The ColoHealth Health & Wealth Newsletter
May 2022
Vol. 12, Issue 10
How Direct Primary Care (DPC) has Single-Handedly Reversed a Nationwide Exodus of Family Physicians
While traditional primary care practices are suffering huge losses, DPC practices are thriving
As American healthcare consumers, it’s easy to believe that we are the only ones being bullied, neglected, and ripped off. Every year, we pay more and more for health insurance, and yet we seem to be getting less and less in return.
Maybe it’s the hospitals trying desperately to keep their prices a secret. Or maybe it’s the American Medical Association constantly lobbying to limit the number of working physicians. Or could it be the fact that a significant portion of our E.R. rooms are being staffed by private equity companies?
But consumers aren’t the only ones being fleeced. Across the country, doctors and physicians are starting to realize just how badly they have it under the current system. Overworked and undervalued, our medical professionals are calling it quits at record rates.
Fortunately, a new hero has emerged for patients and doctors alike. It’s called Direct Primary Care, and it’s already reversing these alarming trends.
Sparked by COVID, Interest in Direct Primary Care Continues to Surge
Direct Primary Care, or “DPC”, is an alternative healthcare model. Patients pay a flat monthly or quarterly fee to a DPC facility in exchange for unrestricted access to a primary care physician.
For the patients, the benefits are clear. It’s easier to get appointments, there’s no copays, and you get to spend more time with your doctor (up to 50% more, according to most estimates).
But patients aren’t the only ones that are coming around to DPC. Family physicians, burned out by the unreasonable grind of traditional healthcare, are switching to DPCs as a last-ditch measure to restore their love for healthcare.
And it’s working.
Why DPC is Working for Doctors
Under the existing healthcare regime, profit is king, and that means maximizing client intake and minimizing medical staff. This system has not only made our doctor’s appointments shorter and harder to get, but it’s also making physicians more distracted and less likely to feel good about their work.
Instead of developing meaningful relationships with their patients, doctors are spending around 20 hours per week on paperwork and administrative tasks. Tell me, do you think there’s a single doctor or physician in this country who got into medicine for the love of paperwork?
No. They became doctors to help people. And Direct Primary Care is making that easier, simple as that. DPC physicians are already reporting:
- Higher job satisfaction
- Improved patient relationships
- Less time spent on admin tasks
- Decreased practice overhead
- Simplified revenue structures
Here’s an easy question: Who are you more likely to entrust your health to, a doctor who loves their job, or one that is burned out, distracted, and actively incentivized to spend as little time with you as possible?
Is Direct Primary Care the Right Fit?
It’s important to remember that DPC memberships do not cover hospitalization or ER costs. While highly affordable (~$100 per month), DPC is usually not enough to cover a person’s overall healthcare needs.
But when paired with a lot-cost emergency health plan, it can be a viable option for a lot of people. If you’d like to learn more, head over to our blog.
Our position
We support patient access to alternative healthcare models, and physician choice to provide care through these models. The concept of DPC is aligned with Colohealth’s ongoing mission of supporting healthcare freedom nationwide.
To Your Health and Wealth,
Wiley P. Long III
President- ColoHealth
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