With the older population of Americans steadily increasing along with the demand for primary care physicians, we at Total Access Medical are firm believers that direct primary care movement is not just a phase. Patients who belong to these kind of practices experience better care for less money while physicians experience stronger relationships with their patients and little overhead costs due to no insurance. But for patients unfamiliar with direct primary care, the concept may be confusing.
In an study published last week entitled, “Direct Primary Care: Practice Distribution and Cost Across the Nation,” Philip Eskew, DO, JD, MBA and Kathleen Klink, MD, document, research and analyze Concierge Medical Practices and Direct Primary Care (DPC) practices spanning across the United States. Topics include: the stigma associated with the term "concierge," a distinction between the various healthcare models, an explanation of why DPC is growing in today’s medical world, and an an analysis of how it meets the basic desires of both physicians and patients and how it is priced across the U.S.
As the number of older Americans continues to grow significantly, many are facing problems finding physicians who are trained and experienced in treating the health problems that become more common with age. To make matters worse, the U.S. will face a shortage of between 46,000 - 90,000 physicians by 2025. But, there is a way to win during this inevitable doctor shortage and that is with direct primary care (DPC). With more and more direct primary care practices opening up across the country, you can have easier access to your doctor, longer appointments, same day appointments, and coordination of care when you travel.
There’s a great deal of information you need to understand when you or a loved one makes the transition from the hospital to home after inpatient treatment. Returning home can result in unexpected challenges for older adults and many struggle to manage their medications, schedule follow-up appointments and obtain in-home care. Consequently, patients are unable to successfully make the transition and return to the hospital.
If there's one thing I've learned in my years of marketing for direct primary care (DPC) practices, it's that people don't really understand that it's NOT about price. So, here's a list of six items every patient should understand about direct primary care:
Remember, your personal wellness plan is supposed to encourage you, not defeat you. Here's how to make sure it helps instead of hurts.
