08/31/2025
Talk to any parent, and they can relate. It’s 4 a.m. and your child wakes up with a 102-degree fever. Your mind goes into panic mode as your plans for the day unravel – and the sun hasn’t even risen yet.
Chelsea’s Monday wasn’t off to a great start and she worried that trying to get five-year-old Ellison in to see a pediatrician quickly might not be easy. The flu was going around, and she’d have to wait until her pediatrician’s office opened later that morning to try to schedule.
But then Chelsea remembered a colleague mentioning new pediatric virtual primary care options through Atrium Health, where Chelsea works. A few clicks later, her day took a turn for the better – she booked a same-day virtual appointment with pediatrician Dr. Mandana Morales at 7:30 a.m.
“Dr. Morales made us feel so comfortable even though we were on the phone with her from our couch,” said Chelsea. “She even got to meet our new puppy!”
Dr. Morales quickly worked with Chelsea to make a plan that would help Ellison feel better soon, including sending a prescription to the local pharmacy while they were still on the phone.
“I was so relieved. We were able to go from planning to action,” said Chelsea. “The hard part was done, and we could just focus on caring for her. It gave us as much work-life balance as possible.”
Ellison was quickly on the mend and back to school by Wednesday – much earlier than many of her classmates who caught the same virus. Chelsea and her husband, Adam, both completed virtual appointments of their own to help prevent catching the flu, too.
“I was very adamant in trying to get her seen as soon as possible to help her feel better and not have to miss school if she didn’t have to,” said Chelsea. “I know that waiting longer to be seen would have negatively impacted how she felt and how long it took for her to recover.”
After this experience, Chelsea encourages everyone to try virtual primary care and says she’ll be back to see Dr. Morales again.
Learn more about Atrium Health Children's Care Pediatrics Virtual: https://bit.ly/4f84fEU
