No Red Tape
About Us
The name “Noreta” is a shortened form of No Red Tape. While health insurance can be very useful for large medical expenses, it increases the cost of caring for patients in traditional primary care practices. At Noreta Family Medicine, we can tell you exactly how much your in-office fees, medications, labs, and radiology studies will be before you have them done. Wholesale prescriptions, lab tests, and radiology studies will save you money, and perhaps even save you a trip to the ER. There will be no unexpected bills sent to you. We hope this allows you to budget for your general health costs. No red tape means less paperwork for you and our staff to fill out, which means we will shorten your waiting time, and can spend more time with you. This also means our staff will be smaller, creating a more personal experience for you at a lower cost than a traditional practice.
Meet Dr. Melissa Boylan
I am a native of Pittsburgh, PA, but have lived and practiced medicine in Columbia since 2008. After graduating from the University of Notre Dame, I attended the Georgetown University School of Medicine, where I discovered my love of family medicine. I continued my southern migration by training at the Palmetto Health/University of South Carolina Family Medicine Residency Program. I was co-chief resident in my final year and decided to stay in Columbia to begin my family medicine career. Board certified since 2011, I worked in Palmetto Health’s free clinic, and I taught family medicine residents at the family medicine residency program. I am still an assistant clinical faculty member at the USC School of Medicine. In 2019, I became a fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians.
I established Noreta Family Medicine in July 2020 in Columbia, SC because I saw an opportunity to improve my patients’ primary care experience.
My patients were frustrated with phone trees, complicated billing questions, high medical costs, surprise bills, long wait times, and feeling like a number. I’m here to remove these frustrations! I want you to be able to understand how the office works, where your money is going, and know the cost of your care up front. I want to show that Direct Primary Care (DPC) is a newer, yet sustainable model of care where I can spend more time with you, and improve the value of your visits to the doctor.
I chose family medicine because of the relationships I develop over time with my patients. I enjoy working with patients to help them prevent illness, feel better when they are sick, and treat chronic medical problems, like diabetes and high blood pressure. Outside of medicine, I enjoy crafting, baking, cooking, and bringing the spirit of Notre Dame to Columbia!
Meet Cairns D.
Hello! It is with immense enthusiasm that I introduce myself as the newest addition to the Noreta Family Medicine team, joining as an assistant to Dr. Boylan.
My name is Cairns, and, to make it easy, think “Canes” as in Candy Canes. Like Dr. Boylan, I am a proud Domer, having recently graduated from the University of Notre Dame with a B.S. in Neuroscience and Behavior on the pre-medicine track. I was born in India but raised in the US, where my family of four moved around quite a bit before finally settling in Florence, SC around 2013. In my free time, I love to work out, play sports (and chess!), or relax at home and immerse myself in TV shows/movies. Additionally, I volunteer at a Hospice in Florence and serve as a free educational resource and mentor to underprivileged middle school and high school students.
As I embark upon a year of personal and professional growth before attending medical school, I am excited to channel my passion for medicine to serve my community and contribute to its well-being. In my capacity as Dr. Boylan’s assistant, I will be responsible for various tasks, encompassing both administrative and, eventually, clinical responsibilities, ultimately helping ensure your Noreta experience is as comfortable and positive as possible. I look forward to the opportunity to meet, serve, and learn from each one of you! Please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions you may have. I am happy to assist in any way possible!
5 Star Reviews!
Debby Best
I am most impressed with Dr. Boylan. She is very intelligent, thorough, responsive, and helpful. I highly recommend her.
Deborah Sheffield
Dr. Boylan makes time to get to know you and your life circumstances/stressors that impact your health issues such as hypertension and diabetes, and then she helps you make individualized, realistic goals for changes to diet and activities that you can accomplish. She also follows up by reaching out to you if you forget to touch base with her about your progress with of a condition/illness😉
Jessica Grate
I have seen Dr. Boylan for about 7-8 years and she has always taken good care of me. She made me feel very comfortable and valued as an individual. Every issue or concern I shared with her about my health was addressed and I always felt heard. I highly recommend Dr. Boylan and Noreta Family Practice.
Cynthia Giles
I am so happy we found Dr. Melissa Boylan and Noreta Family Medicine. As small business owners, providing quality health care benefits to our staff can be pricey but Dr. Boylan has a great solution and we couldn't be happier with her services. Affordable and very detailed health care. What else could you ask for? Thanks Dr. Boylan!!
Jessica Boone
I feel so lucky to have found Dr Melissa Boylan at Noreta Family Medicine. I’m a woman in my early 30s and I’ve gone a decade overlooking the importance of a primary care doctor and trying to keep up my health with over the counter supplements. Blindly guessing... Dr Boylan makes me feel so comfortable and at ease. A doctor who CARES. My overall health is improving in ways I hadn’t thought possible and I could not be more grateful.
Catherine Smithdeal
Dr. Boylan is a wonderful and thorough doctor. She does everything herself which cuts so many costs and her membership plan makes so much sense to help avoid insurance and big government control. I am now a big fan of direct primary care and will continue to support her business.
Forrest Nettles
Dr. Boylan exceeded my expectations from the first time she called me. Her comprehensive approach, calm demeanor, clear policies and communication have helped me finally feel at peace with a family doctor. I haven’t even tapped into all of the many services offered at Noreta, but I am so grateful to build a relationship with a doctor that understands both the fiscal and physical problems of this era.
Mildred Fields
Healthgrades
Dr. Boylan is very professional. She handles everything with care. She explains everything throughly for you to understand. She is patient and really listens to what you need. If anyone is in need of a doctor I highly recommend Dr. Boylan
P. Cobb
Healthgrades
I have been a patient of Dr. Boylan's for more than five years, and she is a great physician. She is very responsive, a great listener, and I feel very confident in trusting my healthcare to her.
Mike Braddock
Healthgrades
Dr. Melissa Boylan is an excellent primary care physician. She listens and is thorough and timely in addressing issues and concerns. As my primary care physician for more than eight years, she has earned and affirmed my confidence, trust, and respect for her as our family's doctor.
In The News
- 11/2022 – Article introducing Walk with a Doc to the Columbia Community
- 10/2022 – Dr. Boylan was featured in CanvasRebel magazine
- 7/2022 – Dr. Boylan was interviewed on the “Voices of Women Physicians” podcast
- 1/2022 – South Carolina Voyager Magazine Features Dr. Boylan and Noreta Family Medicine
- 7/2021 – Noreta’s One Year Anniversary Press Release in MidlandsBiz
- 7/2021 – Dr. Boylan explains how Noreta Family Medicine and Direct Primary Care work on SC Public Radio’s South Carolina Business Review
- 5/2021 – Dr. Boylan’s segment on DPC News’ “DPC in 3” segment
- 4/2021 – Op-Ed “Direct Primary Care is a Solution to the Primary Care Physician Shortage by Melissa Boylan, MD”
- 12/2020 – Article in the Columbia Star about rethinking how primary care is delievered