Profiles in Telehealth: An NP Becomes a More Active Parent Thanks to Telehealth

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.