I Want Direct Care

As a follow up to my last post "Direct Primary Care," I want to continue to discuss this emerging practice style. Why? Because it seems like a good fit for my values as a physician and yours as a potential patient.

What DPC is:

DPC is a modern twist on old school doctoring.

Back in the day, before hospitals started gobbling them up, physicians graduated from medical school and hung out a shingle at their very own office. They charged patients what made sense and made a living. Easy.

DPC is the solution for doctors who want to take back their professional lives and do the kind of medical work they were trained to do. It's so simple, I want to cry!

Basically, DPC is a membership model. Some call it concierge medicine for everyone. The doctor looks at her expenses in opening her own office, decides how many patients she wants to take care of and cap out at, then determines how much to charge patients in a monthly retainer or membership fee. There are discounts for families and employers. This way, every patient contact is paid for whether that's an office visit, med refill, phone call, text, e-mail, video chat, correspondence with a specialist, interpretation of a lab or x-ray result, medical decision making following said office visit, etc. Patients and doctors can feel good about staying in touch because access to the doctor is what they are buying, not just one 15-minute office visit for a $25 co-pay*.

DPC clinics bring VALUE that is competitive to traditional insurance-based primary care in that they bring services that save their patients money like medications at wholesale costs, up to 90% off lab costs, free office procedures (like toenail and mole removal, biopsies, suturing, etc.), and all-access to the doctor via text, e-mail, phone, etc. Office visits are scheduled long and are comprehensive. With fewer patients to take care of, DPC doctors spend their time really working hard to take care of the ones they have. Being a member of a DPC doctor's practice is the ultimate in individualized care and actually fits the definition of having a "medical home."

DPC doctors take out the middle man: insurance, Medicare and Medicaid. Those entities are the reason primary care costs so much. The price is inflated to cover the exorbitant overhead it costs to just get paid. Doctors know inherently that primary care doesn't cost that much. DPC is the way we work directly with our patients to lower costs, increase your access to us and actually improve your health outcomes. True patient CARE comes back to life when all the the strings are detached in our relationship. Praise the Lord!!

If you are interested in more about the DPC model, go to I want direct care and Atlas MD for more information.

I will keep you updated on my response to this style of practice and if and when I'm ready to make the jump. Leave me a message if you're interested!

Blessings,

Dr. Lydia