What is a “direct primary care” practice and what are the benefits?
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Traditional Medical Practice
Think about your typical process for medical care and doctors office experience in the traditional health system:
• booked far in the future.
• phone trees to get a hold of anyone, if you do at all.
• re-telling your story to each new stranger you talk to along the day.
• greeted with “license and registration, please” and “your co-pay is …”
• long wait times in packed waiting rooms.
• short visits with the physician (or NP/PA), maybe one you never even met before.
• surprise bill in a few months, some of which is declined by insurance. This is in addition to your co-pay for each visit!
• limited access to follow up on the issues addressed.
In traditional health systems, did you know:
• family physicians are tasked with caring for 2,000-3,500+ patients.
• Patients wait an average of 29 days out from their scheduled appointment with a doctor.
• Physicians spend, on average, 7.4 minutes of face-to-face time with the patient.
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Direct Primary Care Practice
The ROW Health Co. is a direct primary care (DPC) wellness collective including primary care +. The limited number of memberships offered allows for more “country doc” style medical care, where you have exceptional wellness care and superb access to the doctor so you get the care you need and when you need it.
We believe that long wait times, poor accessibility to your doctor, the dreaded phone tree when calling, as well as co-payments, insurance hassles, and unpredictable, mystery bills from insurers are deterrents to seeking medical care.
DPC is a health care model that creates transparency in prices and lower costs, as we remove the “middle men” (i.e. layers of administration and staff and insurance companies dictating care). The ROW Health Co. wants to provide the exceptional care free of the insurance-dictated rules.
At The ROW Health Co. you will be a part of an exceptional family practice where the physician only cares for a maximum of a few hundred patients (not thousands). This provides a direct relationship truly focused on health + care, the way it should be!
The video below explains this Health Care Revolution.
Direct Primary Care (DPC): A Healthcare Revolution
THE BENEFITS
Members can contact Dr. Tornberg at any time via by text, email, phone, video-chat, or in-person allowing quick and easy access.
Same day or next day appointments
We respect your time and busy day. Therefore, there is no waiting room because there should be no wait
Longer appointments (60+ minutes, if needed)
Smaller number of patients = more personalized care
Transparent, upfront pricing
No Co-pay or deductible worries
Hassle-free primary care
House calls, if needed.*
We are working on discounted pricing for medications, labs, an imaging as well!
THE REASON
Better Health Outcomes
Patients achieve superior health outcomes with Direct Primary Care's innovative service delivery. DPCs provide better access to physicians, empower an authentic therapeutic relationship, and comprehensive patient care.
Lower Costs
Affordable, transparent costs based on a periodic flat-rate membership fee. Patients pay for their care directly to the physician. No third parties or Fee for Service billing ("FFS") to inflate costs.
In addition, with the exceptional medical care always, your doctor is available when you truly need her, addressing the issue quickly, in turn avoiding additional urgent care/ED and/or specialty care, if possible.
Enhanced Patient Experience
Patients receive unrestrictive access to their healthcare physician, report little to no wait time, and longer appointments (in person, virtually, or phone). In turn, creating a real therapeutic relationship between patient and physician.
Medical care how it is supposed to be.
The current model of medical practice is broken. The model of Direct Primary Care (DPC) is the answer to this by providing meaningful change.
It is supported by the American Academy of Family Physicians and Washington State Legislature.
Below are some excellent links further explaining DPC:
AAFP Advocacy Focus: Direct Primary Care (DPC)
AAFP: Direct Primary Care. Delivering Exceptional Care. On Your Terms. “DPC is about focusing our attention, time, and effort on caring for our patients - directly, without oversight from nonmedical administrators, using evidence-based guidelines individualized for the circumstances of each patient.” - DPC Family Physician
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