ROANOKE, Va. – Carilion is expanding women’s health services in southwest Virginia with its first Roanoke-based clinic dedicated entirely to midwifery.
The clinic, located at 102 Highland Avenue, Suite 301, officially welcomes patients Monday, May 4. Carilion Women’s celebrated the opening with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and tours of the space Tuesday.
Clinic designed for women across the lifespan
The 2,345-square-foot suite consolidates Carilion’s Roanoke City midwifery services into a single location in the Medical Office Building behind Carilion Roanoke Community Hospital. The clinic is designed to care for women from adolescence through menopause and beyond, with weekday access to two to three midwives.
Midwifery visits are structured to allow more time with patients — on average 10 minutes longer than traditional appointments — supporting more personalized, relationship-based care.
Carilion midwives provide comprehensive services including annual exams, cancer screenings, family planning, prenatal care, and menopause care. They work in close collaboration with OB/GYNs and other women’s health specialists.
Why midwifery matters
Holly Borkort, a certified nurse midwife with Carilion Clinic, said building trust with patients is at the heart of midwifery care.
“The importance of having midwifery services is safety, evidence-based care, with a provider that you have built a relationship with over the years that can take care of you in so many different ways,” Borkort said.
Watch previous WSLS story featuring Holly and a local mom advocating for midwifery.
Tina Johnson, a certified nurse midwife and director of midwifery services, echoed that philosophy.
“Midwives empower patients through education and support, ensuring safe, respectful, and culturally appropriate care,” Johnson said. “We treat pregnancy, birth, and menopause as natural life events rather than illnesses.”
‘An extra layer of care’
The demand for midwives continues to grow across the country as more women seek greater involvement in their birth plans and overall health journeys. Savanna Brownlow, a patient at the new clinic, said she was surprised to discover how accessible midwifery services really are.
“I didn’t realize how accessible midwives were. I thought it was something that maybe insurance didn’t cover. But in fact they did,” Brownlow said. “When I found out that insurance did cover midwifery services, I wanted to transition over into them. They have the same knowledge and wisdom that an OB does — it’s just an extra layer of care.”
Commitment to accessible, relationship-based care
Tristi Metcalf, M.D., chair of Carilion’s Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, said the new clinic reflects the health system’s broader commitment to women’s health.
“This new clinic and midwifery expansion underscore our commitment to accessible, relationship-based care for women,” Metcalf said. “Our OB/GYN physicians and clinicians work closely with midwives, giving our patients a unique suite of care options that best meet their personalized needs and journeys across their lifespan.”
For more information on Carilion’s midwifery services, visit CarilionClinic.org.