It has been two and a half years since I made the biggest transition of my career since becoming a doctor. After the birth of my daughter, I switched to predominantly taking phone and video visits with patients. My husband travels a lot and in order to be able to continue to see patients, it was necessary for me to make the transition to telemedicine.
My experience with telemedicine has gone much better than I could have anticipated! Since I am not commuting, I am able to work more hours during the day. This allows me to be more available to patients.
At Naturopathic Family Health, we were fortunate enough to find a system that integrates into our primary patient portal, making it very easy for patients to have their labs, notes and messaging all in one place.
Of course, there are times when I need patients to come into the office. My overall opinion on telemedicine, however, is that it allows me and my patients to optimize our time by not commuting. I have heard first hand from my patients that they appreciate this time saving technology as well, since it allows them to fit healthcare into their busy lives.
While I do miss the hugs that I get from my patients, the transition to telemedicine has allowed me to continue helping my patients with their health, while still being able to fully take on the role of mother and wife. I am truly grateful to all my patients who have made this transition a success, and I look forward to continuing to help them along their health journey.