TELEHEALTH IN TALLAHASSEE
Expanding to meet the needs of our patients
At UF Health, our pediatric patients come to us from all over Florida and beyond for the top-notch specialty care we provide. As we continue to expand our reach, our goal is to offer families easy access to this quality children’s care. That is why we have multiple pediatric specialty locations, including Gainesville, Daytona Beach, Ocala and Tallahassee — with more on the way.
UF Health Pediatric Specialties in Tallahassee provides a unique opportunity for our UF physicians in Gainesville to care for patients there using telehealth remote communication. During telehealth visits, a full-time nurse cares for patients while our UF specialty physicians interact directly with the patients via live video chat.
UF physicians also regularly travel to Tallahassee to see new and returning patients in person. If required, labs can be taken on-site during appointments.
Telehealth expands access to quality patient care in a way that makes it easier for children and families. It is often more efficient than in-person appointments because the approach:
- Reduces travel time for patients and physicians
- Eliminates lodging expenses for patients and their families
- Improves access for patients
- Minimizes missed work and school time
For several years, this Tallahassee specialty practice has been staffed by one full-time, Tallahassee-based employee, Gwen Wilkins, L.P.N. This past June, Nickole Saulsberry, APRN, joined Wilkins.
“Not many people would have been able to handle the responsibility of being the only staff member in the practice,” said Jon Moller, M.B.A., M.S., telehealth and outreach programs administrator. “Gwen has been efficient, dependable and optimistic.”
Moller and the team now anticipate significant growth in this upcoming year. In the previous fiscal year, the practice had 1,274 patient visits, saw 944 unique patients and had 124 telehealth appointments. Moller says they are on track to increase volumes and provide even greater access to quality patient care.
He said, “Nickole’s presence will allow us to expand our telehealth offerings from this location. She and Gwen are going to help us serve even more families in the Tallahassee area.”
PEDIATRIC SPECIALTIES OFFERED IN TALLAHASSEE
- Cardiology
- Endocrinology
- Gastroenterology
- Genetics
- Hematology/Oncology
- Infectious Diseases
- Nephrology
- Neurology
- Neurosurgery
- Pulmonology
- Surgery
- Urology
