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IHSAA Sports Physicals Are Now Valid for 2026–27 — Walk In Today

By Dr. Lisa Clay | 04/02/2026
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IHSAA Sports Physicals Now Valid for 2026–27 | Walk-In | Monarch Medicine Carmel Home › Blog › IHSAA Sports Physicals Now Valid for 2026–27 Sports Physicals April 1st has passed. Here’s what student-athletes in Carmel, Westfield, Noblesville, and Fishers need to know before fall tryouts. Written by Dr. Lisa Clay, MD, FAAFP Founder & Medical…

Trusted Primary Care in Carmel, IN | Now Accepting New PatientsWhen to Bring Your Child to Urgent Care for a Cold or Flu — A Parent’s Guide

By Dr. Lisa Clay | 03/28/2026
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When to Bring Your Child to Urgent Care for a Cold or Flu | Monarch Medicine Dr. Lisa Clay, MD, FAAFP Founder & Medical Director, Monarch Medicine Urgent Care Board-Certified Family Physician · Carmel, Indiana Kids get sick. A lot. The average child gets 6–8 colds per year, and during flu season, that number can…

Why MinuteClinic Referred You to Urgent Care — And What to Do Next

By Dr. Lisa Clay | 03/28/2026
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Why MinuteClinic Referred You to Urgent Care — And What to Do Next | Monarch Medicine Dr. Lisa Clay, MD, FAAFP Founder & Medical Director, Monarch Medicine Urgent Care Board-Certified Family Physician · Carmel, Indiana If you’re reading this, you probably just left a MinuteClinic visit frustrated. You waited, got checked in, and then the…

Community Clinic at Walgreens vs. Urgent Care in Carmel — What’s the Difference?

By Dr. Lisa Clay | 03/28/2026
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Community Clinic at Walgreens vs Urgent Care in Carmel, IN | Monarch Medicine Dr. Lisa Clay, MD, FAAFP Founder & Medical Director, Monarch Medicine Urgent Care Board-Certified Family Physician · Carmel, Indiana If you’ve driven past the Walgreens at 1424 S. Range Line Road in Carmel and noticed they have a walk-in clinic, you might…

What Can Urgent Care Do That a Retail Clinic Can’t?

By Dr. Lisa Clay | 03/28/2026
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What Can Urgent Care Do That a Retail Clinic Can’t? | Monarch Medicine Carmel Dr. Lisa Clay, MD, FAAFP Founder & Medical Director, Monarch Medicine Urgent Care Board-Certified Family Physician · Carmel, Indiana Retail clinics — the walk-in counters inside CVS, Walgreens, and Kroger — are convenient for simple needs. But the gap between what…

Can Urgent Care Do Stitches? Yes — Here’s What to Know Before You Go to the ER

By Dr. Lisa Clay | 03/28/2026
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Can Urgent Care Do Stitches? Yes — Skip the ER | Monarch Medicine Carmel Dr. Lisa Clay, MD, FAAFP Founder & Medical Director, Monarch Medicine Urgent Care Board-Certified Family Physician · Carmel, Indiana The short answer is yes — urgent care can do stitches. But not all urgent cares, and not all retail clinics. If…

Pediatric Urgent Care: A Parent’s Guide to When Your Child Needs to Be Seen

By Dr. Lisa Clay | 03/26/2026
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Pediatric Urgent Care: When to Bring Your Child In vs. Wait | Monarch Medicine Dr. Lisa Clay, MD, FAAFP Founder & Medical Director, Monarch Medicine Urgent Care Board-Certified Family Physician · Carmel, Indiana Every parent knows the feeling — your child wakes up at night with a fever, a rash appears out of nowhere, or…

Why Physician-Led Urgent Care Matters — And When the Difference Between MD and NP Changes Your Outcome

By Dr. Lisa Clay | 03/26/2026
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Why Physician-Led Urgent Care Matters — MD vs NP Explained | Monarch Medicine Dr. Lisa Clay, MD, FAAFP Founder & Medical Director, Monarch Medicine Urgent Care Board-Certified Family Physician · Carmel, Indiana Most patients don’t ask who’s going to see them at urgent care. They walk in assuming they’ll see a doctor. At many clinics…

When Does a Cut Need Stitches? A Wound Care Guide from a Physician

By Dr. Lisa Clay | 03/26/2026
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When Does a Cut Need Stitches? A Wound Care Guide | Monarch Medicine Carmel Dr. Lisa Clay, MD, FAAFP Founder & Medical Director, Monarch Medicine Urgent Care Board-Certified Family Physician · Carmel, Indiana You’re bleeding. You’ve got a kitchen knife cut, a fall on concrete, a broken glass injury, or your child split their chin…

Adult Ear Pain: It’s Not Always an Ear Infection — Here’s What Else It Could Be

By Dr. Lisa Clay | 03/26/2026
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Adult Ear Pain: Common Causes & When to See a Doctor | Monarch Medicine Carmel Dr. Lisa Clay, MD, FAAFP Founder & Medical Director, Monarch Medicine Urgent Care Board-Certified Family Physician · Carmel, Indiana When adults come in with ear pain, the assumption is usually “ear infection.” But in adults, ear pain (otalgia) has a…