Mayor Gregg Hull, fourth from left, and certified nurse practitioner Brandy Heaton, third from right, cut the ribbon to celebrate her clinic, Merit Family Medicine, flanked by clinic staff. The ribbon-cutting was Thursday at Merit Family Medicine’s new location, 4101 Barbara Loop, Ste. C.
(Argen Marie Duncan/Observer)

A private practice is available for patients looking for a primary care provider in Rio Rancho.

Merit Family Medicine moved to the Boardwalk building, 4101 Barbara Loop, Ste. C, in March and held a ribbon-cutting Sept. 23. Certified nurse practitioner Brandy Heaton is the provider, and she has a staff of eight.

The practice is accepting new patients of all ages.

Heaton and her staff provide family medicine, in-house phlebotomy and wellness care such as vitamins. She said they like to treat patients as family and keep them healthy rather than only treating them when they’re sick.

“We just try to take good care of them and be here when they need us,” Heaton said.

She can give childhood and COVID-19 vaccines, and has flu shots on the way.

Merit Family Medicine accepts all types of insurance except certain senior plans insurance companies prefer to keep in-house. Without insurance, a visit is $65.

The practice has been operating for 2½ years, moving to its second, larger location last spring. Heaton said busyness and the pandemic kept a ribbon-cutting from happening until last week.

For more information, call the clinic at 315-3541 or visit meritfamilymedicine.business.site.