John R. Garner, PA-C

"As a physician assistant, I am part of a team of medical professionals. The highest priority for all of us is the health and well-being of the patients we serve."

John Garner, a certified physician assistant specializing in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of acute and chronic illness, came to Beaufort Memorial Lady's Island Internal Medicine in 2014. Mr. Garner includes among his professional interests diabetes and geriatric care.

Areas of Expertise

• Diabetes – A chronic condition characterized by abnormally high levels of glucose, or sugar, in the blood that affects how the body turns food into energy and can cause damage to the heart, nerves, kidneys or eyes.
• Geriatric Medicine – A medical specialty focused on providing care for the unique health needs of older adults.
• Hypertension – Elevated blood pressure that can cause the heart to work overtime and pump harder, possibly leading to heart attack, stroke, heart failure or kidney failure.
• Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) – A group of inflammatory lung conditions, emphysema and chronic bronchitis among them, that block airflow and make it hard to breathe.
• Cancer Screening – A test that looks for early signs of cancer in people without symptoms.

Video Visits

Dr. Garner offers virtual urgent care visits as well as scheduled video visits for patients needing medication checks, standard chronic illness management, sick visits and follow-up care for certain conditions. If interested, ask about the option when scheduling.

Background

Before joining the Beaufort Memorial Physician Partners primary care practice, he had served at Sea Island Medical Practice since his retirement from the U.S. Navy in 2005. He began his career as a physician assistant in 1995 at the Naval Hospital in Okinawa. In 2003, he was transferred to Naval Hospital Beaufort. Prior to becoming a physician assistant, Mr. Garner was a Navy hospital corpsman for 20 years. From 1986 to 1992, he served as the lone medical provider for a crew of 130 on a fast-track submarine.

Mr. Garner and his wife, Emiko, have three children. In his leisure time, he enjoys fishing and gemstone and geology field work.

Awards and Honors

• Nuclear Submarine Medical Technician, Naval Undersea Medical Institute, New London, Conn.