With an office in Charlotte’s South End, the formerly industrial, uptown-adjacent neighborhood with some of the city’s best nightlife trendiest midrise condos and apartments,
Dr. Jessica Deane-Wyman of Novant Health Queen City OB/GYN has a lot of patients in their 20s and early 30s. South End is a magnet for Gen Z and Millennials, many of whom are attracted to the area because of its walkability.
And many of those same patients rely less on making phone calls to communicate. They’re “digital natives” who are more comfortable doing everything, including making doctors’ appointments, online.
“Most of our patients make their appointments online and are not aware that you can – and should – call the office if you need an appointment sooner,” Deane-Wyman said. “I’ve had patients tell me that they’ve been dealing with a problem and not been able to get in to see me. Typically, I discover they only looked online, and are surprised when I tell them I have more availability if they call and that I can almost always work them in.”
She wants to get the message out that there are openings – including same-day openings. But they may not show up on MyChart.
“If you have an urgent concern, you should call because we will always try our best to work you in,” she said. “We can help you decide if your concern is something we need to see you for that day – or if it can wait a day or two.”
Deane-Wyman stressed the importance of seeking care when you have an urgent need as Novant Health launches a 24-hour guarantee to see a physician when you need one. The guarantee applies to patients seeking urgent, sick visit appointments in primary care, pediatrics and ob/gyn services Monday-Friday. If you need to see a doctor, call your provider's office to arrange an appointment. On weekends, contact. Novant Health GoHealth Urgent Care. Additionally, Novant Health has a specialized OB/GYN Urgent Care open week nights and weekends, at 6331 Carmel Rd. in south Charlotte.
And just what constitutes an urgent concern? General conditions include:
- Unusual heavy vaginal bleeding
- Acute sudden onset of severe pelvic pain
- Vaginitis
- Urinary tract infections
- Mastitis (in nursing mothers)
- Urgent pregnancy concerns
Your visit doesn’t have to be in-person
“Patients who are having acute vaginal infections or urinary tract infections – even though those aren’t technically urgent – I always try to work them in the same day,” Deane-Wyman said. “If it’s something you’ve had before – a urinary tract infection or vaginal infection – and you’re pretty sure that’s what it is, you may not have to come in. There’s an online questionnaire you can fill out on MyChart called an e-visit. Once we receive the e-visit, we are able to review your symptoms and send a prescription to your pharmacy, if appropriate.”“We’re still doing quite a bit of virtual visits,” she added. “That’s another great way to get seen in a hurry. If a patient is experiencing postpartum depression, mood changes or anxiety, that’s a perfect virtual visit. We can also review results, discuss birth control, and do some prenatal appointments virtually. One of us is always doing virtual visits, almost every single day.”
OK to wait a day or two
The reasons women may want a same-day appointment with an ob/gyn don’t always involve pain or bleeding. Possible exposure to an STD is a very common reason women want to be seen in a hurry. “That's something we can generally work in quickly,” she said. “And sometimes we can do virtual visits for that, too.” Change in bowel habits and discovering a breast lump are other reasons to call your ob/gyn, but they may not necessitate a same-day visit.
For anyone still leery of going to the doctor due to COVID-19 concerns, Deane-Wyman understands. “We are still in the pandemic,” she said. “And we’re taking appropriate precautions in the office to protect our patients and ourselves. We’re doing a really good job of that.”
She also encourages women to attend their annual preventative visits, even during the pandemic. “It’s important to see women for their preventative visits,” she said, “to make sure they’re up to date with screening exams, like pap smears and mammograms, as well as addressing concerns such as planning for pregnancy, pregnancy prevention and managing menopausal symptoms. Plus, some urgent issues can be avoided by regular preventative care.”
So, don’t delay seeking care. Your ob/gyn is just a phone call away.
