How Does Direct Primary Care Differ From Traditional Primary Care?

In the traditional fee-for-service, insurer-billed healthcare industry, burdensome insurance company requirements are leaving many primary care physicians crunched for time. That’s one reason why quality facetime with a doctor – that lasts longer than a few fleeting minutes – is becoming increasingly hard to come by. This is leading many people to wonder if a close and trusted doctor-patient relationship is now nothing more than a fondly remembered relic of a bygone era.

Enter Direct Primary Care (DPC)

In an effort to find a more meaningful way to practice medicine – and what they actually envisioned when they started medical school – some physicians are rejecting the traditional primary care model in favor of the more patient-friendly DPC model. Rather than charging a separate fee for each service provided, a DPC doctor offers all-inclusive primary health care services in exchange for a flat monthly membership fee.*

Studies show that DPC physicians are more likely to follow up with their patients and handle chronic health conditions in a hands-on manner; overall, they tend to spend more time communicating with their patients than their fee-for-service counterparts. What’s more, DPC physicians often make themselves available to their patients during extended hours via telemedicine. Because consultations via voice, videoconferencing, and SMS text are not reimbursable in the standard healthcare paradigm, traditional primary care providers have no financial incentive to spend time interacting with patients outside the office. As a result, most don’t.

More Attentive Care Leads to Better Health

The level of personalized attention that a direct primary care physician is able to provide – which is virtually nonexistent in a traditional primary care setting – leads to greater satisfaction for both patients and physicians, as well as optimum health outcomes.

If you’d like to establish a closer relationship with your primary care physician, consider Optimum Direct Care. Our DPC practice in Orlando, FL, is accepting new patients. Contact us to schedule a free meet-up with our board-certified family practice physicians today.

*It’s important to note that certain healthcare services are not included in a DPC membership, such as hospitalizations and specialist visits. Many patients choose a relatively low-cost, high-deductible insurance plan to cover those services.