What is Direct Primary Care?
Direct Primary Care (DPC) is a simple solution to the currently out-of-control costs of routine health care. When you remove the burden of administrative costs added by running primary care services through insurance companies, you take away two-thirds of the costs. Combine those savings with the latest technology to further simplify scheduling appointments and accessing your doctor, and you have Direct Primary Care.
With DPC, the cost to the patient is lowered substantially, the care is more convenient, you have access to your own medical provider when you need them and the quality of care is higher- since you are always seeing the same provider, who knows you personally and understands your prior medical history. DPC doctors benefit as well- because we spend more of our time doing what we enjoy- actually taking care of patients. A typical DPC doctor's panel is about 400-600 patients, only 25-30% the size of traditional "fee-for-service" practices, so appointments are longer and we can take the time we need to ensure we take care of all of our patient's health concerns.
For a more in-depth explanation of DPC, check out the following websites: American Academy of Family Physicians and Direct Primary Care Coalition.
So why am I opening a practice with a direct primary care delivery model?
Prior to relocating to Spokane in 2016, I spent twelve years working with my father at Afton Family Health Center in a small town in Upstate New York. I took care of patients of all ages, mostly in an outpatient clinic, but also spent some time rounding on patients in the hospital and teaching medical students and residents. My dad and I practiced with the same approach - we took the time we needed to take good care of each patient and patient visit lengths were adjusted to ensure we had ample time to understand medical concerns and ask pertinent questions and perform a careful physical exam. Our goal was always to try to address as many patient concerns at each appointment as possible- as we both found that it was not only preferred by patients but also more efficient in the long run to address multiple concerns for a given patient all in one visit rather than having patients return for frequent, short visits. Since we were self-employed, we had the flexibility to adapt our daily schedules to meet the needs of our patient panels on any given day. I have not yet found a practice model here in Spokane that gives me the flexibility to care for patients in the way I know works best. I am opening my own private practice where patients can contract directly with me for low-cost, high-quality, longitudinal primary care.
My new practice, which I named Simplicity Direct Care, is built on the idea that primary care can and should be simple. Patients should have a trusted provider that they can turn to for answers—whether it’s a quick question or check-in or an issue that requires extended time and attention. Patients should be able to talk to the same provider each and every time, and shouldn’t have to re-explain their entire history or background whenever they seek medical care. Patients should be confident that their provider is not only well-trained in the field of primary care medicine but also understands the importance of communicating with any needed specialist or hospital providers in order to ensure optimal transitions of care within our complex medical system. With Simplicity Direct Care, my mission is to take healthcare back to what it has more traditionally been—focusing on the doctor/patient relationship and acknowledging that when you know the whole person you can provide better physical and mental care—with access to all the scientific advances of modern medicine. I practice evidence-based holistic primary care rooted in the best of western medicine. Taking care of patients is built around the idea that everyone deserves easy access to trusted expert medical advice.