Profiles in Telehealth: An NP Finds that Virtual Care Leads to Quality Patient Time

We interviewed Nurse Practitioner, Krista A., to learn how telemedicine enables her to better connect with patients and provide high-quality care.

What’s your background? What did you do before practicing telemedicine?

I was a senior in high school when I decided that I wanted to be a registered nurse. After working in a local hospital for two years, I knew I wanted to do more and understand more about medicine. I always found myself reading the providers' progress notes in patients' charts and wanting to know how they came up with treatments and diagnoses. So, I went back to school to get my Masters in Nursing. I have been practicing as a board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner since 2008. I started working in a family practice where I treated patients of all ages, then I worked in retail health clinics, and finally found my niche in geriatric medicine providing house calls. I have been performing house calls for eight years now and love every aspect of my job. Seeing patients in their home environment and seeing their living conditions gives me information a provider in an office setting wouldn’t have access to. That gives you a whole different side of a patient.

What’s your life like outside of work?

I live in upstate New York, in the beautiful Hudson Valley. It's about an hour north of New York City. I love the peace and quiet up here, and it’s close enough to the hustle and bustle of the city. I will be married for 10 years this July and have three beautiful daughters, ages 8, 5, and 2. I have a Havanese dog who fits in perfectly with my family. I love family time, being outside, sports, the beach, hiking, dancing, and laughing. I also love traveling - Disney is a favorite spot for the family along with any place that has a beach or pool. I enjoy working out and spending more time with my loved ones, which Wheel has made possible for me.

What brought you to telemedicine?

This past year I decided I needed more work-life balance, more time being "present" at home. I decided to go part-time in the field while also entering, telemedicine. I loved the idea of being able to work from home while providing essential care to patients through a telemedicine platform. Things just happened to fall into place when I received a call from Wheel's Lead Recruiter, Ladan. She knew exactly what I was looking for and where I would be successful. Here I am at Wheel since December 2019 and loving every minute of my new journey!

What’s your recent Wheel Moment of Freedom?

I found my Wheel Moment of Freedom during this COVID-19 pandemic. I realized this was part of my calling. Wheel's telemedicine platform opportunities allowed me the flexibility I needed with my husband working from home and having all my kids home at the same time. I am able to provide for patients and help with the COVID-19 pandemic. I was able to work around my family's hectic schedule of homeschooling, naps, virtual dance classes, and mommy time. It is truly a blessing.

What do you think the future of healthcare holds?

Around the fall of 2019 I had a conversation with my husband about how I thought telemedicine was the future. About a month after our conversation, I received a call from Wheel to join the team. During this pandemic, telemedicine has become the go-to mode of delivering healthcare.

There are endless possibilities for providers. I feel a patient-provider relationship can be forged through telemedicine, which is an important component of good patient care. Telemedicine allows me to spend the time I need with patients.

Above all, it enables me to listen to patients' needs, discuss symptoms, and educate on the proper treatment, all without anyone leaving their home. Telemedicine is consistent in providing me with enough time to fully tend to a patient and is easily accessible for those who just can't get into a provider's office.

Thanks, Krista, 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 homeschooling while caring for patients, a nurse practitioner providing care during COVID19, and a nurse practitioner providing care during his travels.