Maven’s mission is to change the health of the world, one woman, one family at a time. At the core of that promise are the providers who offer support for women, men and children around the world, day or night, delivering holistic specialty care.
Nina Wilson, a certified Nurse Midwife and International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, has been a Maven provider for over five years, serving thousands of members along the way. She’s taken appointments at all hours of the day with parents all across the country, taught breastfeeding classes, and touched so many lives through her work with Maven. We sat down for an interview with her to hear her story.
Looking back on five years served
Nina was an early joiner to Maven's practitioner network, providing exceptional care to members as both our clinical and business operations continued to grow.
Q: What made you decide to join Maven?
“There are so many things. First of all, I love the mission: helping women in need and filling in the gaps in healthcare. Second, the flexibility: being able to be with my kids and to to work and do something I find important. When I started with Maven, I had young children at home and my husband was in the military, so we moved around frequently. It was hard to get established in one place, but with Maven I was able to stay at home with my kids and do what I love.”
Q: What was it like getting started with Maven?
“When I joined, telehealth for women’s health wasn’t really a thing like it is today. When I first joined it would be amazing if I got an appointment a month. Today, my available time is booked immediately. It’s really exciting to see how far we’ve come in five years.”
Q: Have people’s attitudes towards telehealth changed since then?
“People were very hesitant at first but once they see how easy it is and how effective it is they're on board. I think they’re very receptive to telehealth now, especially through the pandemic.”
Q: What’s been the most rewarding part about working at Maven so far?
“One of my favorite parts of my job is working with new moms. Being able to help other moms, both as an experienced mom and as a lactation consultant, is very important to me. I know how important it is for new moms to have that support.”
Reflecting on virtual care
During Nina’s tenure, the telehealth space has exploded in popularity, not just in primary care but in specialty care including women’s and family health.
Q: What is it like building relationships through virtual care?
“You feel like it might be very impersonal but it’s very easy to establish a connection with people through telehealth. You can truly provide effective and continuous care. Establishing relationships with clients on Maven has been so rewarding. I had a client who reached out to me after her second baby was born. We had connected more than 60 times over the course of the first year of her baby's life, and I was able to help her again, thanks to Maven.”
Q: What do you like the most about virtual appointments?
“One of the great things about virtual care is we have time to talk about anything. If you have a packed schedule at a clinic, you often don't have time to talk with patients about all the things you want to cover.
On Maven I'm able to do all of the education and answer questions in depth. Even in a 20 minute lactation appointment, there’s plenty of time to answer questions that we wouldn't get to in-person. Getting that time is crucial -- it can sometimes save breastfeeding relationships.”
Q: How has virtual care benefitted your clients?
“Being a parent, especially a first-time parent, is so hard. And it’s only gotten harder through the pandemic. The on-demand nature of the virtual visits has helped my clients tremendously. They can get in touch with someone immediately, around the clock, and get their questions answered. We can offer peace of mind and intervene early and proactively.”
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