How Dr. Orna Izakson Runs a Virtual Naturopathic Practice on Spruce

Dr. Orna Izakson, a registered herbalist and licensed naturopathic doctor since 2009, runs Celilo Natural Health as a telemedicine practice serving patients in Alaska and Oregon. When she wanted to bring on a virtual assistant, she turned to Spruce, and the two now use it mostly for phone service, with her assistant making and receiving calls and flagging anything Dr. Izakson needs to handle herself. She credits Spruce’s customer support with making it easy to get set up and grow. Spruce gives a solo, telemedicine practice a professional phone presence without a physical front desk.

What kind of work do you do?

I’m a registered herbalist licensed naturopathic doctor since 2009, with telemedicine practices in Alaska and Oregon. I came to herbalism and naturopathic medicine through an interest in my health, my evolving passion for environment and science, and a lifelong love of plants and the wild places and gardens where they grow. I’ve used herbs, food, water and homeopathy as the mainstays of my own health care for nearly two decades.

Before medical school, I worked for a dozen years as a journalist covering science and the environment for newspapers, magazines and online media. That work let me explore the depth, complexity and interdependence of ecological systems—which include all of us on this earth. As a physician, I now apply these insights to the physical, emotional and spiritual systems of individual patients, in their social and environmental contexts.

As a naturopathic doctor I treat people, not conditions. My preferred tools are plants — as food, spices, teas, tinctures and flower essences — along with clinical nutrition, homeopathy and hydrotherapy. My job is to remind you that health is in your hands. I am here as a teacher and cheerleader, helping people toward better health.

What first brought you to Spruce?

I needed a great solution to help me bring on a virtual assistant.

How do you use Spruce at work?

We use Spruce mostly for phone services. My assistant can receive and make calls, and let me know if there’s anything I need to address. 

What is your favorite Spruce feature?

Customer support! Your team makes it so easy to get set up, troubleshoot problems, understand how to expand and more.

What do you like to do most when you’re not working?

When not working, I love getting out into wild places and geeking out on plants.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a virtual assistant help manage calls in Spruce?
Yes. A virtual assistant can work right alongside a provider in Spruce, making and receiving calls and flagging anything the provider needs to address personally, useful for a solo practice that wants front-desk-style coverage without hiring in-house staff.

Can a fully virtual telemedicine practice run on Spruce?
Yes. Spruce is cloud-based and runs on mobile, web, and desktop, so a practice with no physical front desk can still give patients a professional way to call in and reach the practice, wherever the provider is working.

Can one provider cover patients in more than one state from Spruce?
Yes, from a communication standpoint. Spruce works the same on mobile, web, and desktop, so a provider can run calls, texts, and messages for patients in different states from one account. Licensure requirements are separate and vary by state, and it’s up to each provider to confirm they’re properly licensed everywhere they practice.

Can I keep my existing phone and fax numbers?
Yes. You can transfer (port) your existing business phone or fax number to Spruce, and your practice number will remain the same. You can also get a new number instantly during setup. Learn more about porting a phone or fax number.

You can learn even more about Celilo Natural Health on Facebook at @celilohealth.

New to Spruce? Try it FREE for 14 days: https://l.sprucehealth.com/startspruce