Why Employers Should Choose Direct Primary Care

Studies show that, on average, a direct primary care (DPC) member has 59 percent fewer emergency room visits, spends 30 percent fewer days in a hospital, and is referred to specialists 62 percent less often than a similarly situated patient in a traditional primary care practice. As an employer, you should pay close attention to these statistics. Why? By proactively supporting the health of your employees, you can reduce absenteeism, increase productivity, and enhance engagement – all of which can improve your bottom line. What’s more, health care is probably your company’s biggest expense after payroll, which means – like it or not – you are also in the health care business.

What Is Direct Primary Care?

DPC is an alternative to traditional fee-for-service insurance billing. Without having to meet the burdensome requirements imposed by third-party insurers, a DPC practice has less administrative paperwork to process, and therefore can be supported by a smaller patient panel than a traditional primary care practice. As a result, the doctor is able to spend more quality time with each patient.

Doctor-Patient Facetime Matters

Many patients are frustrated with the traditional health care system, and it’s easy to understand why. For the considerable amount of time and effort that a patient must invest in seeking health care, he or she receives very little in return.

According to recent research findings published in the American Journal of Managed Care, every time a patient seeks health care in a traditional primary care setting, he or she must allocate an average of 121 minutes to the task, including approximately 37 minutes of travel time and 87 minutes spent at the doctor’s office. Significantly, of those 87 minutes spent at the office, only 8-12 involve facetime with a doctor – which is less than 10 percent of the total amount of time the patient invests in seeking health care. It’s no wonder that more and more people are simply not going to the doctor, and their health is suffering as a result.

At Optimum Direct Care, a DPC practice in Orlando, FL, our patients have a vastly different experience. In addition to same-day (or next-day) in-office appointment availability, our doctors provide unrestricted telemedicine consultations via voice, video conferencing, and SMS text. And, regardless of how a patient chooses to consult with us, the patient will never feel rushed. All of our health care services are provided in a relaxed setting in which patient questions are welcomed and encouraged.

Employers Benefit, Too

By choosing DPC as a health benefits offering, your employees will clearly benefit – and so will your company. Many employers find that DPC is a convenient way to ensure quality care, enhance employee health, and provide a competitive advantage for recruitment and retention purposes.

If you’d like to make DPC available to your employees in the Orlando, FL, area, contact Optimum Direct Care for more information.