Overview

Northern Pines Health Center is a private family practice office and clinical research center conducting trials since 2006. Located in Buckley, Mich., Northern Pines draws patients from all of northwest Michigan including Grand Traverse, Wexford, Benzie and Manistee counties.

Research Experience

Northern Pines has conducted phase 1 to 4 clinical trials in the following therapeutic areas:

• Type II diabetes mellitus
• Cardiovascular disease 
• Cardiovascular outcomes
• Dyslipidemia
• Anemia
• Acne
• Asthma
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
• Acute otitis media
• Back pain
• Irritable bowel syndrome
• Chronic constipation
• Renal insufficiency
• Acute coronary syndrome

During our years of conducting clinical trials, we have worked with multiple sponsors, CROs and various vendors including:

• Novo Nordisk
• AstraZeneca
• KOWA Pharmaceuticals
• Theravance Pharmaceuticals
• Esperion Pharmaceuticals
• Sanofi
• Salvat Laboratories
• Meda Pharmaceuticals
• GlaxoSmithKline
• Takeda Pharmaceuticals International
• ICON Clinical Research
• INC Research
• Quintiles Pharmaceutical
• PPD
• Parexel International
• Furiex Pharmaceuticals
• Pearl Pharmaceuticals
• Mylan Pharmaceuticals
• Ardelyx
• Allergan
• Chiltern
• Schulman IRB
• Sterling IRB
• Copernicus Group IRB
• Quorum Review IRB
• InForm EDC
• iMedidata EDC
• RAVE EDCOracle EDC

Treatment Areas

• Cardiology/vascular diseases
• Dermatology
• Endocrinology
• Family medicine
• Gastroenterology
• Immunology
• Infections and infectious diseases
• Musculoskeletal
• Nephrology

• Neurology
• Otolaryngology (ear, nose, throat)
• Pediatrics/neonatology
• Psychiatry/psychology
• Pulmonary/respiratory diseases
• Rheumatology
• Urology

Facility Description

Northern Pines Health Center offers a spacious practice setting built by Dr. Mitzie Hewitt in 2004. The Research Division conducts phase 2 to 4 outpatient clinical trials. Presently we have three dedicated research rooms, a dedicated monitoring space and a laboratory for in-office processing and testing.

On-site services

• Phlebotomy lab
• Physical therapy
• PhD psychologist
• Ultrasonography
• Comfortable monitoring workspace
• Long-term storage and onsite archiving

On-site Procedures

• Minor office procedures
• Endometrial biopsy
• Joint injections
• Skin lesion removal and biopsy

On-site equipment

• EKG machine
• Audiometer
• Spirometer
• Centrifuge
• Pulse oximetry
• Refrigerators
• Freezers (-20°)
• Dry ice
• Double-lock, climate-controlled drug storage
• Wireless internet
• Multi-line telephone
• Continuous TRD (ambient, refrigerated and freezer)
• Fax

Investigator Experience

Mitzie Hewitt, DO, CPI
Principal Investigator
Owner and Medical Director

Dr. Hewitt is board certified in family practice. She has been practicing medicine in the greater Traverse City area since 1999. In 2010, Dr. Hewitt was certified by the Association of Clinical Research Professionals as a certified principal investigator. In her determination to stay on the cutting edge of research, she attends the annual conference held by the Association of Clinical Research Professionals, along with other continuing educational opportunities.

Staff Expertise

Dr. Hewitt employs one sub-investigator and three full-time study coordinators.

Heidi Fite, MPA, PA-C, RD

Ms. Fite has been working with Dr. Hewitt in family practice, as well as in clinical trials since 2015. Heidi has previously worked in both cardiology and internal medicine practices. She has a background as a registered dietitian starting in 2001 and continuing until she transitioned to her physician-assistant career.

Karla Blackmer, CCRC
Research Site Director

Ms. Blackmer has been working with Dr. Hewitt and in clinical trials since 2006. In 2010, she was certified by the Association of Clinical Research Professionals as a certified clinical research coordinator. To stay up to date on industry trends she attends the annual conference held by the Association of Clinical Research Professionals, along with other continuing education opportunities. As the research site director, she specializes in overall study management, study start-up and regulatory document processing.

Lydia Baker, CCRC

Ms. Baker has been working with Dr. Hewitt in clinical trials since 2014. In 2019, Lydia was certified by the Association of Clinical Research Professionals as a certified clinical research coordinator. Lydia specializes in respiratory indications and works diligently to maintain our high subject-retention standards.

Mariah Christy, CRC

Ms. Christy has been working with Dr. Hewitt in clinical trials since 2017. She has been working with our obesity and dyslipidemia patients. She plans to sit for the CCRC exam in 2021.

Patient Demographics

Northern Pines Health Center has a patient population of more than 3,500 patients who reside in several surrounding communities. In addition to the practice’s own current population, the surrounding area is home to roughly 200,000 residents.

• Female: 51 percent
• Over age 18: 79 percent
• Over age 65: 15 percent
• Caucasian: 95 percent
• Hispanic or Latino: 2.5 percent

Figures are according to 2015 U.S. Census Bureau. http://quickfacts.census.gov

Other Information

Northern Pines Health Center uses a central IRB. Our contract, budget and regulatory document completion and return time is typically less than 10 business days.