After a summer in the sun, local provider offers faster access to medical dermatology care

Grayson, Ky. — As summer winds down and many people take a closer look at their skin after months spent outdoors, local patients who notice a new or changing spot may not have to wait until next year to have it evaluated.

Kellie Sparks, a board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner with specialized training in dermatology and owner of Hot Spot Derm, LLC, opened the independent medical dermatology clinic in April with a specific goal: to provide patients with quicker access to dermatologic care while offering a more personal approach to the traditional healthcare experience.

Sparks encourages people—particularly those who spend significant time in the sun—to perform regular self-skin checks and pay attention to changes.

“I really encourage people to do self-skin checks at least once a month to watch for new moles that pop up, or any that change shape, color, or size…especially those who love the summer sun,” she said. 

Sparks said one of the biggest misconceptions she encounters is that sunscreen is only necessary during particularly sunny days or extended periods outdoors.

While routine skin checks with a dermatologist remain important, Sparks created Hot Spot Derm to help address concerns that arise between those routine visits, particularly in a region where patients may face lengthy waits for specialty care.

“We have fantastic dermatology providers in the tristate area…there just aren’t enough to meet the need,” Sparks said. “When I was working as a primary care provider in Grayson, we were constantly placing referrals to dermatology. Patients were waiting for months to hear about appointments. The delay in care can mean spread of disease, poorer prognosis, or more extensive procedures than if they were seen sooner. That’s when I decided to train in dermatology and help meet that need.”

At Hot Spot Derm, Sparks evaluates new or changing moles and provides treatment for a range of common dermatologic concerns, including mild to moderate acne, seborrheic dermatitis, eczema, psoriasis, warts and pre-cancerous spots. 

The clinic also offers cryotherapy using liquid nitrogen for unwanted benign skin growths, including skin tags, seborrheic keratoses, warts and sebaceous hyperplasias. 

Biopsies can also be performed for concerning moles or other spots that may require further evaluation.

For patients who need additional specialty care, Sparks said Hot Spot Derm is designed to work alongside, not replace, traditional dermatology practices.

“I tell everyone, I am not there to replace their dermatologist, I am there as a support. There are conditions that cannot wait. For example, squamous cell carcinoma is a fast growing form of skin cancer with potential to spread, the quicker you obtain a biopsy and have a confirmation of diagnosis, the quicker we can get you into a surgeon for complete removal. Waiting months for a biopsy can make a significant difference in the patient's treatment plan and outcome. To me, that’s a big deal,” Sparks says.

Patients who require more extensive treatment or specialty evaluation are referred to appropriate dermatology providers or surgeons. Sparks said she may also refer patients when a concern involves a particularly difficult location or when a condition requires treatment outside the scope of Hot Spot Derm.

The clinic operates on a self-pay model and does not bill insurance for its office visits and procedures. Sparks said the model allows her to offer straightforward pricing, with a price list available to patients before services are performed.

For example, office visits are $150 for new patients and $115 for follow-up visits. Procedure pricing includes skin tag removal beginning at $100 for up to five tags and cryotherapy beginning at $75 for one to five lesions. Biopsy services begin at $115. Biopsy specimens are sent to a dermatopathology company in Knoxville, which offers both insurance billing and cash-pay options and bills patients directly.

Sparks said affordability was an important consideration when developing her pricing structure.

“I worked on the price list extensively. Of course it is a business that requires profit to keep the doors open, but it was so important for me to make sure procedures were affordable to patients,” she says. 

Hot Spot Derm also accepts walk-in patients and, when medically appropriate, can perform procedures during the same visit rather than requiring patients to return for a separate appointment.

“Being able to evaluate the patient and perform necessary procedures on the same day is a great benefit to the patient,” she says. “Biopsy results are usually received in 5-7 days, and prompt treatment or next step referral can be made immediately, expediting the process. It’s also easier on the patient, they don’t have to come in for another appointment if all can be done the same day.”

For Sparks, however, creating a different kind of medical practice was about more than convenience.

She said she wanted a healthcare environment where patients had time to ask questions, receive education and feel genuinely cared for.

That philosophy was part of the reason Sparks chose to establish Hot Spot Derm as an independent clinic.

“I love getting to spend time with my patients,” she said. “I love patient education. I never want them to leave feeling like they were just a number or like they were just pushed through. I want them to be able to ask questions and feel comfortable doing so. Sometimes they may really have a spot that needs checked, and sometimes they just need someone to listen. That additional time allows for both.”

Hot Spot Derm is located inside 4:10 Direct Care. Sparks said the practice grew out of conversations with her friend at 4:10 Direct Care, who frequently contacted her with dermatology questions regarding patients.

For Sparks, the decision to open the clinic also represented a personal shift in how she wanted to balance her career and family.

“I’m a Christian, a wife and a momma. I needed something that gave me room to be all of those things AND a provider. God worked it out perfectly, soI wanted to create a faith based clinic, that feels like home, that is welcoming, and everyone knows they are loved, while also getting great healthcare. That has been most important to me.”

As the first summer for Hot Spot Derm comes to a close, Sparks said she is grateful for the opportunity to build a practice centered around both patient care and her own family.

“When I look back at why I started Hot Spot Derm, I absolutely feel like it is accomplishing what I intended,” she said. “I have been blessed to meet new wonderful patients, share the love of Jesus, and have been connected with so many Christian, business minded women. Hot Spot Derm is God’s clinic, I’m thankful to be His set of work hands.”