Direct primary care (DPC) limits the number of patients physicians serve. Some people think this concept is trendy, complicated, or “only for the rich.”
Members-only practices go by many titles: private medicine, membership medicine, direct primary care, primary private medicine, concierge medicine, and cash-only practice. But are all membership-based practice types the same?
Let’s explore how traditional medical practices operate, compare direct primary care vs. concierge medicine, and explain what it means for you, the patient.
Breaking Down Practice Types
Although they share some elements, medical practices vary in structure, services provided, and payment requirements.
Today’s patient understands that membership-based care is a departure from traditional care. But many believe the main difference is simply who accepts insurance vs. who doesn’t.
However, today’s medical practices exist across a spectrum of offerings. Traditional medical practice is at one end of the spectrum; direct primary care is at the other. Concierge care is mid-spectrum.
At Priority Physicians, many are surprised to find out we actually practice direct primary care and not concierge medicine.
We aim to help you find the best type of care for you and your family and get the most out of your relationship with your physician. Our model empowers each individual to be much more involved in their healthcare.
Traditional Insurance-Based Practice
In traditional care, if you’ve seen one practice, you’ve seen them all.
The patient’s insurance plan largely covers traditional care services. After the visit, the doctor’s office bills the patient’s insurance plan.
But traditional healthcare is “sick care”: The doctor gets paid only when you’re ill. Keeping you healthy and out of the doctor’s office isn’t in the practice’s best interest.
Another failing of today’s standard healthcare system is that it doesn’t allow time for the most effective level of patient care.
Each physician in the system is typically responsible for 2,500 patients or more. Unsurprisingly, patients often wait a few weeks to see their doctor. And when they do, the doctor normally devotes less than 20 minutes per visit.
Of course, not all traditional care doctors are alike, but they all operate within similar systems and deliver much of the same patient experience. They’re subject to the guidelines of insurance companies, the government, and their own healthcare structure, which constrains how they treat, prescribe, and charge for their services.
Membership-Based Medicine
In membership medicine models, if you’ve seen one practice, you’ve seen one practice.
Each membership-based practice is unique. These practices are generally owned by physicians, not by large organizations with many administrators. Therefore, each practice determines how it operates and serves its patients.
It’s a myth that both direct primary care and concierge medicine are “wealthy medicine” just for the rich. Some practices offer less and therefore charge a lower amount (in the range of $1,200 per year), while higher-end practices offer a wider range of services and take a more preventive approach to your health.
Here’s a quick comparison of direct primary care vs. concierge medicine:
Concierge Medicine
Concierge practice is a hybrid of traditional and DPC medicine, clearly defined by the government.
Every member of a concierge clinic pays a membership fee and might pay a copay when they visit their physician. The clinic bills your insurance and must follow all insurance and government guidelines.
The membership fee pays for services not covered by insurance. It also allows patients faster access to their concierge doctor and more personalized attention and treatment than traditional care.
Direct Primary Care
The direct primary care (DPC) model shares elements of concierge medicine, but the practice does not work with insurance. Instead, it charges the patient (or member) directly.
Because our patient panel is much smaller than in traditional healthcare, we develop close relationships with our clients. We offer high-service/high-touch care synced to the patient’s unique needs, not an insurance company’s playbook.
Within this very direct relationship, the patient and doctor view the patient’s needs intensively and holistically. This means that, besides focusing on the standard care that most insurance-based doctors do, we also address priorities beyond what an insurance company deems valuable.
Perhaps a patient plans to run a marathon or wants to stay healthy for an upcoming extended vacation. With direct primary care, we’re free to offer extra support as our patients pursue unique goals and wishes.
Why We Champion Direct Primary Care
Priority Physicians believes the best way for doctor and patient to align is through a DPC approach, resulting in happier patients and happier doctors:
Happier Patients
DPC members experience:
- Better access: DPC eliminates barriers between patients and their doctors. Because I have a small patient panel, I can see a patient in need quickly — sometimes within a few hours of hearing from them.
- Greater attention: If I spend an hour with a patient discussing their long-term health and wellness goals, I can help them more effectively than if I allot only a few minutes per visit, as physicians working within traditional practices do.
- Thorough care: I develop individual relationships with each member. These relationships allow me to anticipate their needs and provide an unparalleled level of care. I can easily conduct research and consult directly with specialists as needed to develop the best treatment paths for my patients.
- Strong, trusting relationships: I’m very close to my small panel of patients. They know they can contact us 24 hours a day.
Happier Doctors
DPC is not just a great way for patients to get healthcare — it’s a great way for doctors to give healthcare. And invariably, a healthy, happy doctor is better for patients.
Our physicians enjoy the following benefits:
- Rewarding interactions: We get to know our patients like family and value our close interactions with them.
- Job satisfaction: Every doctor wants to avoid burnout and find meaning in their work. DPC practice lets us design our service slate to ensure we add the greatest value for patients.
- Greater professionalism: In direct primary care, working on challenging cases is rewarding. I have the time to research complex illnesses or medical situations, learn from a network of subspecialists, and try new approaches that benefit patients.
- Work/life balance: DPC practice gives me more control over my workday and better balance in my home life. I can be home by 5:30 p.m. for dinner with my family. In a traditional healthcare system, I’d still see patients after 5:00 and spend the rest of the night catching up on appointment notes and wading through insurance documentation.
Choose Your Healthcare Carefully
You control the quality of care you and your family receive.
Weigh the pros and cons of direct primary care vs. concierge medicine. Choose a practice where you can build a trusted relationship with a thoughtful, caring physician who is always attentive to your needs.
Priority Physicians proudly offers direct primary care. Get in touch with us, and we’ll help design a care path customized to your health goals.
