A Guide to Direct Primary Care
In a world of competing healthcare options, it can be challenging to narrow in on the type of healthcare you and your family deserve. From cost to convenience, there are several factors to consider when choosing your primary care provider. To help you better understand your options, we want to delve into one type of healthcare model: Direct Primary Care.
Perhaps you’ve heard of Direct Primary Care (DPC), but are unsure of its differences from a traditional primary care practice. Here’s a guide to get you started:
What is Direct Primary Care?
For starters, Direct Primary Care is a take on old-fashioned healthcare – the type of care you receive from a doctor without having to worry about extra insurance fees. Essentially, a DPC model is a payment arrangement made between a patient and their provider – ruling out a third party insurance company.
Instead of getting wrapped up in pesky insurance, Direct Primary Care clinics simply require a monthly, quarterly, or annual fee. This fee then covers all or most of your primary care needs including clinical and laboratory services, unlimited consultations, comprehensive care management, and care coordination.
Who Does it Benefit?
A DPC model benefits both parties involved: the primary care provider and you, the patient. The structure allows physicians to solely focus on treating individuals, rather than having to worry about fee-for-service insurance. This allows doctors to devote all their time and energy to patient care (without interruptions from nonmedical administrators).
In turn, Direct Primary Care primarily benefits the patient. Patients save more money and have more time with, and access to, their doctors. Patients are able to schedule appointments at their own convenience, walk-ins are generally welcome, and they can contact their provider at any time, anywhere. Rather than dialing the doctor’s number only to have it go straight to voicemail or their secretary, DPC providers are quick to respond and actually assess their patients’ concerns. Why is this? Due to the structure of Direct Primary Care, providers have a smaller list of patients – but in turn, they have more personal relationships and in-depth consultations with each one.
DPC provides patients with the proper care they deserve, and restores providers’ passion and drive to do what they do. It’s a win-win on both ends.
What are the Benefits of DPC vs Concierge Care?
Most people are familiar with concierge care, whether they know it under this title or not, and we want to explore how it differs from Direct Primary Care. According to the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), these are the key differences between the two:
Concierge Practices
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Annual patient membership contract with larger fees that can be paid annually or monthly
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Membership fees only cover an in-depth physical exam and screenings
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Practices will potentially continue to work alongside insurance plans and government programs
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On top of the membership fee, practices will continue to bill patients’ insurance companies for covered services
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More patients
DPC Practices
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Membership fees are paid by patients, or sometimes, the patient’s employer either monthly, quarterly, or annually
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Patient fees cover extended visits and consultations, clinical and lab services, care coordination, and comprehensive care management
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Practices don’t work with insurance companies or government programs
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Fewer patients, but room for more in-depth care and treatment
As you can see, the two types of practice are practically opposite of each other. Furthermore, we want to expand on why Direct Primary Care will best serve your needs.
Why Start, or Switch Over, to Direct Primary Care
Healthcare is not a one-size-fits-all approach. Yet, at a larger-scale hospital, it tends to feel like that. The waiting rooms are stuffy, someone calls your name as if you are just another number in line, and sadly, many providers will rush through your consultation to stay on track with their busy, overpacked schedule.
Direct Primary Care clinics work a little differently. Through a DPC setup, providers make you the priority – not their long to-do list. Because of their shorter list of patients, you’ll experience shorter wait times, unlimited access to your physician, a personal doctor-patient relationship, and uninterrupted visits. On average, DPC providers have about 600-800 patients; this is worlds apart from the 1,800-2,500 patients a traditional primary care provider treats.
If you’re burnt out from feeling unprioritized at your current practice or want to start off with a patient-friendly system, consider Direct Primary Care. With a DPC model, patients receive the best of both worlds: quality care and no insurance fees.
Explore Direct Primary Care with Elevated Health
More specifically, find out what makes Elevated Health the best healthcare option for you and your family. Here at Elevated Health, our Direct Primary Care model in Huntington Beach, CA offers patients total control of meeting with their doctor, uninterrupted consultations, and an upfront, monthly fee that covers in-office procedures, same-day, and next-day service scheduling, wholesale labs, medication, and supplement costs, full access via technology 24/7/365, a comprehensive annual physical exam, and specialist care.
Elevated Health creates a personal experience when it comes to consultations and communication. Our providers are always readily available to chat with patients via phone, email, or text. Soon enough, you’ll start to feel like family!