrics
Dr. Gonzalez was born in NYC, but grew up in Virginia. She graduated from the University of Virginia and Eastern Virginia Medical School before completing her Family Medicine residency and Geriatrics Fellowship in 2002 at USC in Columbia, SC. She worked in Morganton, NC for 5 years at Burke Primary Care. After that, she headed the Primary Care Department at A Woman's View for 13 years and taught part time at the Geriatrics Fellowship in Morganton. She appreciates the privilege of working with her patients to improve their health, independence, and quality of life. She is Board Certified in Family Medicine and has a Certificate of Added Qualification in Geriatrics.
Dr. Gonzalez and her husband, Michael Gonzalez, MD, (aka Mister Doctor Gonzalez) have been married for over 20 years. She has 3 children, Sydney, Bryan and Aaron, and too many dogs and cats but not as many pets as Dr. Kelly. When she isn't working, driving kids around, or cooking dinner, she enjoys playing the piano and guitar and singing in the Hickory Choral Society. Her exercises of choice are running (more like jogging), biking, tennis, and yoga at home.
Kirsten Harrison
Kirsten was born and raised in Morganton, NC. Kirsten was Dr. Kelly’s nanny since she was 16 years old. She has been with the Emerald Health team since the beginning in 2021, initially part time only while she finished her Business Administration undergraduate degree from Western Carolina University. She's currently pursuing her Masters in Business Administration from UNC Pembroke and working full time at Emerald Health as the Office Manager. She manages the day-to-day in-office tasks and also the Aesthetics side of the practice.
In her free time, Kirsten enjoys working out, going to the lake, and spending time with her close knit family and friends. Ask her about her Crossfit full rope climb!
Shiel Carsola
Shiel is our dedicated virtual assistant remotely working from Baguio City, the Summer Capital of the Philippines. She is a Pharmacist by profession and loves doing artwork with her 6-year-old daughter. She has been with Emerald Health since 2022, providing truly invaluable support to Dr. Gonzalez and Dr. Kelly in managing patient scheduling, appointment reminders, Prior Authorizations, and medical records updates. She addresses patient inquiries and concerns while maintaining strict confidentiality and compliance with HIPAA regulations. If you need an appointment, medication refills, or have general questions, Shiel will graciously assist you.
