Profiles in Telehealth: An NP Becomes a More Active Parent Thanks to Telehealth
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We interviewed Nurse Practitioner Lauren to learn about her journey to telemedicine and why she decided to stick with it.
What’s your background? What did you do before practicing telemedicine?
I'm a family nurse practitioner. I've been a registered nurse since 2010 and a nurse practitioner since 2014. I went to the University of Vermont for undergrad and UCLA for graduate school (total opposites in every sense) and loved both! As an RN, I worked in general medicine and floated to various general medicine/surgical units. As an NP, I’ve worked in women's health, family practice, forensics, and telehealth.
What’s your life like outside of work?
My husband Jonny and I live in Boston with our two boys, Sammy (4) and James (2), and the best dog ever, Domino. I like to cook, take my kids on scooter adventures throughout Boston, and spend time with my husband and dog. Before the COVID pandemic, I enjoyed road trips with my family and trying new restaurants with my girlfriends. Exercising, yoga and running especially, is my way of de-stressing.
What brought you to telemedicine?
I started working in telemedicine in February 2018 when I was 5 months pregnant with my second child. My husband and I decided to move our family from California to Massachusetts to be closer to our families. Originally, my telehealth job was a second job that allowed me to make a transition in location. It ended up being a job that allowed me to not only move but also provide for my growing family while giving me the flexibility to be more active in my children's lives. I learned about independent practice, multi-state licensing, cross-team collaboration, medicine as a business, insurance, and accessibility of healthcare through telemedicine.
What’s your recent Wheel Moment of Freedom?
Wheel has been such a breath of fresh air. The contracts that I have through Wheel provide me with autonomy in my everyday life, especially during this pandemic. I am able to be an active parent, support my husband as a teacher, and make time for myself, all while working remotely from home. Wheel provides me with the security of knowing that the companies I am affiliated with are well-established and properly vetted.
What do you think the future of healthcare holds?
Having worked in telehealth for a couple of years, I have been able to see that it really is the future of healthcare. I am excited for telehealth to create more accessible and affordable avenues of care.
I hope to see women's healthcare and contraceptive management become more accessible to women in all areas of the country.
I would also love to see stigmas surrounding mental health dissolve, allowing individuals to seek treatment and resources.
Thanks, Lauren, for being an essential member of the #WheelCareTeam!
Interested in joining us? Sign up to learn more about working in telehealth with Wheel. We need clinicians more than ever during the COVID-19 national crisis.
Learn more about provider experiences in our previous spotlight interviews with a nurse practitioner who thinks telehealth can improve women's health access, a nurse practitioner who took the leap into telemedicine full-time, and a nurse practitioner who believes virtual care improves access.