Today we’d like to introduce you to Angela Owens.
Angela, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I became a Registered Nurse in 1996. I started out as an RN working at various hospitals in the City of Memphis. I began to not feel that I was making a great difference at the bedside caring for my patients. But, during my time working as a bedside nurse, I met a wonderful Nurse Practitioner named Lucretia Wilkerson. She was then and still is a great mentor for me. I eventually enrolled at Arkansas State University under the Family Nurse Practitioner tract. I graduated in May 2009 and began working in various specialties as a provider that included Gastroenterology, Emergency Medicine, Urgent Care, and Family Practice.
I look at being a Nurse Practitioner as a ministry to serve others. But, as time went along, I didn’t feel as though I was being a great blessing to the patients in the community that I served. It always felt like I was in a rush and didn’t have time to spend with my patients. Of course, I couldn’t spend all day with one patient, and they knew and understood that aspect of the office visit. But I always felt I didn’t have enough time to get a good picture of the patient holistically.
As I fast-forward, I’ve always wanted to be an entrepreneur and open my own walk-in clinic. But the timing was never right. My concern was always making sure I was a great mother and provider for my 2 boys. The other concern was the financing. So, many years passed, and I continued to work as a provider for other practices and was not satisfied. I felt as though I was not walking in my ministry of health and healing.
In December 2020, as I stood in the kitchen of my home, I asked God about my vision of opening my own clinic. But little did I know it would not be a walk-in clinic, but it would be a HouseCall practice where I would see the patients in the comfort of their own homes. Yes, this was right in the middle of COVID, but I remember so vividly telling the Lord that, God if you open the door, I will walk through it. And, as soon as I made that affirmation, The Lord started bringing to my memory of people to call that would help bring my vision to fruition. I made one call after another, and the doors began to open. For me, my vision was further validated as I was listening to my Pastor Gregory M. Askew of Jubilee Church of God in Christ ministering on December 31. 2020. At the end of his sermon, he prophesied and said that ” God is opening doors”. Everything inside of me knew that God had anointed, appointed, and called me to do HouseCalls. So, out of that affirmation was born ” By Faith Primary Care Housecalls, LLC”.
What greater way to minister to a patient than to spend more time with them learning and understanding how we can be of help to them medically? What greater way to show a patient that you care about their well-being than to just spend time listening to their concerns regarding their healthcare? What greater way to show compassion and touch a heart?
There are so many homebound and or disabled patients and families. It can be very taxing for them to be seen in a traditional primary care provider’s office due to their mobility issues. Over the 1-year time that I have been a Housecall provider, I have found that my patients really appreciate the work that we do in taking care of them. The time that I spend with my patient and their family on average at least 30 to 60 minutes. I know that may seem like a lot of time, but it is actually required/needed in order to get a greater understanding of how to better manage my patient’s healthcare needs.
Many of our homebound patients have very complex medical histories and are on multiple medications. It takes time to obtain a good medical history, perform a physical assessment, reconcile home medications, and before leaving the home discuss-plan and goals of care.
Being a Housecall NP can be very challenging, but it’s where I feel needed the most in my profession/career/ministry. Not only do I attend to the medical needs; but we laugh, joke, and have good conversations. For the most part, my patients and I form really great relationships. Many times, I am offered some sort of nourishment out of the kindness of their hearts. I really do enjoy what I do, and I look forward to being a Housecall Nurse Practitioner for many years to come.
It makes me feel that I am doing a ministry when my patients tell me that they are so thankful and grateful for the services. It makes me feel great to be a blessing in helping others.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
No, it has not been a smooth road. There have been many bumps. Going to Nurse Practitioner school enhanced my clinical education/ knowledge and skills in order to think as a provider and not as a Registered Nurse. We did not take business courses. We were not educated about becoming entrepreneurs.
I’ve always worked for other providers/companies/hospitals, and I’ve never had to deal with the aspect of administration, finance, and the everyday operations of a company.
Some of my struggles include working longer hours, not spending as much time with my family, household chores falling to the wayside; understanding the business/finance aspect, and just learning and knowing all aspects of the business in order to make sure the ship continues to sail as smoothly as possible.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about By Faith Primary Care housecalls, LLC?
By Faith Primary Care Housecalls, LLC is operated and owned by a Nurse Practitioner with 15 years of experience.
We see patients in the comfort of their homes traveling to a traditional walk-in provider’s office can be taxing for the patient and family. What sets us apart is simply that we come to the patient and their family. Our mission and purpose are to provide the highest quality of healthcare to everyone with compassion, dignity, and respect.
Our services include the management of acute and chronic disease processes. We provide Transitional Care Management, Chronic Care Management, and Annual Wellness Visits; we work closely with Palliative and Hospice care providers and multiple other specialties.
As a Housecall provider, I work very diligently to try and keep my patient out of the hospital as much as possible.
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
The quality or characteristics I feel are most important to my success is just treating others the way I want to be treated. In saying that, I mean just being polite, kind, tolerant, listening, and having compassion for others.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://provider.kareo.com/angela-owens
- Email: angelaowens@byfaithprimarycarehousecalls
