Today we’d like to introduce you to Katya Tsangarakis.
Hi Katya, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Our story really begins halfway around the world, with a small weekend clinic in India run by my father-in-law. He believed that if you have a skill that can help your community, you have a responsibility to give it back. He offered free care to people who had nowhere else to turn, not because it was profitable, but because it was right. That example stayed with me and my husband.
When I became a nurse practitioner, I carried that value with me through every patient interaction. But I kept running up against the same frustrations: rushed visits, fragmented care, patients who fell through the cracks of a system that prioritizes throughput over people. I knew there had to be a better way.
Community Roots Health is our answer to that. It’s a primary care clinic built around the idea that care should come first, profit second, and community always. We offer primary care, structured weight loss programs, and mental health support, all delivered with the time and attention patients actually deserve. No 8-minute appointments. No feeling like a number.
Going virtual with telehealth appointments and was a deliberate choice. It lets us reach people where they are, remove barriers to access, and spend real time with each patient if they are unable to reach their doctor. Whether someone is managing a chronic condition, working on their weight, or struggling with anxiety or depression, our goal is the same: show up fully, explain clearly, and follow through.
We named it Community Roots Health because roots matter and community. Where you come from shapes what you build. And what we’re building here in Palatka is a practice that honors a legacy of compassion — one patient at a time.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I wouldn’t expect anyone starting a healthcare practice to tell you it has been smooth sailing from the getgo. One of the biggest challenges we faced was getting credentialed and approved with insurance companies. The process is incredibly lengthy, paperwork-heavy, and unforgiving of small errors. Insurance credentialing can take months, and in the meantime you’re building a practice without the ability to serve a large portion of the patients who need you most. It was frustrating, especially when our whole mission is about access to care.
But we pushed through it, and I’m proud to say that today we are approved with Medicare, Medicaid, and a lot of major insurances. There are still some pending but the process will be complete soon. That was a huge milestone for us — because it means we can actually reach the patients who have had the hardest time accessing quality care. That’s exactly who we built the clinic for.
We’ve been impressed with Community Roots Health LLC, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Community Roots Health is a primary care clinic serving patients across Florida. We specialize in three core areas: primary care, structured weight loss, and mental health support. What makes us different is that we don’t treat those things as separate silos. Often, a patient comes in for weight loss and we discover untreated depression. Or someone comes for anxiety and their bloodwork tells a much bigger story. We look at the whole person, every time.
Weight management is something we’re particularly known for. We take a science-based, individualized approach and incorporate the latest medications like GLP-1s where appropriate, alongside nutrition guidance and lifestyle changes. We don’t hand patients a prescription and send them on their way. We walk with them through the process.
On the mental health side, we provide support for anxiety, depression, ADHD, and stress-related conditions. For many of our patients, we are their first stop. Sometimes we are the only provider who has taken the time to really listen.
What sets us apart? Honestly, it’s time and intention. The current healthcare system is built around volume. We built Community Roots Health around the opposite. Our visits are unhurried. We explain things clearly. We follow up. We remember who you are and each patient that walks through our doors.
What I’m most proud of, is that people feel that when they interact with us. The name — Community Roots Health — reflects something real that’s rooted in the community. It’s not a marketing tagline. It’s a promise we made before we ever saw our first patient, rooted in a legacy of care that started long before this clinic existed. And I think patients feel that authenticity from the very first visit with us.
Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
Happiness, for me, comes from a few different places. I feel lucky that they all connect back to the work I do every day.
On the clinical side, nothing compares to watching a patient transform and heal. When someone comes in defeated — maybe they’ve been struggling with their weight for many years, or they’ve been managing anxiety that’s quietly taken over their life. Then a few months later, they walk in lighter and more confident. It makes me happy to see others improve and seem healthier. That’s why I became a nurse practitioner. Every small win a patient has feels like a shared victory, and those moments remind me exactly why we built our clinic.
On the managerial side, I find real joy in seeing my team thrive. When my employees feel supported, valued, and genuinely happy to come to work, it shows in everything that we do: the way they interact with patients, the energy in the clinic, the quality of care we deliver to patients.
And then there’s my son. He’s 18 months old, and honestly, he puts everything into perspective. After a long day of caring for others, coming home to that pure little face who just wants to play. It’s a feeling like no other. He’s a constant reminder of what really matters. There is truly nothing like family.
Pricing:
- Self pay visit prices $110 for new patients
- $85 for follow up patients (self pay)
- $60 for pap smears + any lab fees
- Semaglutide starting at $75/month
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.communityrootshealth.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/communityrootshealthllc/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/communityrootshealthllc/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katya-tsangarakis-singh-aprn-fnp-c-947a74132/
