When you go in for a visit with your primary care doctor, do you sit in the crowded waiting room for an unannounced amount of time? Does the staff seem overworked? Does your doctor seem flustered? Is he/she rushed to move on to the next patient? Well, these are all typical complaints of today's primary care system.
In the era of increasing regulatory oversight, more physicians are considering the direct primary care model as an alternative method of practice.
How much does the average American pay for healthcare every year? And, would enrolling with a direct primary care practice save Americans more money?
It has been studied that patients enrolled in direct primary care experience a 50% reduction in emergency department visits, specialist visits, advance radiologic testing, and surgical procedures compared to patients enrolled in traditional primary care. The only number that increased is the number office visits, which more than doubled from an average of 2 visits to an average of 4 visits per year. Moreover, patients enjoy an improvement in health outcomes while saving on overall health expenditures when compared to those navigating the traditional health insurance system.
In previous blog posts I detailed the current state of primary care in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. In those two states, the demand for primary care physicians is surpassing supply, leading to worry amongst government regulators and healthcare professionals. In New York, the demand isn't projected to be quite as high but the effects on consumers remains the same.
Many employees consider health insurance coverage their most important benefit. In fact, many employees believe health benefits are nearly as important as salary. Health insurance isn’t the sexiest of benefits, but it’s probably the most valuable. A catastrophic health problem can bankrupt even someone making a six-figure salary, and unpaid medical bills were the leading cause of U.S. bankruptcies last year.
A new health care model is growing in popularity across the country. Frustrated by insurance complexities, endless paperwork and limited face-to-face time with patients, physicians are abandoning the traditional primary care model for a newer, more direct form of primary care. It's called direct primary care and it has the potential to significantly improve and possibly save modern health care.
Direct primary care completely abandons insurance billing, which has caused unnecessary agony amongst all primary care physicians. In replacement of insurance, patients pay a pre-set monthly fee regardless of the number of monthly visits or other encounters the patient has with the physician.
Are you looking for a doctor who suits your personal health needs? Finding the right doctor isn't easy. When you put your life in someone else's hands, you need to feel confident that this doctor has enough smarts, qualifications, and skills to give you the care you deserve. And besides, you could be starting one of the most important professional relationships you ever have.
Doctors practice in an environment where treating patients with insensitivity and impatience has become the norm, and they are forced to spend an hour per day on insurance paperwork. According to the Wall Street Journal article titled, "Why Doctors Are Sick of Their Profession," there is a growing discontent among physicians due to insurance and administrative overhead causing rushed visits and ultimately, a growing number of dissatisfied patients. As doctor and patient dissatisfaction escalates, satisfaction within American health care system slowly deteriorates.
Are you thinking about making the transition to direct primary care? Here's what you should know before making the leap.
