What is Direct Primary Care? Is it the Solution to America’s Healthcare Problem?
Written by Kendall Stone, MD, and originally posted on stonemedicaldpc.com.
In a healthcare landscape plagued by rising costs, barriers to access, fragmented care and diminishing doctor-patient relationships, Direct Primary Care (DPC) emerges as a beacon of hope. With a simple monthly fee, a direct primary care member has unlimited access in-person and through telehealth for advice and guidance from their primary doctor. As a primary care physician who has practiced in a traditional primary care setting, I've opted for a more personalized approach by embracing Direct Primary Care so that I can deliver a higher standard of care to my patients. Let me share with you why Direct Primary Care, particularly through clinics like Stone Medical, can revolutionize the way we approach healthcare.
What is Direct Primary Care?
Direct Primary Care is a affordable subscription-based model that focuses quality face-to-face time with your doctor and direct communication outside of the office - all for the cost of a daily cup of coffee. The model has many advantages over traditional primary care including longer appointments (30 minutes to an hour depending on your needs), a focus on preventative care, and most importantly the ability to develop a trusting relationship with your doctor. It may just be the solution to America’s ‘sick care’ system.
The affordable monthly fee covers all basic health care services that occur within a primary care office including unlimited patient visits, significantly discounted prices for prescriptions, labs and imaging and on-demand access. For example, if an urgent concern occurs after hours, you can call your doctor for immediate assistance. The menu of services in Direct Primary Care clinics may vary. At Stone Medical we provide annual labs for free in addition to procedures in the clinic such as joint injections for arthritis, pap smears for cervical cancer screening, cryotherapy for wart removal and wound management. By providing comprehensive care without the burden of copays or surprise bills, patients ultimately save money with better control of their chronic conditions and avoidance of unnecessary urgent care or ER visits.
At Stone Medical, we prioritize accessibility and quality time with each patient with hour-long appointments and same or next-day availability. With a reduced patient panel of 300 to 500 patients rather than 2,500 to 3,000 patients in traditional insurance-based practices, we ensure every visit is unrushed and focused on your individual needs. You are no longer limited to discussing one or two problems but can discuss as many as you would like. Direct Primary Care through a holistic approach allows us to consider the whole person rather than just focusing on a symptom. We address the root cause of your problem and develop a personalized treatment plan that addresses it.
What About Health Insurance?
Analogously to car insurance, Direct Primary Care operates in a similar manner to how individuals maintain their vehicles. For routine maintenance like oil changes and tune-ups car owners pay out-of-pocket. For routine health services, Direct Primary Care members pay a membership fee. Conversely, health insurance is utilized for significant expenses such as surgery and hospital stays, resembling how car insurance covers major repairs like collisions or hail damage. In essence, patients turn to Direct Primary Care for everyday health needs while relying on insurance for more extensive medical procedures and catastrophic events.
Patients often pair Direct Primary Care with a high deductible insurance plan to cover emergencies such as surgeries, motor vehicle accidents or hospital services. For those with commercial insurance or without insurance, you can see a Direct Primary Care provider. While health insurance provides health coverage, it does not guarantee access to healthcare or to a doctor. Direct Primary Care provides healthcare with direct access and covers up to 90% of medical issues.
Is this the same as Concierge Medicine?
Direct Primary Care is often confused with Concierge Medicine which is a high-cost annual subscription model for exclusive services like 24/7 provider access. Concierge providers traditionally charge insurance on top of the subscription cost and are cost-prohibitive for many. Most concierge practices in Colorado charge anywhere from $3,500-20,000 annually for unrestricted access to a physician. By bypassing the bureaucratic hurdles and administrative paperwork imposed by insurance, Direct Primary Care (DPC) doctors can dedicate more time to their patients. This streamlined approach allows for low patient membership fees while prioritizing personalized care.
Conclusion
Direct Primary Care is a monthly membership model that removes the middlemen and gives patients direct access to their doctor. It is more than just a healthcare model; it's a commitment to putting patients first. Quality of life as a patient and as a provider is better with direct primary care. It is time to swap out a high quantity of patient interactions for high quality patient care. It just might be the way we change America’s ‘sick care’ system to a ‘heath care’ system. If you have questions about how Stone Medical can work for you, please contact us. For more information about Direct Primary Care clinics in your area, check out the DPC Frontier Mapper.