Sourwood Pediatrics sets up hometown practice

Dr. Nicki Groves strives to fill vital need in the Swannanoa Valley

Fred McCormick
The Valley Echo
February 16, 2026

Dr. Nicki Groves, joined, Feb. 13, by her husband Dr. Mark Kleive and representatives of the Black Mountain Swannanoa Chamber of Commerce, celebrates the ribbon-cutting for Sourwood Pediatrics. Photo by Fred McCormick

For more than half of her 24-year medical career, Dr. Nicki Groves left her house in Black Mountain to practice in surrounding areas of the county, but as she cut a ribbon, Feb. 13, celebrating the launch of Sourwood Pediatrics, the physician is eager to serve families a little closer to home.

Following the soft opening of the Direct Primary Care practice last November, the physician is setting out to fill a vital role in the Swannanoa Valley.

Groves began her career in Minnesota in 2002, before moving to the mountains with husband, local dentist Dr. Mark Kleive, nine years later.

“I fell in love with my pediatric rotation and that wasn’t really something I expected when I went into medical school,” Groves said. “The people who work in pediatrics are my kind of people and working with kids and families is something I really enjoy.”

Working with patients has always been a rewarding experience, she added, but the need for a pediatric clinic capable of serving eastern Buncombe and western McDowell Counties was something she considered often.

“From east Asheville to Marion, and even in Fairview, there are no pediatricians. There are a few family medicine practices, but not that many,” Groves said. “So, everybody has to drive. I’ve always wanted to take care of the kids and families here, because they deserve and need it.”

Accessibility is a key priority for Sourwood Pediatrics, which will operate under a membership model that allows it serve both insured and uninsured clients. The DPC structure, which has increased in availability throughout WNC in the last decade, facilitates a more individualized approach than larger conventional practices, according to the pediatrician.

“This model of care has really established itself in Asheville and surrounding areas in the past several years,” Groves said. “If you do not have employer sponsored healthcare and you’re on the marketplace right now, it’s really expensive. Premium costs have gone up and a lot of people are navigating that right now. DPC gives you a way to have a primary care home.”

Wellspring Direct Primary Care, a lifestyle and family practice launched in 2021 by Dr. Wes Hite, addressed a need within the community, according to Groves, who began to gain a larger sense of the demand for a local pediatrician while volunteering at the Swannanoa Valley Christian Ministry’s NeighborCare clinic after Helene.

Dr. Nicki Groves welcomes visitors, Feb. 13, during an open house for Sourwood Pediatrics, a Black Mountain-based practice she launched last November. Photo by Fred McCormick

“I started thinking about how much I wanted to provide care for the kids in the Valley,” she said. “It occurred to me that starting a practice and using the DPC model might be a great way to do that.”

The membership model also allows Groves, who offers home visits, to spend more time with patients.

“There is a lot of overhead involved in setting up a conventional medical practice where your primary payment source is health insurance,” she said. “There is already a huge administrative lift to that, and the reimbursement structure is based on 15-minute visits, where you see 20-30 patients each day.”

Sourwood Pediatrics focuses on building a strong relationship between the physician and families, Groves added. One of the goals of the practice is to help members became more informed healthcare consumers.

“This model allows for longer visits and easier access. You can text us directly without going through a nurse triage line,” she said. “Also, for kids, I felt like home visits were more appropriate. If you have a child who is sick, they can stay in their pajamas, I can come see them, and then they can right back in bed.”

For those unable to accommodate home visits, Groves will take appointments in the lobby of Dr. Kleive’s office, Renewing Smiles, which hosted members and representatives from the Black Mountain Swannanoa Chamber of Commerce for the the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

“I am very much looking forward to building my patient panel here in the Swannanoa Valley to the point where I can get back to spending my days taking care of people,” Groves said. “We love this community, and we raised our children here, so it’s really exciting to have the opportunity to do this here.”