Dr. Lela Dougherty originally grew up in Massachusetts while her father was in the Navy. She later moved to West Virginia. During her time in the state, she went on to study biology at Fairmont State College, as well as receive her MD at Marshall University in Huntington, WV.

She later moved to Pittsburgh to complete her training at UPMC St. Margaret Hospital. Following that, she went on to practice medicine at a large health system in Pittsburgh for 9 years. Increasingly frustrated with the lack of transparency and the short time available to spend with patients, she left to open a DPC.

In addition to working in a DPC practice, Dr. Dougherty started studying Lifestyle Medicine in September of 2018. This line of study emphasizes intensive lifestyle change over medications for certain diseases. She supports the benefits of a whole food, plant-based diet, as well as regular physical activity. Patients who meet with Dr. Dougherty are invited to discuss their care in regards to Lifestyle Medicine. You can also visit her Lifestyle Medicine site and blog here.

Dr. Dougherty now lives in Hampton with her husband, Joe, and two young sons.

Practice Style

Dr. Dougherty operates on the philosophy that each patient is in the driver's seat. It is her job to help guide her patients through life's ups and downs - be that in their health, circumstances or emotions. She focuses primarily on nutrition and exercise to both prevent and treat disease but utilizes medication as necessary to combat illness as appropriate.

"First and foremost I want my patients to know that they are the ones in control of their health. My job is to empower and guide them through the decisions and challenges they may encounter and be their cheerleader the entire way.

Areas of Interest

Dr. Dougherty's main areas of interest are in Lifestyle Medicine and the care and treatment of the whole person and family. From newborns to adults, she offers full primary care services as well as consultation services for patients who wish to see her Lifestyle Medicine only.

Office Hours

Dr. Dougherty is typically in the office on Mondays and Thursdays as well as some Tuesdays. Special arrangements can be made by existing patients to be seen outside of these hours. Please note that at this time Dr. Dougherty's panel is full to patients with Medicare or Medicaid coverage.