Meet Wanda D.

Wanda really values the years in varied clinical settings (family medicine, geriatric medicine, cardiology, podiatry, etc.) and the broad knowledge it brings to her job.  She feels her experiences allow her to answer questions, calm nerves, explain procedures, and identify questions for patients to  ask their providers and more holistically help and support her patients. 

After an entire career in medical practices settings, she was ready to downsize a bit and change gears.  She started school for remote coding certification, and soon realized there were many ways to continue her work and use her skills in a different remote work setting. Around the same time, her two sons and their families decided they were ready to make a change and planned to move out of state  – she wanted to join them.  Her substantial and varied background allowed her flexibility as she was moving to be with her family. Remote work using her clinical expertise and way with patients set her up to be in an ideal situation and an ideal Care Partner for Medsien. Wanda  loves her job – the flexibility, the patients, the relationships, using her expertise; AND that she’s remote, and able to be anywhere with her family even after her long career. 

Wanda was born, raised and spent most of her adult life in Central Florida. Recently, when her sons wanted to make a change, they decided as a family to move out of state. Wanda learned about working with Medsien and was able to join us this past spring. Given her incredible background in varied clinical practices and settings, she was able to pivot and find this perfect role for her expertise just as she was changing locations. As she describes it, … when she moved to join her family in June, she “…just picked up the computer and continued …”.  She was able to transition her life and maintain the passion of her work. 

Wanda’s favorite thing about her job is the relationships with her patients. When she first started in June 2021, she had to get to know the patients. Initially, some were very open, and some were not. Quickly though, they all warmed up, felt the support and learned to trust her.  Now her patients really want to connect – they have conversations about their lives, kids, communities – some of the patients just need someone to chat with – to know they’re not just a number or a statistic.  “You really build a relationship with the patients and they know they can rely on you in a time of need”. Care Partners build deep connections and relationships quickly. She found that sometimes those most reticent initially, have become the most engaged and  connected. Wanda believes that Care Partners having the same patients over time is key – that continuity facilitates relationship building and the depth of the trust and connection between patients and Care Partners. 

Another important thing Wanda mentioned is the importance of Care Partners being trained in both clinical and administrative aspects of the medical practice. This is often overlooked, but it’s a fundamental part of why Care Partners are so important to the success of Medsien, and chronic care management and remote patient programs in general.  Care Partners work hand in hand with the physicians, and are able to fluctuate between clinical care and the administrative (how practices run) aspects of a practice, which is really important.  She notes that with “ our training and knowledge, we can do everything.”  CCM is highly clinical, but is a special program that must be tracked, billed and run in very specific ways. This dual expertise – medical and administrative - is a really important part of being a Medsien Care Partner.  

For Wanda, remote work really benefits her engagement with patients and her family – allowing her to be impactful for both.