What is Direct Primary Care?
Direct Primary Care (DPC) is an simplified model of healthcare that recreates the fundamental partnership between patient and physician in order to enhance access, improve quality of care, and reduce cost. Care is offered at affordable prices for a flat monthly fee paid by the patient or their employer. By cutting out third party payers, overhead is cut dramatically. This cost savings allows a more reasonable number of patients per provider. Lower patient volumes in turn improve access to your physician and allow responsive scheduling (usually same or next day) as well as direct communication with your physician. Without insurance companies dictating how care is delivered, patients are free to seek treatment via phone, text, email, or telemedicine as they see fit. Unencumbered by insurance requirements, DPC clinics can be more innovative with care delivery including utilizing the most up to date electronic health records and e-consult technologies. Additional benefits to members of a Direct Primary Care practice include wholesale prices on medications dispensed directly from the doctor’s office and dramatically reduced prices on labs.
What Direct Primary Care is Not
Direct Primary Care is not health insurance. Subscribers are encouraged to carry insurance in order to cover costs related to catastrophic or serious illness. Direct Primary Care is not concierge medicine. Direct Primary Care is similar to concierge medicine in that it improves access to your personal physician, but costs are typically lower and no insurance is billed.
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Cost Savings
Direct Primary care saves healthcare dollars. Primary care accounts for just 7% of healthcare spending in the United States. Primary care is not where most of your money is being spent, but a good primary care system can prevent waste in other areas. Better access to your physician, for example, can save you ER visits or unecessary tests ordered by a rushed physician. More time and better communication can help with control of blood pressure and diabetes thereby preventing heart attacks and strokes. More time also allows your doctor to do the things he or she was trained to do without being rushed and being forced to refer you on just because she is out of time. In cases where care is beyond her scope, she can take the time to assess this and appropriately refer you to the best doctor for you.
High Quality
Quality means time with your doctor to meet your needs. It means access and it means continuity. With continuity comes a better understanding of the social, behavioral, environmental, and spiritual determinates of your health. Healthcare is a collaboration between you and your doctor that requires trust that can only be built over time. Finally, quality means doing what we can to serve you. We want your experience at DawnMD to be hassle free and focused on healing.
High Value
At DawnMD, value comes in the form of access to the many skills that come with a broad family medicine training. Dr. Jones enjoys the procedural aspect of patient care and is confident in minor procedures such as laceration repairs, mole removals, circumcisions, joint injections, and more. These procedures come at high cost in a traditional practice, but are largely included in membership with us. With sufficient time, 80-90% of your healthcare needs can be met in our office.