Meet Your Healthcare Professionals
Meet the dedicated team at Hitchcock Family Medicine, where experienced family physicians, compassionate nurses, a skilled physical therapist, and knowledgeable pharmacists come together to provide comprehensive healthcare. Our collaborative approach ensures every aspect of your health is cared for, delivering personalized and effective treatment for all patients.
Words from Our Founder
Hitchcock Family Medicine was founded as a Direct Primary Care practice to reclaim the heart of medicine: spending quality time with patients, free from the burdens of excessive paperwork and red-tape. Frustrated with the constraints of traditional healthcare systems and determined not to wait for external reforms, I chose to lead the change myself, practicing medicine as it was meant to be – focused, patient-centered, and deeply fulfilling.
Meet Our Team
Dr. Matthew Hitchcock grew up in Dunlap, TN. After graduating from The McCallie school, he
completed his undergraduate degree in microbiology at Clemson University. Dr. Hitchcock then
attended Medical School at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis.
Following medical school, he commissioned as an active-duty officer in the United States Navy
and completed his residency in family medicine at The Naval Hospital Camp Pendleton near San
Diego, CA.
After completing his residency, Dr. Hitchcock deployed twice on humanitarian missions to the
South Pacific, received the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal for his extraordinary
service while deployed, served as a faculty physician for the family medicine residency program
at the Naval Hospital Camp Pendleton, and served as the hospital's Chief Medical Informatics
Officer.
Dr. Hitchcock and his wife Kathleen have four energetic children. In his free time, Dr. Hitchcock
enjoys cooking, traveling, camping, and hiking. He can often be found playing lacrosse or video
games with his kids, reading a good book, or attending a Broadway show with his wife.
Dr. Hitchcock graduated from:
The McCallie School (Chattanooga, TN)
Clemson University (Clemson, SC)
The University of Tennessee College of Medicine (Memphis, TN)
He is board-certified in family medicine.
Dr. Ashley Sanders was born in Huntsville, AL, and grew up near the sunny beaches of St. Petersburg, FL. She attended the University of Florida in Gainesville where she earned her undergraduate degree and then moved on to medical school at the University of South Alabama in Mobile.
Upon graduating from medical school, she transitioned to active duty as a Lieutenant in the Navy.
Dr. Sanders completed her internal medicine residency at the Naval Medical Center San Diego in California and was selected for a six-week humanitarian mission aboard the USNS Mercy during her time there. She was then stationed at the Naval Hospital Guam where she worked as a staff physician and served as the clinical director for aeromedical evacuations.
Her last tour of duty was at the Naval Hospital Jacksonville where she supervised family medicine residents and chaired the hospital Infection Control Committee.
Dr. Sanders is a board-certified internal medicine physician and has made Chattanooga her home after completing her military service. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling, discovering new restaurants and watching college football.
Dr. Neil Patel is a native of Chattanooga, Tennessee. He graduated from The McCallie School in 2001 and then traveled north to Boston, Massachusetts. While there, he was part of the men’s soccer team and completed a Bachelors of Engineering in Biomedical Engineering. He was happy to return to the south and attended medical school and residency in Memphis at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center. Dr. Patel finished his formal training at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland where he completed an advanced fellowship in Body Imaging. Dr. Patel has been working full time in the North Georgia region and is excited to be the Director of Imaging at Hitchcock Direct Imaging.
In his free time, Dr. Patel enjoys spending time with his wife (Jennifer) and his four young children. You can usually catch him on the sports field either coaching or being a supportive parent from the stands. He also enjoys summer days on the lake and a good round of golf.
“I hope this new endeavor will allow greater access to fundamental imaging for the greater Chattanooga community while at the same time maintaining a high quality patient experience. Timely, efficacious, and meaningful care remain of the utmost importance as we transition to this new healthcare model.”
Dr. Todd N. Torbett is a southeast Tennessee native, born in Cleveland, TN. He graduated from the University of Tennessee Chattanooga and Lincoln Memorial University DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine. He completed his residency in internal medicine at LewisGale Hospital Montgomery in Blacksburg, VA.
After completing his residency, Dr. Torbett decided to return to the southeast Tennessee area to practice medicine and serve the primary care needs there. He and his wife Stacey have one daughter with a ton of personality. His faith and family are extremely important to him, and he enjoys traveling, music, movies, kayaking, cooking, and wearing orange and loudly singing “Rocky Top” at Neyland Stadium on Saturdays in the fall.
Dr. Torbett is accepting new adult patients.
Dr. Michael D. Shepherd grew up throughout the US, including Collegedale, TN. His favorite childhood place to call home was in Kentucky with green pastures and white fences. Most of his life was spent in California, from grade school to college.
He attended medical school at Loma Linda University in California, after which, he was accepted to the Family Practice Residency in Hinsdale, Illinois and learned how to live in some “real” weather! He served his Federal grant payback in a very small northern California town where he was the only doctor. While there, he was in charge of a tiny hospital and ER. He then started and ran two different private practices in central and northern California. He even obtained his own green pastures, horses, and white fences!
Prior to joining Hitchcock Family Medicine, Dr. Shepherd spent 8 years as a faculty member at the Chattanooga Family Medicine Residency program, training the next generation of doctors. His specialty there was teaching procedures and small surgery.
Dr. Shepherd and his wife Lyn raised 2 wonderful children, who both live in the Chattanooga area and now have families of their own. When Dr. Shepherd is not enjoying his wood-working hobby, his 4 grandkids keep him busy and feeling so blessed.
Dr. Shepherd is accepting new patients of all ages, (but admits kids are his favorites)!
Ali is a dedicated Registered Nurse originally from Crossville, TN. She attended Carson-Newman University, where she played four years of college tennis while earning her Bachelor of Science in Nursing. With more than four years of nursing experience, Ali is passionate about providing excellent patient care and making a positive impact on those she serves. In her free time, Ali enjoys being active in her church, playing pickleball with her husband, spending time with her family, and cheering on the Tennessee Vols.
Originally from North Georgia and now rooted in Chattanooga, Miranda has dedicated her career to healthcare excellence. She graduated from nursing school at Chattanooga State and earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Dalton State. Miranda furthered her commitment to patient-centered healthcare by completing a Master of Business from Kennesaw State University. Driven by a passion for improving healthcare delivery, Miranda joined Hitchcock Family Medicine with the goal of cultivating enduring patient relationships. With a strong foundation in nursing principles, a strategic business mindset, and a sincere dedication to patients and healthcare, Miranda actively collaborates with our doctors to prioritize medical decision-making for the betterment of our patients. Outside of work, Miranda enjoys traveling and spending quality time with her family and two dogs. She finds joy in reading good books and experimenting with different recipes in the kitchen.
Born and raised in Chattanooga, TN, Justice Fearn has been dedicated to the healthcare field for over 6 years. After graduating from Central High School, she completed her clinical medical assistant program with the National Health Association. Currently, Justice is pursuing further education at Chattanooga State to become a registered nurse, deepening her commitment to healthcare. Joining Hitchcock Family Medicine in June 2023, Justice brings her passion for helping others to our office, ensuring compassionate care for all patients. With a solid foundation in clinical medical assisting, Justice has honed her skills in patient care and administrative support over the years. Her dedication to excellence and patient satisfaction is evident in her daily interactions. Outside of work, Justice is a proud mother to a daughter full of energy and creativity. They both share a love for adventure and spending time outdoors. In her spare time, Justice enjoys exploring aesthetics, writing, reading, singing, and experimenting with new recipes in the kitchen.
Sara Hampton was raised in Warner Robins, GA. She attended Central Georgia Technical College where she obtained her degree in Radiologic Technology in 2016. After completing her degree, she moved in Chattanooga and began her studies to become certified in Computed Tomography. She obtained her CT certificate in 2017 from Chattanooga State Community College. Since then, Sara has gained experience in both outpatient and hospital based imaging services and is committed to bringing high quality imaging and excellent patient care to Hitchcock Direct Imaging.
In her free time, Sara enjoys spending time with her husband and son, trying new recipes, live music, reading, and hiking to waterfalls.
Kalyn Lattimer, grew up in Simi Valley, California. After graduating from West Coast Ultrasound Institute in 2019, she moved to Chattanooga, Tennessee with her daughter. Serving her patients, her church, her family, and her community makes up most of her time, but she enjoys hiking, traveling and spending time on the lake as well. Kalyn has experience scanning in an out patient setting, performing biopsies, as well as other procedures, and enjoys serving patients ranging from gestational age to geriatric!
Dr. Robby Eskridge grew up in Alpharetta, Ga, which is also where he started his pharmacy career working as a shift supervisor and pharmacy tech while in high school. He went on to attend the University of Georgia for his undergraduate degree and obtained his doctorate of pharmacy in Savannah, Ga where he lived until moving to Chattanooga in 2016.
Since graduating from pharmacy school, he has worked in a variety of pharmacy fields from retail pharmacy manager to long term care clinical consultant and more.
In his spare time Robby likes to cook, travel, enjoy live music, play with his dogs, and work on his camper van rental business, Nomad Be Happy.
Kathleen Hitchcock was raised in the southeast (FL, GA, NC, and SC). She attended Clemson
University where she completed her undergraduate degree in Animal and Veterinary Sciences.
After working in research for a few years, she returned to the classroom to study nursing. She
graduated with her BSN from the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis,
TN. For the next several years she enjoyed working as a nurse in Labor and Delivery and being a
supportive Navy wife.
After her husband (Dr. Hitchcock) transitioned out of the Navy, they moved back to
Chattanooga and started Hitchcock Family Medicine. She has gradually stepped back from
nursing duties and into the role of Practice Manager as the medical practice has grown.
In her free time, Kathleen enjoys reading, listening to music, crocheting, traveling, baking,
spending time with her family, and supporting her husband and their four children in their
many ambitious endeavors.
Why Choose Hitchcock Family Medicine?
Affordable, personalized care with no insurance hassles, same-day appointments, and a focus on building lasting patient-doctor relationships.
FRIENDLY
SKILLED
HELPFUL
EMPATHETIC
PROFESSIONAL
Benefits of HFM Membership + DPC Services
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Office Visits: Unlimited, extended and unhurried visits with minimal to no waiting. Appointments are usually between 30 and 60 minutes to ensure all of your health concerns are fully addressed.
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Office Tests: Bedside testing such as EKG, or rapid tests for covid, flu, or urinary tract infection included at no additional charge.
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Office Procedures: Skin biopsies, mole removals, Pap smears, laceration repairs, and ingrown toenail removals are all included, though there may be an additional fee for any send-off pathology.
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Outside Testing: Outside lab testing and pathology at greatly reduced prices.
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Wholesale Medications: We have many common medications available at wholesale pricing at our in-office pharmacy. Imagine the convenience of walking away from your doctor visit with medications in hand.
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Radiology Services: Access to discounted pricing at our in-house imaging center that has x-ray, CT, and ultrasound capabilities.
