DISTANCE DOESN’T MATTER

March 9, 2021

“I wish you practiced in my city so I could be your patient.” 

“If only there was an integrative doctor like you where I live.”

“Wow, I wish I lived in Greenville so you could be my doctor.”

These comments have been on repeat since opening Spruce MD. The good news is, you don’t have to live in Greenville, SC, I don’t have to live in your city and you can bring your integrative provider to you via telemedicine if you want to be a Spruce MD patient. Let me explain how it works.

Telemedicine is the remote delivery of medical care often by phone or video consultation. Telemedicine has exploded over the past several years and provides many benefits to patients. Your provider sits in front of her computer, you in front of yours, and a consultation occurs via livestream video. Perks of telemedicine include accessibility, convenience, and yes, seeing providers that aren’t local. There are some nuances to how telemedicine works, however. Patients have to be located in the state where the provider has a license for the first appointment to establish a physician-patient relationship. Currently, Spruce MD providers have medical licenses in both South Carolina and Colorado. This means that you can be seen via telemedicine consult for your initial assessment if you live in either of these states, regardless of whether this is Charleston or Fort Collins. That part is easy.

If you reside outside of South Carolina or Colorado, you can still become a Spruce MD patient – it just requires one more step. To establish care and adhere to telemedicine laws, you first need to be seen in person in the state where we hold medical licenses. This can most easily occur with a visit to Greenville, SC. With Greenville popping up at the top of every travel list these days, who wouldn’t want to visit!? Other options include traveling to any city in South Carolina or Colorado (Columbia or Denver for example) and scheduling a telemedicine visit. Patients have to be physically located in the state where the medical provider has an active license to receive care for that first visit. After that, it doesn’t matter! You can be seen from your European vacation or a Caribbean island (if so, a backdrop of palm trees requested.)

Once initial visit via telemedicine or in-person, labs can be ordered electronically and drawn from a lab convenient to your location. If advanced labs are required, lab kits can be drop-shipped directly to your doorstep and all follow up visits can occur over the phone or video chat.

If you do decide to visit our lovely city, Spruce MD provides discounted accommodation rates AND we have put together a MUST DO list for your visit! Don’t let geography keep you from receiving the care you deserve. Come visit #yeahthatgreenville or schedule a telemedicine consult and we’ll take good care of you!

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Mary Brittain Blankenship, MD, FAIHM

Dr. Blankenship

Mary Brittain Blankenship, is the founder and physician at Spruce MD Integrative Medicine. Board certified in both Internal Medicine and Integrative Medicine, she sees patients locally at her practice in Greenville, SC and virtually nationwide.

Registered Dietician

Integrative and Functional Medicine Providers