High-Quality, High-Touch Care During COVID

Trusted physicians and Telehealth worked seamlessly together for a successful surgery during the COVID pandemic.

Jamie Carter lifted a ladder and immediately felt intense pain in his back and down both legs. “It took me to the ground,” he says. He was able to crawl to bed and then call an ambulance to transport him to a local hospital in Nashville.

Despite living several hours away in Nashville, the Memphis native knew precisely who he wanted to see. He’d had procedures with Semmes Murphey Clinic physicians Dr. Kevin Foley and Dr. Daniel Hoit in the past, and that was important. “I wanted to go to someone I trusted,” he says.

This time, he needed a laminectomy and a discectomy. A laminectomy opens the bony canals through which the spinal cord and nerves pass, creating more space for them to move freely. A discectomy is a procedure to remove a portion of a herniated disc in the spine, which is bulging and pushing on a nerve, causing pain.

August 2020, when Jamie had his surgery, the COVID pandemic was in full swing. He was surprised to find that his consultation, surgery, and post-op care were seamless, despite the restrictions.

Telehealth Treatment Saves Time and Travel

Jamie had several consultations with Dr. Hoit and his nurse through Telehealth. “It was amazing how quickly Semmes Murphey had adopted the Telehealth technology. After my surgery, they did incision site observations through video, and I met with both Dr. Hoit and his nurse multiple times. It saved me a lot of time and travel and allowed me to keep working during my recovery. I knew I could pick up the phone anytime and call the nurse, and she would answer. I never got voicemail one single time,” he says.

Jamie, 50, says that within a week, he was back at his desk. He’s a division president with LifePoint Health, overseeing 26 hospitals in five states. He’s also a volunteer firefighter. Jamie is married with two daughters, and when he’s not working, you can find him enjoying the outdoors through hunting, fishing, and water sports.

“I grew up in Memphis, and I was very familiar with Semmes Murphey. It’s nationally known for high-quality, high-touch care. The fact that all of this happened during COVID was just remarkable and made it even more impressive how well they were able to give me the quality care I’ve come to love and expect from them. There’s a level of comfort there you just can’t put a price tag on,” he says.