Our Providers
Randall Rodgers, DO
Dr. Rodgers, a Naval Veteran, is a 1981 graduate of the Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine. He has been in private practice since 1982, after completing post-graduate studies at Stephens Park Osteopathic Hospital in Dallas, Texas. Dr. Rodgers is a Board Certified family physician, a Certified Medical Review Officer and Certified by the American Board of Interventional Pain Physicians in Controlled Substance Management.
He has treated and helped thousands of patients with chronic pain and routinely is called upon to co-treat difficult pain cases with other physicians. Dr. Rodgers' treatment goal is to increase your function by providing responsible, evidence based medical care. He believes that each patient and pain condition is unique and in order to optimize function, therapy and treatment must be tailored appropriately for each patient.
Chelsie Flores, DC
Dr. Flores graduated Magna Cum Laude from Parker College of Chiropractic in Dallas with a Bachelor of Science Anatomy degree, Bachelor of Science Health and Wellness degree, and a Doctorate of Chiropractic in September of 2009.
Upon moving back to Tyler she established a private practice before joining the Care First team. Dr. Flores is the director of the physical medicine Department and continues to promote healthy lifestyles through collaboration with pain management and behavioral health.
She is an adjunct professor at Tyler Junior College, teaching future health care professionals Anatomy and Physiology. She and husband Leo were married in November 2010, are members of Friendly Baptist Church, and love spending time with their daughter, friends and family.
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Amy Souter, FNP
Amy Souter is a 2011 graduate of Texas Tech University Health Science Center with a Master’s of Science in nursing- Nurse Practitioner. Amy started her career in nursing in 2004 after graduating from Kilgore College with an associate’s degree in Nursing.
Amy began working at Trinity Mother Frances Hospital in the critical care units. In 2005 she graduated Summa Cum Laude with her bachelor’s degree in nursing from Texas Tech University Health Science Center. She continued to work in critical care at Trinity Mother Frances in Tyler until she finished her graduate program in 2011. She then worked in primary care and women's health until starting at Care First in 2012 treating chronic pain patients.
Amy is an east Texas native and grew up in Troup, Texas. She attends Bar None Cowboy Church. She enjoys spending time with her children, family, and friends.
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Robert Fenton RN, MSN, FNP-C
Robert is a Board Certified Family Nurse Practitioner with 11 years experience in the medical field. He spent 9 years as a Registered Nurse with experience in the post medical surgical area and 7 years specifically working in the recovery room and acute pain management. In 2015 he obtained his Masters Degree from the University of Texas in Tyler.
He is the father of six children with his wife of 26 years and has is a life long resident of East Texas with the last 28 years being in Lindale. He is actively involved with his family and local church. He believes that each patient should be treated the same as he would want himself or his family to be treated. My faith was and is the motivating factor for my involvement in healthcare.
"People need healthcare they can trust and depend on in their time of need and difficulty. Robert is glad to be a part of the Care First team and am looking forward to serving our patients, friends and neighbors."
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Michael Driggs, LPC
Michael Driggs graduated from The University of Texas at Tyler in 1990 with a masters in professional counseling. He is licensed in the state of Texas as a Licensed Professional Counselor and a Licensed Psychological Associate. Michael has comprehensive experience in mental health. He has worked in private practice, community mental health, a private psychiatric hospital, a private prison, a university research hospital, employee assistance, a substance abuse ranch, and multiple medical practices. Michael has approximately nine years of professional experience in pain management.
Michael possesses a unique perspective of pain management. He has lived a very active lifestyle, while conservatively managing his own pain, for more than 40 years. He is passionate about sharing his personal and professional experience and with CareFirst patients.
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Letter to patients - Opioids
Chronic Opioid therapy- A Misunderstood Class of Drugs
First and foremost, it's important to recognize that opioids are neither "good" or "bad." They, like all drugs, are tools. And tools are just that: things we use to perform certain tasks. In this case, opioids can be used carefully, to reduce pain and improve life, or carelessly, to destroy health and ruin life.
It's up to both the doctor and the patient to control how these extremely powerful chemical tools are prescribed and implemented to help manage chronic pain. Tools only do what we tell them to do. Nothing more, nothing less. So...the thing to remember is that if you have chronic pain that's so intense it's adversely affecting your life, and your pain management physician suggests that you try a certain drug or drugs in combination, and one (or more) of these pharmaceuticals are opioids, don't rule them out simply because of fear or suspicion that you'll become, an “addict."
Which brings us to our next important issue, and that's the difference between an "addict" and somebody who may be dependent on opioid therapy or other narcotic pain medications in order to enjoy their life pursuit.
Addiction is marked by a continuous uncontrollable craving which results in compulsive opioid use. Patients are unable to take opioids as prescribed, continue to use despite doing harm to their (or other's) quality of life. It's a dangerous decision to carelessly use intoxicating drugs not for their pain relieving properties, but for an altering effect. Addicts seek drugs to alter their mood. They seek their psychiatric effects not their therapeutic properties. Addiction is a disorder and affects different parts of the brain than physical dependence.
Dependence on an opioid in order to live your life more normally with reduced pain is no different than the diabetic who must take daily insulin to keep blood sugar under control. Would you regard such a person as an addict? We sure wouldn't. If you have severe pain because of an injury or illness, and your physician believes that your life would improve under careful administration of opioid-type medication, you're being treated for an ailment, not seeking amusement or mood alteration. Patients receiving such drugs are taking them for their therapeutic properties not for their psychiatric effects.
That said, never alter the way you take such drugs beyond the directions given to you by your physician. Never take a pill "early" or "double up" because you're feeling bad that day, or take more than you've been prescribed. Because they can make you feel much better it's easy to take opioids lightly. Don't make this awful mistake.
Opioids are powerful drugs that must be taken exactly as directed, with no allowance for the patient to "cheat." Not even a little bit. Unless the prescribing doctor says it's allowed to add a pill, or take two, you should never do it. When taken as directed, opioids can provide profoundly life-improving relief from chronic pain. When used otherwise, you've taken your first step on a very slippery slope. Carefully follow what the doctor tells you to do and you'll be glad you did. Your pain should improve, and you'll have used a powerful medical tool with full and complete control.
At CareFirst we understand pain is a personal and private experience. I have personally taken an interest in chronic pain patients and have extensive post doctorate training managing this difficult and most often misunderstood patient population. If you think you may need opioid management for chronic pain, you may have your doctor refer you for a consultation.
In better health,
Randall W. Rodgers, D.O.
Certified-American Board of Interventional Pain Physicians
Controlled Substance Management
Certified Medical Review Officer