Everyone has problems, and everyone is busy. We have all heard the old adage, “More money, more problems.” And it seems the more busy we become, the more issues we have maintaining that sense of balance. So what if I told you that a licensed physician and counselor was as readily accessible as a video call to your friends? That’s right, the doctor is making house calls again. Even beyond ever expanding telemedicine, a great deal of concierge physicians are using platforms that allow face to face virtual visits from the comforts of their patients, homes, office, cars and any other place they find themselves in when they also find themselves in need. Her name is Dr. KaNisha Hall and she has thriving telemedicine and virtual counseling practice.
Dr. KaNisha Hall further explains the difference and benefits of both telemedicine and virtual counseling.
“Telemedicine has been a great tool in bridging the gaps of access. However, these massive clinic settings are nowhere near as personal and tailored to the individual as virtual counseling.
When you engage clinicians via telemedicine you often are speaking with the doctor that is available, not your chosen provider. Virtual counseling is often an extension of the physician counselors private practice. Everytime, you will make an appointment with YOUR counselor to address your issues and gage your progress to complete a treatment plan that is designed just for you. “
Dr. KaNisha Hall is a physician counselor with a wide range of clients with demanding careers. Dr. KaNisha further explains, “I needed a way to give quality care that was flexible to their lifestyles.”
So what could one expect from one of these virtual visits? Counseling is about gaining insight. Self discovery helps people harness inner strength and build self confidence to accomplish goals. Dr. Hall states “As a counselor, I want to help my clients embrace their truth to live fulfilling, purposeful lives. More specifically, we identify barriers to success and wellbeing. I have counselled people who suffer from depression and anxiety who had never had these diagnoses to put a name on their struggles. It’s really hard to solve a problem you can not see or overcome struggles you have not identified. So after we identify these issues, we can start with treatment plans and set benchmarks to measure progress. We can plan and plot a course to a destination of success, confidence and wellbeing.”
When asked about adjusting to our “new normal” and providing great medical and mental healthcare, Dr. KaNisha Hall had some insightful advice. “ I encourage more physician counselors and therapists to explore adding these virtual options to their own practice. The keys are making the process simple for the client and clinician. I recommend a platform that allows a very simple 3 step onboarding process for new patients to enroll, schedule and follow up.
Also, as a counselor, I had to make sure my platform integrated scheduling, charting and analytics. My job is so much easier when I can easily assess my patients profile and see our target goals, see their progress, and notate our next steps to success. Virtual counseling has provided a much needed tool in my life’s mission to tear down barriers to care, especially mental healthcare. I have done away with cold examination rooms. No matter how inviting I have tried to design an office space, I just don’t believe it can truly replicate the comforts of a person’s home and personal space. These comforts are crucial to provide a safe space for vulnerability and transparency, important qualities for successful counseling.”
You can find more information on her website. www.drkanisha.com