Primary Care Providers

ERNIE S. COUGLER, FAMILY NURSE PRACTITIONER

ERNIE S. COUGLER, FAMILY NURSE PRACTITIONER

Ernie is a North Country native and graduate of Heuvelton Central School. He originally received his LPN credentials from Northwest Tech in 1981. Two years later Ernie took the next step and became a Registered Nurse after attending the Canton College of Technology. The next stop on his path was Stephen F. Austin University where he received his Bachelor of Science in Nursing in December of 1996. After returning to New York Ernie received his Master's Degree from Upstate Medical Center in 2013. He has held positions during his career at Memorial Hospital Center in Texas, and both Gouverneur Hospital and Claxton Hepburn Medical Center here in the North Country. He is accepting new patients 6 months of age and up and will have extended hours until 8pm, Wednesday - Friday. To schedule an appointment with Ernie please contact our Gouverneur Health Center at (315) 535-1300.

BRITTANY L. TERPSTRA, PA

BRITTANY L. TERPSTRA, PA

Brittany is our newest provider at the Gouverneur health center. She is a North Country native and is very excited to have the opportunity to help expand access to healthcare for residents of Gouverneur and surrounding communities. Brittany graduated from SUNY Potsdam with a Bachelor of Science in Biology with minors in both Chemistry and Health Sciences before receiving her Registered Nursing degree from SUNY Canton. She then went on to get her Masters of Science in Physician Assistant Studies from Daemen College outside of Buffalo. She will be seeing patients of all ages.

Pediatrics

DR. DONALD SCHUESSLER, JR., MD, FAAP

DR. DONALD SCHUESSLER, JR., MD, FAAP

Dr. Schuessler earned his Doctor of Medicine degree at George Washington University School of Medicine & Health Sciences in Washington, D.C., and became Board Certified in 1985 through the American Board of Pediatrics. Appointments to see Dr. Schuessler can be made at our Gouverneur practice located at Gouverneur Hospital by calling (315) 535-1300.

MEGHAN MCGOWAN, PNP

MEGHAN MCGOWAN, PNP

Meghan is our newest member at the Gouverneur health center and a welcome addition to our Pediatric team. She graduated from Holy Cross with a degree in Chemistry and went on to Yale University School of Nursing where she earned her Master of Nursing with a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner specialty. Meghan truly believes in the mission of a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC), and comes to us with previous experience at FQHC's in Connecticut and New York.

Behavioral Health Team

JACKIE NGALAME, DNP, MSN, FNP-C, PMHNP-BC

JACKIE NGALAME, DNP, MSN, FNP-C, PMHNP-BC

Jackie received her Bachelor degree in Nursing from Jacksonville State University in 2011. She went on from there to receive her Master of Science in Nursing in 2015 and her Doctor of Nursing in 2016. Finally, in 2018 she obtained her Post-Master Certification as a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. She is also providing in-person care at our Canton location. Her services are also available at all of our locations on our Telehealth Platform.

Care Coordination Team

Melissa Moore  |  Care Coordinator

Melissa Moore | Care Coordinator

Melissa Bouchey  |  Access & Care Coordinator (Substance Use Disorders)

Melissa Bouchey | Access & Care Coordinator (Substance Use Disorders)

Cynthia Wells  |  Outreach and Enrollment

Cynthia Wells | Outreach and Enrollment

Conveniently located at Gouverneur Hospital

Physical/Mailing Address:
77 West Barney Street,
Gouverneur, NY 13642

Telephone: (315) 287-4440
Fax: (315) 287-1858
Email: chcgouverneur@chcnorthcountry.org

Click here for directions to our Health Center location in Gouverneur.

Monday & Friday: 7 am to 5; Tuesday - Thursday 7am-7 pm

IF YOU HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY OUTSIDE OF OUR NORMAL BUSINESS HOURS, PLEASE CALL 911. IF YOU HAVE A MEDICAL CONCERN THAT IS NOT AN EMERGENCY, AFTER HOURS CARE WITH AN ON-CALL MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL IS AVAILABLE BY CALLING (315) 386-8191 IN CANTON, (315) 287-4440 IN GOUVERNEUR, (315) 713-9350 IN OGDENSBURG, AND (518) 483-0109 IN MALONE.

Brittany Terpstra, PA and Meghan McGowan, PNP Discuss Care During COVID