#ServingBeyond: Jaclyn Qualter & Sarah Harris Offer Local TeleHealth Services
Wake Forest, NC – Jaclyn Qualter is a board-certified Nurse Practitioner (APRN-BC) and the Managing Member of LoginClinics, PLLC. Jaclyn has practiced full time in healthcare since 1998 and has a wide variety of clinical experience, including neurology/neuro-surgical, cardiology/cardiothoracic surgery, vascular surgery, radiology, internal medicine, and emergency medicine.
For the past five years, Jaclyn has brought her critical care and internal medicine experience to the outpatient urgent care setting in Nashville and Wake Forest, North Carolina. She focuses on addressing the urgent and chronic medical needs of adults and children ages 13 and older. Jaclyn also has developed and implemented health plans for adults who want medical counsel in weight loss and overall healthy lifestyle implementation.
Jaclyn understands the need to collaborate with other healthcare professionals to promote healthy living for patients; therefore, she works closely with her business partner, Sarah Harris, a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist (LMFT) and Registered Play Therapist (RPT). Sarah holds a Master’s Degree in Counseling with a concentration in Marriage & Family Therapy from San Diego State University.
With over 12 years of extensive experience in child & family therapy, couples counseling, group therapy, and mindfulness-based stress reduction, Sarah’s specialties include depression, anxiety, pain management, grief/ loss, stress management, adjustment issues, relationships, divorce, parenting, child behavior issues, anger management, and problem-solving / decision-making skills. Sarah is also the owner of a Private Practice which specializes in children and family therapy and provides an array of services including Clinical Supervision to other therapists. Additionally, Sarah is a Telehealth Therapist providing Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to chronic pain patients in rural areas.
Sarah’s passion aligns with Jaclyn’s, with both having a mutual desire to help others reach their goals and create the kind of life they have always envisioned. They enjoy balance in their personal lives and desire to witness others live a balanced and healthy life.
I had the pleasure of meeting Jaclyn at this year’s inaugural Nurse Boss Summit at the Raleigh Convention Center and enjoyed a thought-provoking, stimulating, and empowering conversation about the nursing profession, telehealth, and business ownership as a nurse. She embraced the idea of sharing her experience and perspective:
Santisha Walker, RN (SW): Tell us a little about yourself.
Jaclyn Qualter: I am a mother of 3 and stepmom to 4. I live in Wake Forest with my husband Keith and our miniature schnauzer, Blue. I enjoy playing the piano, trail jogging, reading, and cooking healthy meals. I completed my undergraduate and graduate studies in nursing at Georgetown University in Washington, DC. I graduated cum laude and completed internships at the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the American Legacy Foundation. Seeing that healthcare is in crisis, I decided to help my local community and state by starting LoginClinics, PLLC. The goal of LoginClinics is to provide expert, affordable, safe, and thorough medical care to North Carolinians who have challenges with time, resources, and availability, via their PC-enabled webcam or smartphone. Establishing trust, continuity, and expert medical care via face-to-face virtual contact is my priority.
SW: What attracted you to the healthcare profession, particularly nursing?
Jaclyn Qualter: I knew in high school that I wanted to do something in the medical field, but I wasn’t sure what. I didn’t have much help from my parents, and we lived in a small farming town, in addition to having only 68 kids in my graduating class. I knew that I loved people and enjoyed connecting with them, and I also loved math and science. I had a great deal of empathy for people who were suffering and felt that as a nurse I would be on the front line with these very people and would have the ability to hold their hand and comfort them emotionally; as well as help heal them physically. I wanted to be with my patients for longer than just a quick consult. I wanted to participate in the good, the bad, and the ugly with them.
SW: Do you feel you are making the impact you desire in your daytime/ 9-5 position?
Jaclyn Qualter: It’s definitely limited. Right now, I work as a Nurse Practitioner for an urgent care in Youngsville, NC. I have to follow the institution’s lead and check off the boxes they require. I often do not completely agree with how things are done and see a lot of room for improvement but being an hourly employee I cannot enact change easily. When presented with a recurrent problem, I will often say “hey, I just work here! I do what they tell me!” The biggest impact that I am able to have, and what I have control over, is how I treat my patients, colleagues and co-workers. I can make their job better or worse by how I interact and respond as a healthcare team member. That’s what motives me in my 9-5 job. Being a leader, calming anxiety, promoting a loving and inclusive environment, and keeping it positive no matter what gets thrown at us during the day.
Regarding my telemedicine and teletherapy company, LoginClinics, yes, I do feel as if we are making a significant impact locally and with our patients. Since we are in control of the company’s goals and direction, it’s easy to enact change and witness the results of those changes. That has been one of the most empowering and motivating lessons I have learned while operating the business.
SW: Who, or what has served as your inspiration as a nurse?
Jaclyn Qualter: What: My desire to use the skills and talents that God has given me to impact the lives of those in need around me. I know that when I give my all and prayerfully seek God’s direction, I will be successful.
Who: I’ve had many nurse influencers throughout my journey. When I graduated from my bachelor’s degree program, I wanted to switch careers and attend a Physician Assistant (PA) school instead of a nursing school. A professor that I admired and looked up to (Janie Heath, now at the University of Kentucky) convinced me that I should continue in nursing. She helped me see that nursing was a profession- its own, unique specialty. Becoming a PA would not give me the autonomy that I deserved as a nurse. I would always have to operate under a doctor and would lose my identity as a nurse. I’m so glad she had this heart-to-heart with me. If she didn’t care and take the time to invest in my life, God only knows where I would be!
SW: When did you know it was time to serve beyond nursing in the “traditional” healthcare setting and become an entrepreneur/business owner as a nurse?
Jaclyn Qualter: In 2018, I was struggling with the disparities that I saw in the healthcare system in which I worked. These problems resonated in my mind over and over again like a song on repeat. I observed uninsured hourly workers come in and pay $120 for a note for them to take to their employer stating they were sick, had since recovered, and could go back to work. I also witnessed the billing side of healthcare where insurance companies charged double of that of self-pay patients. At the time, my husband and I had a high deductible health plan and had to pay $13,000 out of pocket first (on top of the monthly $1,000 membership fee) before the plan would cover at 80%. For an urgent care visit, my insurance was billed $250 and I had to pay the entire thing. If I had said I was uninsured, it would have only been $120. On top of this, I noticed a lot of people had a primary care provider but couldn’t wait the 1-2 weeks to get in to be seen, hence their visit to the urgent care. And these visits were for really simple things, like a blood pressure medication refill. Other times they had urinary symptoms or a sinus infection. These are things that I felt could be handled over the phone and for less money.
I started exploring domain names like “medical excuses.com” and the like. I couldn’t find a legitimate/legal option for hourly workers who needed a note. Out of these experiences, LoginClinics was born in March of 2019.
SW: Please share a little about what you offer through telemedicine and teletherapy.
Jaclyn Qualter: LoginClinics’ goal is to combat the rising cost of healthcare and inconvenience by offering virtual house calls to deliver cost-effective, easily accessible, and high-quality direct healthcare. Our medical arm offers pay-per-visit urgent care visits, monthly subscription plans, and concierge plans. We do not take place of your primary care provider (PCP), rather, we augment them. We work alongside your PCP, review your medical records if needed, provide education, testing, and comprehensive care. We also have a counseling arm which my business partner, Sarah Harris, LMFT, RPT, operates. Sarah is a Licensed Family and Marriage Therapist and also a Certified Distance Counselor. Sarah has extra training with kids and teens as well as group therapy. LoginClinics offers a free 15-minute consult with Sarah for all of our patients.
SW: Why do you feel it’s important to offer telemedicine/teletherapy, especially during COVID-19?
Jaclyn Qualter: We opened the doors to LoginClinics in September of 2019- prior to COVID-19s existence. The irony is that we did not know how badly our services would be needed during a time like this. When the CDC announced to “use Telemedicine first” I couldn’t believe it. I do trust; however, we were led by something greater than ourselves in the vision we had.
Telemedicine and teletherapy are important now, even more so during COVID-19 for the following reasons:
1. It increases access to care for people who have transportation issues
2. We are able to see more people in shorter periods of time and with less expense
3. More providers are able to deliver these services since you do not need a brick and mortar structure to do so
4. You can maintain open lines of communication with your patients using technology – i.e., they don’t need to drive to your office or call and leave a message.
5. You minimize incidental contact with other persons using technology and thus decrease the spread of illness and disease. For example: think separate waiting rooms for the sick and the healthy. Now we only need a “virtual waiting room”.
6. Children and teens are more receptive to therapy using electronics, as they are in a comfortable environment and actually open up more than when at an in-person visit
7. Insurance companies are now reimbursing for TeleMedicine visits – as well as TeleTherapy.
8. For those who are uninsured, TeleHealth services are less cost-prohibitive
9. LoginClinics provides our clients with a consistent provider; unlike larger companies such as MDLive where you get a random healthcare provider each time you use the service
10. There is a lot of fear, anxiety, and depression plaguing our nation over this pandemic and offering video access to a therapist helps ease this fear and anxiety
11. You get video access to a consistent, local and caring healthcare provider so you can get your medical needs met, which in turn eases anxiety and fear
Moving forward, I believe our healthcare system will never be the same. With the advent and now consistent use of telemedicine, therapy and health, we should expect better health outcomes, easier access, cost savings and improved patient outcomes.
SW: What has been your proudest moment and greatest accomplishment while serving through Telemedicine during COVID?
Jaclyn Qualter: It’s hard to pick just one. Day by day I see more and more advancements and accomplishments with LoginClincs. I know I am providing much needed medical care and behavioral health services to people at home who desperately need them. LoginClinics has also been able to employ local paramedics to provide on-site temperature checks for local businesses that have essential works. This comes despite many hospital cutbacks and layoffs, thus helping our local economy and community.
SW: Where do you see yourself in the next 5 years as a nurse?
Jaclyn Qualter: My hope is for LoginClinics to grow and add more telemedicine and teletherapy providers; to continue to infiltrate the market with personalized and local telehealth for North Carolinians; and to partner with other NC-based, independent medical and mental health practitioners so that telemedicine services can expand in these practices to provide better patient outcomes and minimize healthcare disparities.
SW: What tips do you have for nurses or others in the healthcare field who desire to branch out into another aspect of serving as a healthcare professional, whether in the community or through business ownership?
Jaclyn Qualter: Start NOW. Gather information and take baby steps toward your big goal. Do not get discouraged or overwhelmed! This is a learning process and you can do this! Don’t think about the 15th step in the process- focus on step one. Complete step one, then move on to step two, then so on and so forth. I think a lot of people get caught up in “analysis paralysis” and feel as if their goal is too daunting or insurmountable. It’s NOT! If you simplify believe in yourself, apply yourself, show up, and never give up, you will SHOW OUT!
Surround yourself with friends who believe in you and motivate you to be the best person you can be. Stay away from jealous or anxious people who weigh you down and project fear and doubt on you.
SW: What tips would you give to nurses during this COVID-19 healthcare crisis who may want to become involved beyond their standard-setting, but not sure where to start?
Jaclyn Qualter: Begin by reaching out to those around you who have already started or are actively involved beyond their standing setting. Interview them. Ask them how they started and what motivated them to take that first step.
Brainstorm on paper. Our minds move way faster than we know. Write your thoughts down. List your goals, dreams, and aspirations. What motivates you? What are you passionate about? What are your strengths? What are your weaknesses? List any fears or anxieties you may have. Are those real? Are they true?… really??
Find a mentor who you look up to and admire and ask if they would help guide you along this process of self-exploration and then take action! Looking back, I had a lot of friends and family – and my powerhouse husband- who believed in me and encouraged me to take one step at a time. You need encouragers in your corner and cheerleaders cheering on your team! You can do this!
SW: How can our readers connect with you?
www.loginclinics.com
Jaclyn@loginclinics.com
Sarah@loginclinics.com
Facebook: @telemedicineNC
Instagram: LoginClinics
Office: (919) 679 – 1880