An increasing number of doctors are moving toward a new health care business model called direct primary care.
Direct Primary Care is more personalized, cost-effective, and intimate than traditional practice systems while still meeting industry standards for excellence in terms of quality patient outcomes. But we all know switching to a new kind of doctor-patient relationship can be full of uncertainties. How can you know if concierge medicine is right for you?
Link Primary has put together a helpful guide that goes over the basics of direct primary care in St. Louis. If you have further questions after reading this article, give our office a call.
What is Direct Primary Care?
Direct primary care is a membership-based approach to healthcare that packages all appointments for a monthly fee. In exchange for this membership fee, doctors then agree to provide enhanced medical care, including low wait times and increased availability for each patient.
A concierge doctor treats wealthy patients who could afford very high annual fees. However, with direct primary care, the same practice has become more affordable. At Link Primary Care, you’ll be able to receive annual physicals, reasonably-priced lab tests, and discounted prescriptions with a membership subscription.
How Does Direct Primary Care Work?
A direct primary care doctor offers personalized care and direct patient access. Our physicians are part of a private practice, which limits the number of patients they are responsible for. Your typical hospital doctor might see 10 times the number of patients our doctors do. The direct primary care approach also reduces the time spent on paperwork related to insurance payouts. This saved time translates to lower patient costs.
Our doctors can do whatever a primary care physician can, including administering lab tests and annual physical exams. Additionally, we typically provide diagnostic screenings and minor urgent medical care services such as stitches or treatment for minor skin conditions. However, our doctors cannot offer several specialized treatments or principal medical procedures such as surgery, but we can refer patients to these qualified specialists.
Education and Training
A direct primary care doctor completes training and licensing just like a doctor you would see through a standard insurance network. Our education and training include:
· A four-year college degree
· Four years of medical school
· Three to eight years of graduate medical education in the form of an internship
· Elective one-year fellowships after residency, which can provide opportunities to specialize or receive supplementary CAQs (Certificated of Added Qualifications).
Five Benefits of Direct Primary Care
Not only does direct primary care provide many of the same benefits as a typical doctor, but this type of healthcare offers unique bonuses, which many patients prefer. Some of the benefits you enjoy from working with our team include:
· A More Personal Relationship with Your Primary Care Physician
Direct primary care doctors do not see as many patients as other doctors. Thus, they can spend more time with each individual and schedule more time for patient appointments. During a typical visit, our doctor interacts directly with patients, getting to know them and their specific health conditions. You can trust your doctor to vigilantly monitor, assess, and treat your health with personalized attention.
· Full Care Management
Direct primary care medical practices come with several perks. Our St. Louis office is equipped with state-of-the-art equipment and on-site family physicians. This benefit makes receiving diagnostic testing more manageable, and the team members are in charge of coordinating personal care.
· Early Diagnosis
Most patients schedule an appointment with their traditional doctor when they are ill or require a prescription refill. Since a direct primary care doctor has fewer patients than other physicians, they can see their patients more often. Between the time spent and the time physicians invest in getting to know their patients’ lifestyles, medical history, and symptoms, a diagnosis may come quickly. Furthermore, there are no time-consuming insurance hoops that may delay treatment.
· Fewer Unexpected Costs
Medical care services you would typically receive in a primary care visit, such as physicals and preventive screenings, are already covered by the membership fee your pay for concierge services. Therefore, you will not need to cover the cost(s) for each personal visit.
· Affordable Services
Controlled by a complex list of rules and regulations, the conventional medical system prevents or delays patients’ getting the care they need. People have been forced to pay high premiums for health insurance while receiving low-quality medical care. Direct primary care medicine seeks to overcome these problems by making medical care readily available and affordable for all.
Who Should Consider This Type of Healthcare?
Direct primary care offers you personalized, accessible care. If you are willing to pay for enhanced personal care, you should consider this type of health care. With the direct financial relationship you have with your doctor, you can access direct primary care whenever you want. Moreover, you can make same-day appointments with little or no waiting. Additionally, this relationship reduces the role of the insurance company in setting coverage limits.
Membership fees cover routine consultations and accompanying services, including high blood pressure checks, standard lab work procedures, and pelvic checks. However, you will have to pay out-of-pocket for additional services like vaccines and prescriptions. Health insurance does not indemnify direct primary care payments. If you cannot cover the cost, consider having your employer cater for the cost. The cost of direct primary care is not covered by Medicare or insurance. You cater for your health cost and still keep health insurance to cover tests, specialists, or hospitalization expenses.
Consult the Trusted Direct Primary Care Physicians in St. Louis
Are you tired of rushed doctor’s visits, long waiting room sits, and a string of on-hold transfers when you try to contact your traditional doctor’s office? Well, you are not alone. With direct primary care at Link Primary Care in St. Louis, MO, rest assured you will receive the exact opposite. You are not an appointment; you are an individual. Our healthcare professionals are known for our patient and empathetic approach to medical care. We exist to provide you with direct primary care wherever you are and whenever you need it. If you want to schedule an immediate appointment, contact our office, and our staff will book you. Similarly, if you wish to consult with our direct primary care physicians, feel free to contact us or chat with us via our website.
