Living in a small Idaho community didn't stop Preston Roberts from building meaningful relationships with a healthcare team. Here's how virtual care helped him make room for better health in everyday life.
When Preston Roberts decided it was time to prioritize his health, finding the right support wasn't necessarily going to be easy. He lived in a small community in Idaho, where access to specialized healthcare professionals could be limited.
“Being able to work with somebody remotely that's on the other side of the country has worked out great for me,” Preston shares.
Through a benefit offered by his employer, Preston connected with First Stop Health, gaining access to health coaching and nutrition support without needing to find separate providers in his community.
What began as an effort to regain his energy became something more: an ongoing relationship with a care team that helped him make changes, navigate setbacks and build healthier routines.
Preston had recently changed jobs after spending 25 years working in an office.
His new position was remote, and after six months at home, he realized he'd become less active. His youngest son, then a high school senior, was also starting to outpace him during family activities.
“I knew that I needed to get some of the old energy back and needed to start making some healthier decisions in my life.”
But finding a dietitian or health coach with the right expertise in his area could have been challenging.
“I'm in such a small community, and there's just not as many people around here that have that expertise.”
With First Stop Health, Preston could connect with professionals beyond his immediate geographic area. Instead of navigating the search for different providers on his own, he had a team available to support his goals.
READ : The Key to a Connected Virtual Care Experience
For Preston, one of the most meaningful parts of virtual care has been the relationships he's developed.
His appointments initially took place about every other week. As his routines became more established, they shifted to approximately monthly check-ins.
But the conversations became more than simply reviewing goals.
“They became your friends almost,” Preston says.
He looked forward to connecting with his care team, sharing updates and talking through what was working.
“You really want to see how they're doing. They want to see how you're doing.”
That ongoing relationship helped Preston feel supported while remaining responsible for his own progress.
And when his needs changed, he had access to different professionals without starting the search for care all over again.
“It's a great team, and you feel like you are part of a team.”
Preston initially expected his appointments to focus on diet and physical activity.Instead, his care team helped him consider how everyday routines were affecting his health.
One of his first goals was surprisingly simple: stop eating lunch at his desk. After 25 years of doing exactly that, the habit was harder to change than he expected.
But with encouragement and accountability, he made it stick.
At the time of his interview, Preston had gone a year and a half without eating at his desk while working.
That experience helped him see how conversations with his care team could lead to practical changes.
The support also extended into managing stress.
As an accountant, Preston was accustomed to demanding tax seasons and difficulty switching off at the end of the day.
His care team helped him work on boundaries, including setting a time to finish work and mentally disconnect.
For Preston, that meant becoming more present at home and making space for family life.
The convenience of virtual appointments mattered, but Preston valued more than the ability to meet remotely.
He appreciated having access to professionals whose recommendations he could put into practice.
“I have confidence in the things that they are telling me ... because I've seen what they've recommended, what they suggested, what we talked about, and I've tried it and it works.”
That trust developed through repeated conversations and real-life experiences.
It also meant Preston didn't need to independently locate a different professional whenever he wanted support in another area.
“I'm not having to go out and find one person to do this part and another person to do this thing.”
For someone living in a smaller community, having that expertise available through one care team made a meaningful difference.
As Preston continued working with his care team, the benefits began showing up outside his appointments.
He and his family started planning vacations around outdoor activities.
During one trip to northern Idaho, they completed a 30-mile bike ride and multiple mountain hikes.
On another outing, Preston joined his children and father for an 18-mile hike with approximately 4,000 feet of elevation gain.
These experiences represented a significant change from the period when he first noticed his declining activity levels.
He also described improvements in how he managed work-related stress and balanced his responsibilities.
For Preston, progress wasn't limited to physical health.
It meant having more energy, enjoying family experiences and feeling better equipped to manage everyday life.
Preston doesn't describe his health journey as something with a finish line. He recognizes that goals sometimes need to be revisited, routines change and progress doesn't always follow a straight path.
His care team has helped reinforce that perspective.
As one member of his team explains, “It's not a destination, it's a lifestyle.”
That ongoing support has helped Preston build healthier habits into his routine while making adjustments when life requires them.
And although his care team may be hundreds or thousands of miles away, the relationships have become a familiar part of his life.
For Preston, living in a rural community could have made finding specialized support more difficult. Instead, virtual care connected him with a team that understood his goals, supported his progress and helped him make meaningful changes over time.
It was an ongoing relationship with professionals he trusted and the confidence to keep working toward better health. His story illustrates what becomes possible when geography doesn't have to determine the support someone can receive.
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