Recently, a new healthcare option is growing in popularity, giving Americans more control over their health — direct primary care.
Direct Primary Care (DPC) has become a top choice among healthcare buyers because of its personability. Healthcare providers rave about it because of the time they can spend with their patients. They also praise the fact that healthcare has become more affordable with DPC.
Could direct primary care be a better option for you? Learn three of the reasons you should make the switch.
1. Personalized Healthcare
Direct primary care allows physicians an alternative to traditional insurance billing.
DPC billing charges patients regularly, either monthly, quarterly, or annually. The fee in question covers the primary care services that patients receive. This can include clinical and laboratory services, consultations, coordination of care, and comprehensive care management. This allows doctors to truly tailor care to the patient rather than their budget.
Many healthcare providers have begun to champion DPC because of its “boutique approach”. This option puts patients in control of their health by allowing them to include their doctors in all aspects of their current care and any care they may need in the future.
This healthcare option gives a more personalized feel to doctors and patients as they can navigate illness and health with a single centralized person.
2. More Time with Your Doctor
When you go for a doctor’s visit, it may seem like you spend more time waiting to see the doctor than actually talking to them. Your doctor or specialist usually has a full day of patients to divide their time with, which doesn’t give them much room to truly sit down and answer all the questions in depth.
The beauty of direct primary care is that the healthcare providers participating in this form of care usually have practices with smaller patient lists. This gives them more time to dedicate themselves to you and your family.
With this healthcare option, patients can count on an in-depth physical exam and screenings with their primary care provider. In fact, studies show that the fewer visits a doctor has per week, the better their decision-making.
DPC allows for more convenience on the same day or even next-day appointments. Patients can also communicate with their healthcare provider through multiple channels such as email, phone, text, or video conference, with much quicker response times.
With all this accessibility you now have as a patient, you may also miss less time at work and put your time off toward more exciting activities — truly a win-win.
3. More Affordable Care
Direct Primary Care’s personalized approach is offered at a monthly fee which varies by practice and patient.
DPC also doesn’t benefit from large annual premium increases as traditional healthcare does. Also, with this healthcare, third parties can be cut out entirely by charging on a direct service basis. The cost of a single visit also happens to be lower than the average fee for service.
When DPC is managed as a self-funded healthcare plan, it’s easier to manage. The package is usually more affordable than traditional insurance, especially for those who have high-deductible health insurance plans.
The Bottom Line
If you have longed to feel more like a patient and less like a number when visiting your physician, DPC may be a better option for you. With personalized care, longer office visits, and more annual savings, patients no longer have to take the backseat in their healthcare journey.
DPC is the ideal way to bring back affordable quality healthcare for all. This care restores medicine to its core values — prioritizing patient care over profit.
Author: Mandy Kloppers
Mandy is a qualified therapist who treats depression, anxiety, OCD, PTSD, trauma, and many other types of mental health issues. She provides online therapy around the world for those needing support and also provides relationship counselling.
