The Benefits Of Direct Primary Care
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Smiling young Caucasian male doctor in white medical uniform consult female patient using tablet on consultation, modern man GP talk discuss checkup results with woman client at meeting in hospital
The vast majority of primary care providers in the United States work through an insurance-based model to deliver healthcare to people in need. However, there's another model that is taking the United States by storm, and it is called Direct Primary Care (DPC). Direct Primary Care is a subscription-based health care model where members receive a set of services from their provider in exchange for a monthly fee.
These services differ depending on the provider. At Eden Health, for example, we offer unlimited appointments, direct physician access and discounts on services including labs, imaging and various specialists.
As a primary care doctor, I worked extensively as an insurance-based provider in an underprivileged area in Arlington. I experienced and unintentionally manifested the many shortcomings of the U.S. primary care system. I used to see too many patients a day, spent way too much time on documentation and often felt like I couldn't connect with my patients in the manner necessary to maximize their care.
Patients are no strangers to these shortcomings as well. Long wait times, rushed appointments and having to go through layers of staff just to get a simple message to and from their physician. Not to mention, dealing with the many inefficiencies of health insurance such as specialist referrals, prior authorizations, expensive premiums and high deductibles. For the money you pay your insurance, you should be getting a premium healthcare product. However, this is far from the case for many consumers, even with the best of policies.
Let me give you an example:
Meet Mckenzie, a 45-year-old female, a busy professional, is experiencing signs and symptoms of a urinary tract infection (UTI); burning sensation, frequent urination and difficulty emptying her bladder. This is her fourth UTI in the past four years and she is quite sure that this is what is going on. However, she has an important deadline at work and doesn’t want to spend many hours or an entire day going to see her doctor. Or worse, spending hours or an entire day seeing a random doctor or mid-level at an urgent care.
She calls her busy PCP’s office that she likes, hoping to get a quick appointment. Unfortunately, she was immediately rebuffed as the nearest appointment was three days out. Frustrated, she asks the secretary if she can quickly talk to her doctor about her symptoms and work situation, “it will just be a minute,” she pleads. The secretary replies that she will leave this message for her doctor, but she has to give her doctor 24-48 hours to respond. Her doctor does eventually get back to her, but it wasn’t until a day later after he had time to catch up on his messages. But by that time, she was forced to call off work so she could go to an urgent care to get seen for her UTI.
Now imagine a world where you can call or message your doctor for anything, get a timely response and get seen the same day by a provider that knows you. Consider the same situation McKenzie is going through, however, she is now a member of Eden Health.
Instead of calling her PCP office, she texts her doctor directly:
McKenzie: “Hey Dr. Jones, I think I am having a UTI again”
Dr. Jones: “Hey McKenzie, what symptoms are you having?”
McKenzie: “The same as I usually get, burning, frequency and hesitancy.”
Dr. Jones: “Ok, when can you swing by the office? Are you free at lunch?"
McKenzie: “Yes thank you, I'll come by at noon”
Dr. Jones sees McKenzie, diagnoses her with a UTI, sends an antibiotic to her pharmacy all within a 15-20-minute span, leaving her plenty of time to get a quick bite to eat. She then picks up her script on her way home from work.
Which feels like a more premium product to you?
To me, the answer is obvious. However, more importantly, it is a better, safer and more efficient way to do primary care. If you are interested in this type of health care service, look no further than Eden Health DPC and Wellness.
Visit our website and click on the Let's Chat button today!
