Hello friendly faces! It’s that time of the week! We’re back with a new CNSMoms’ Meet a Mom spotlight brought to you in part by Mary Gifford of Gifford Law. This week we meet Dr. Jessica Lue-Lai, Northfield mom and provider at One Medical!
Photo Credit: Erin Drewitz Photography
Hi Jessica! Please introduce yourself!
Hi, I’m Jessica Lue-Lai! I’m honored to share my experience as a new mom to the area! I’m originally from the D.C. suburbs in Maryland and I currently live in Northfield, IL. I’ve lived in the Chicago area for almost 6 years when I took the job at One Medical, working at the River North and Lincoln Park locations. My husband and I have always loved Chicago and our 2nd date (even though we were both local to DC) was the Chicago Architecture Boat Tour since we happened to be in town at the same time. My husband is an architect and we talked about how we loved the beauty and energy of the city. A few years later, we ended up moving to Chicago. We recently moved to Northfield in summer of 2021 when the Old Orchard Mall and Deerfield Square One Medical locations opened up. We were excited to have more space in the suburbs with great schools and many family activities for our little ones.
You’re a mom! How many kiddos do you have and how old are they? What activities are they or what things do they love to do?
I have two little girls. Karis is 3.5 years old and Lia is 14 months. Karis loves to color and build creative structures with her Duplos or Magnatiles (just like her dad). Lia loves anything that Karis is doing and she is always dancing to music.
What are one or two things people would be surprised to know about you?
My father is Jamaican-born Chinese and he came to the US when he was a teenager. My mom is from Hong Kong and also came when she was teenager as well.
I lived in the Chicago area three separate times in my life! Once when I was 2 years old, again for college (Wheaton College grad), and then now for the past 6 years!
What are your favorite local stomping grounds to hang with the kids?
We love the Chicago Botanic Garden and we’re usually there most weekends. We enjoy playing at Clarkson Park and going to the local libraries. Over the summer, we love going to the beach too. We’re excited to return to Pirate’s Cove Children’s Theme Park in Elk Grove Village this summer.
What are your favorite local “date-night” restaurants?
We love Pescadero in Wilmette with the lovely patio. We also enjoy Joy Yee’s in Evanston for bubble tea and for its variety of Asian cuisine. Our favorite fine dining restaurant is Oriole.
Please introduce One Medical. What is your title here and how long have you worked here? What services do you provide and what sets you apart from other dr. networks or physicians.
I’m a family physician at the Deerfield One Medical family office and love to see the whole family and take care of patients of all ages! I’m also the Medical Director at the Deerfield Square, Skokie – Old Orchard and Oak Brook Promenade family office locations. I’ve worked at One Medical for 5.5 years.
We’re a primary care practice that makes it faster, easier, and more enjoyable to get care, anytime – from newborn to seniors. One Medical is real life care for real families. A few things that make One Medical and One Medical Kids special:
- Compassionate, world-class providers who approach your health through data-based science
- Same/next-day appointments and 24/7 on-demand care over Video Chat
- An app to easily schedule appointments, manage your health history, message with your provider, and more
- Quick referrals to specialists if you or your child needs speciality care
- Offices around the country including kid approved family offices with ample stroller parking, modern books and toys, and comfy couches
- Onsite labs and lactation consultants, so you can avoid running all over town
Why did you decide to go into the medical profession?
I went into the medical profession because I love partnering with patients to help achieve their health goals. I enjoy making a difference and exploring together how to optimize health, whether it be physically or mentally. In family medicine, we have such a variety of patients that we see with all age ranges and all different problems, acute or chronic. I appreciate the variety that I see and I most enjoy how I can build a trusting relationship with my patients over time, working together to improve health and wellbeing. I also am so grateful that I can help serve patients during some challenging times, particularly during any mental health issue, substance use problems, or when they feel stuck getting motivated to take care of their health. Lastly, I have been trained in providing HIV care and care for LGBTQ+ patients and I find it rewarding to create a positive experience for those who may have felt vulnerable or neglected in the healthcare system.
What is the most rewarding thing that has happened while working at One Medical? Please list at least one real life example.
The most rewarding thing is when I can partner with a patient to help them totally change their lifestyle and improve their health. For example, I have one patient I saw last year who had new onset diabetes which was a real wake up call to him. We worked on his nutrition and activity goals and he lost 75 lbs and reversed his diabetes diagnosis!
I have another patient who had a mental health crisis after struggling to stop the alcohol use that increased during the pandemic. After helping him get some help with counseling, he has really made major improvements in his mood and anxiety issues and he’s been sober as well.
I also have a teenager that I was seeing who had a lot of stress from her rigorous school schedule and as a result, she developed stomach issues and the anxiety was very consuming. We were able to work together to help manage these issues with stress management techniques and working on dietary changes to improve her upset stomach. I’m so honored to be part of my patients’ journeys.
Who are your influencers and/or mentors that have helped you get to where you are today and/or continue to inspire you?
My mom and dad are my greatest influencers who have helped me get to where I am today. Their work ethic and drive to help others with their generosity of their time and resources have really inspired me over the years. My mom especially is so giving of her time and she has compassion for those struggling around her. The way she has helped others around her really continues to inspire me. My dad is a scholar and is always continuing to learn and grow, particularly in biblical studies. I admire his persistence and drive to continue to study and this has helped grow my work ethic as well.
What are the 2 most common questions that people reach out to ask you? Please also provide those answers.
- Are you taking new patients? Yes! I love seeing patients of all ages and delighting members with convenient, easily accessible and high-quality healthcare.
- Can I see you for acute needs and primary care needs? Yes, we are taking care of acute and primary care needs both in office and remotely. We also do procedures in the office like skin biopsies or long term contraceptive placement like Nexplanon and IUDs. We also do pap smears at all our offices as well. We see newborns and up and do well child visits as well as acute visits for kids too.
What’s on the horizon for you both personally and professionally?
We’re growing our patient panel so we’re meeting new patients and helping them with their health goals. Since I’m new to the North Shore area, I enjoy getting to know what community resources there are for my patients and how we can partner together to improve health and wellbeing. Personally, I’m working on building in regular exercise in my weekly routine and getting a Peloton bike and tread last year has really helped! It’s challenging being a working mom with two little ones but I’ve been really energized after working out. I’m also working on getting back into piano playing which has always been a great stress reliever for me.
Thanks! How can we connect with you for more information?
Please email me at [email protected] for more information about One Medical or if you’d like to connect! You can also find me at One Medical here!
Interested in One Medical Membership? Save $25 off your One Medical membership (normally $199 annually) for both yourself and your child for the first year using code NSMOMS25 (valid until June 30, 2022]). Join One Medical today and link to our homepage: https://www.onemedical.com/
About Our Meet a Mom Sponsor
A very heartfelt thank you to CNSMoms’ Meet a Mom sponsor, Lake Forest mom of three and owner of Gifford Law, a solo Estate Planning Firm (wills and trusts). Mary, we appreciate your support of local moms in our North Shore communities! Learn more about Mary by visiting her Meet a Mom spotlight here!
