by Raleigh Magazine | Dec 12, 2024 | Buzz, November 2024
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The Evolution of Women’s Health Services in Oak City
Raleigh, known as the City of Oaks, has experienced a remarkable shift in women’s health services. Traditionally dependent on in-person visits and long wait times, the city’s health care landscape has been transformed by technology and patient-focused care. Women’s health, historically underfunded and overlooked, is now a growing priority in Raleigh, driven by technological adoption and dedicated medical professionals.
Changing Health Care Access for Raleigh Women
The advent of telemedicine has revolutionized health care access for Raleigh’s women. This technology-driven approach allows patients to connect with providers from home, a vital benefit for women balancing multiple responsibilities. Telemedicine offers services ranging from routine checkups to specialized consultations, addressing challenges such as hormonal fluctuations, pregnancy, and menopause with greater ease and accessibility.
Understanding Telemedicine: What It Means for Women’s Health
Telemedicine delivers medical consultations and treatment via digital platforms, offering Raleigh women direct access to health care without the logistical hurdles of in-person visits. It empowers women to address issues like menstrual irregularities, contraception, and chronic conditions such as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) through video calls, secure messaging, and remote monitoring. This convenience fosters open, timely discussions with doctors about sensitive topics.
Why Raleigh is Poised to Lead in Telemedicine Innovations
Raleigh’s tech-forward culture and proximity to the Research Triangle Park position it as a leader in telemedicine advancements. The city’s health care providers embrace digital tools, supported by progressive policies and investments in digital health infrastructure. These factors make Raleigh a model for telemedicine’s potential to improve patient outcomes.
Oak City’s Rapid Adoption of Health Care Technology
Raleigh’s health systems have rapidly embraced telehealth platforms, particularly during the pandemic, which accelerated adoption and demonstrated telemedicine’s benefits. Women especially value the flexibility of virtual visits, which enable them to prioritize their health without disrupting their busy schedules. This shift has resulted in higher patient satisfaction and expanded access to care.
The Benefits of Telemedicine for Women in Raleigh
- Access to Specialists: Telemedicine eliminates long commutes and extended wait times, connecting women with specialists statewide or nationwide within days.
- Preserving Privacy: Virtual consultations provide secure, confidential settings for discussing sensitive issues like sexual health or hormonal imbalances.
- Convenience: Automated reminders and virtual follow-ups simplify appointment scheduling, ensuring women stay on top of their health.
Addressing Unique Women’s Health Needs Through Telemedicine
- Hormonal Health and Menopause Management: Telemedicine enables women to consult specialists on managing menopause and optimizing hormonal therapy, such as estrogen patches that offer steady hormone release while reducing side effects.
- Prenatal and Postnatal Care: Virtual consultations provide expecting mothers with prenatal advice, lactation support, and postpartum check-ins, ensuring comprehensive care.
- Managing Chronic Conditions: Conditions like endometriosis, PCOS, and diabetes benefit from consistent, remote monitoring and treatment plan adjustments.
Spotlight on Services: What Women Can Access Through Telemedicine
Telemedicine offers a range of services, including gynecological consults, birth control advice, virtual nutrition counseling, and mental health support. Teletherapy has become increasingly popular as women seek help for anxiety, stress, and depression. Virtual coaching on lifestyle changes and preventive care further promotes holistic health.
Empowering Women with Health Education Through Telemedicine
Beyond treatment, telemedicine serves as an educational platform. Raleigh’s health providers offer webinars, virtual workshops, and informational sessions on preventive care topics like breast health and nutrition, empowering women to make informed health decisions.
Challenges and Limitations of Telemedicine in Women’s Health
- Digital Divide: Not all Raleigh residents have access to high-speed internet or modern devices. Efforts are underway to bridge this gap and ensure inclusivity.
- Insurance and Billing Confusion: Questions about coverage for virtual care persist, prompting calls for clearer insurance policies to support telemedicine services.
The Future of Telemedicine in Raleigh’s Women’s Health Services
Raleigh’s future in telemedicine is bright, with advancements in AI, wearables, and data analytics poised to personalize care further. As policies expand telehealth access, women will benefit from innovative ways to manage their health, solidifying Raleigh’s reputation as a leader in cutting-edge health care solutions.
by Raleigh Magazine | Dec 4, 2024 | December 2024/January 2025, Do
Our second annual The Cocktail Classic, presented by The Exchange Raleigh and unfolding at its highly anticipated 1000 Social Saturday, Nov. 16, was a blast!
Thank you to all of our sponsors—The Exchange Raleigh, Woodhouse Spa North Hills, Elm Partners, Whitley Law, Killjoy and A-Vin-Garde Wine—for bringing the party of the year to fruition. And shout out to all who came out and sipped their way through cocktails from our 10 Best Bartender nominees, and voted for their fave, earning Clockwork’s Kellie Corcoran the People’s Choice Award! Don’t forget to cast your ballot for Bartender of the Year (and Best Bars) by Dec. 15. Peruse our 2024 Cocktail Classic recap photo album to reflect on and relive the spectacular event—or get a glimpse of why you should join us next year. Feel free to share any photos on social media—just be sure to tag us (@raleighmagazine)!
by Raleigh Magazine | Nov 11, 2024 | Do, November 2024
Now that daylight saving time has ended, here’s where to hang after dark.
Hello darkness our old friend. … Daylight saving time has officially ended, aka when we “fall back”—and count the days till we spring forward again (that’s Sunday, March 9—mark your cals).
So, while we pine for the day our gov sees the light—literally—and passes the Sunshine Protection Act to make daylight saving time permanent (BYE, 5pm sunsets—forever), we’re trying to find ways to look on the bright side. Here, a handful of hangs to counter the winter blues—no daylight required.
Cause Chaos
Vibes? Unmatched. Get rowdy this hockey season with fellow Caniacs at a high-energy and goal-heavy Hurricanes games. We’re the fastest-growing NHL franchise for a reason!
The Ritz
Prince said it best: music is indeed healing, so hit up a concert at The Ritz to chase those winter blues away with the likes of Girl in Red (Nov. 27), Finneas (Feb. 16), Foster the People (Feb. 27) and more.
Pickleball
Get your paddles and mood up while you hit some balls under the stars (0r lights) at Pin Point, Method Community Park, or North Hills Park. After all, endorphins make you happy!
Neptunes/Kings
When the lights go down, the music turns up at Neptunes and Kings. Check out the hot spots’ eclectic line-up feat. everything from the Carolina Indie Showcase (Nov. 14) International Jazz Open Jam (Nov. 19) to a Chappell Roan Party (Nov. 22). Oh, and don’t miss karaoke night at Neptunes on Wednesdays!
Comedy Shows
Daylight doesn’t go underground anyway. Spend a night or two at Goodnights Comedy chuckling at the sillies of stand-up comics bringing tons of talent from all over the country into an intimate setting. Cozy and comical? Count us in.
Trivia
If your brain functions better at night, find a lineup of trivia challenges all over town—from adult trivia (*wink, wink*) at Flying Saucer to oodles of other bars and restos offering weekly trivia nights. Think Raleigh Beer Garden (Wendesdays) and My Way Tavern (Tuesdays).
Wine Night
Wine all you want this winter with your pals or your boo at such sophisticated and sleek spots as Vita Vite or Barcelona Wine Bar. Sips after sundown? Yes, please!
Movies
Movies are so back. Cozy up for a drive-in movie after dark and under the stars at Triangle Cinemas or Raleigh Road Outdoor Theatre. Or take the film-watching fun inside with bites and brews at Alamo Drafthouse. Either way, pass the popcorn!
Game Night
Got game? Bring your competitive spirit to Boxcar for a night of arcade classics (a round of Pac-Man, anyone?), Skee Ball, air hockey and more. Level up, indeed!
by Raleigh Magazine | Oct 29, 2024 | Eat, October 2024
Best Bars 2024 voting has ended. Thank you for participating. Stay tuned to the February 2025 issue to see the winners!
by Raleigh Magazine | Oct 28, 2024 | Arts & Culture, November 2024
Polyamory becoming mainstream? Here’s what to know.
By Audrey Graves
Long displayed by mainstream media are classic tales of happily-ever-afters featuring two people, typically male and female, parading off into the sunset. And with mantras such as “two’s company, three’s a crowd” further cementing couplehood’s chokehold on society, anyone who doesn’t fit that heteronormative stereotype—from singles to throuples to the polycurious and beyond—has long lacked representation or affirmation.
Enter buzzword “polyamory” increasingly entering the national conversation—from The Cut’s “A Practical Guide to Modern Polyamory… for the Curious Couple” to provocative former Showtime TV series Polyamory: Married & Dating and 2024’s Couple to Throuple to sitcoms (s/o Riverdale and Bridgerton) and the podcast circuit (Normalising Non-Monogamy).
As the polycurious lifestyle seeps into the mainstream, a quick cheat sheet for the nonfamiliar: Polyamory translates to consensually nonmonogamous relationships—from the literal breakdown, where poly means “many;” and amory, “love.” And the community goes much deeper than the stigmatized “R-rated” sex/“swingers” aspect.
If it sounds fringe or foreign, there are more polycurious people than you might expect—read: 16.8% nationwide, with 1 in 5 Americans participating at some point in their lives. “For Raleigh’s size, the alternative lifestyle in this community is more active per capita than I’ve seen anywhere else,” notes Nookie, a Raleighite who practices polyamory in a hierarchical way—meaning she has one long-term “nesting” partner, along with multiple long-term partners (or “playmates”) and casual dates. And interest continues to pique locally, from the success of this year’s arguably first-ever large-scale sex-positive fest Bliss Boogie to a growing local community of active and openly polyamorous people.
“From the outside looking in, [the misconception is] it’s a very sex-oriented community. That’s not the truth,” observes Bliss Boogie mastermind Kai Baylis, who’s already working on the fest’s 2025 return. “One person you might connect with more on a physical level; another emotionally; and another mentally.”
Despite its less-conventional nature, like any relationship, there is no one-size-fits-all approach. “Polyamory is the ability to love multiple people,” explains Nookie. “It’s the same experience as exploring a new city or trying new foods. I’m seeing where people might fit into my life.”
Another buzzword, nonmonogamy, is the more broad definition of being open, regardless of relationship status. Essentially, you can be nonmonogamous without being polyamorous, but you can’t be polyamorous without being nonmonogamous.
“People are very unsettled in their marriages and in the concept of monogamy—there’s this disconnect,” observes Baylis. “People are restless and seeking something else.” … And, no, it’s not a passport to “cheating”—because, key word: consensual. Many in the nonmonogamous community operate by an ethical set of standards, namely an overall transparency about their lifestyle.
“The openness and freedom it offers [appealed to me],” says another polyamorous person we spoke to. “The amount of in-depth communication I experienced within a poly relationship was not like any of my monogamous relationships.”
It also offers the flexibility to build relationships with multiple partners and enhance communication skills for a healthy setup that works for everyone. “I think there’s a lot to learn from polyamory, even if you never have more than one partner,” notes a monogamous-turned-polyamorous-turned-monogamous person we spoke with. “I truly believe it has made me a better partner in my current monogamous relationship.”
Nonmonogamous relationships, though, do have the drawback of potential jealousy, according to a relationship expert we tapped for intel: “Emotions can run high when we see our significant other’s attraction to someone else in real-time.” And polyamory also obviously requires the added time and energy to navigate two or more partners’ emotions at once—not to mention preexisting social stigmas. “Particularly in the Southeast, there’s the classic: You’re a heathen,” jibes Baylis.
But “if it’s done in a healthy way, there’s something really beautiful about the challenge of having more than one partner and the depth you can reach,” reflects Baylis. So for “many”—aka poly—three (or more) may not be a crowd after all.
