PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE to Members By Dr. Jessica Triche 2020–2021 NCAFP President
COVID Perspectives And Some Positives We've Learned from the Pandemic By the time you read this we will be close to two years into a pandemic. As a state, we have lost over 18,000 patients/friends/family members to COVID. Our country has lost over 740,000 lives. We are all tired. We are tired of spending 15 minutes of a 15-minute visit explaining to patients the importance of the vaccine and debunking online myths. We are tired of losing unvaccinated patients, some healthy and young, to COVID. We are tired of being short staffed because we have lost staff due to burnout, or, more unfortunately, refusing to be vaccinated. I have to try really hard not to be snarky about patients who ask for ivermectin or other TikTok-approved COVID treatments. I know I am not alone. I have attempted to look at anything positive that has come from COVID. I have managed to find a few.
TELEHEALTH! Cheers to the medical world for
recognizing telehealth as a valuable tool. Medicaid, Medicare, and private insurances recognized the value of telehealth. Thanks to family physician leaders, such as Dr. Shannon Dowler, Medicaid continues to value telehealth the same as in person visits. We have had the opportunity to see into our patients’ lives and connect. Our patients who “no showed” because of transportation issues now eagerly await our video visits. Patients who never bring in their medicines can now show us what they are actually taking. Viewing our patients’ homes and their lives help us figure out a care plan.
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Dr. Triche attended UNC Chapel Hill for undergraduate studies and attended medical school at the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University. She completed her residency training at Moses Cone Family Medicine in Greensboro, NC, where she served as CoChief Resident. Dr. Triche is married and has two sons and enjoys life on the water in Bath, NC. She is currently working at Vidant Family Medicine-Chocowinity located in Chocowinity, NC. She enjoys seeing a variety of patients, as well as teaching medical students. She is a graduate of both Vidant's Physician Leadership Institute as well as the North Carolina Medical Society Foundation's Leadership College. Dr. Triche also completed their Health Care Leadership and Management (HCLM) Program in 2018. She is currently involved in several leadership roles within the Vidant system. She also serves on the Beaufort County Board of Health.
I learned a patient couldn’t read and had a stutter after a virtual visit. Now I know what he is taking and why he doesn’t say much during his visits. He was much more comfortable speaking to me in his home environment. Telehealth has helped us provide care to patients who work. I am sure I am not the only physician who virtually saw a patient during their lunch break. Did anyone else have to tell their patient to pull over and park in order to complete the virtual visit she was attempting to have while on her mail delivery route? Telehealth also allows us to see multiple family members at the same time. This is really helpful in learning how some of our younger patients deal with caring for their elderly family members. Telehealth is here to stay and, hopefully, will continue to be valued as an important and useful tool.
VIRTUAL MEETINGS! C’mon ya’ll...does any-
one REALLY dress up for a virtual meeting anymore?? The “Zoom mullet” is a thing and I fully endorse it! continues on next page 6
The North Carolina Family Physician
