Why Choose a Direct Primary Care Provider?
Modern medicine has lost touch with what matters most—you, the patient. Too often, I hear critiques of traditional medicine that I wholeheartedly agree with. Critiques like:
- My doctor spent more time looking at the computer screen than me
- My doctor only spent ten minutes in the room
- My doctor didn’t do a physical exam
- My doctor only listened for two minutes before prescribing a medication
Any of those sound familiar? My heart aches every time an astute patient correctly points out such observations. Two emotions come to my mind. The first is that I’ve failed my patients. The second is that my hands are tied because the system is too big to change.
Looking at the problem from this frame of mind is a fast track to burnout. Why did I spend twelve years of my life training to become a doctor? What went wrong? I didn’t go into medicine to feel this way. More importantly, my patients deserve better.
There’s another way to look at the situation—one with a creative mindset. I said on the home page that Integrate Internal Medicine believes there is a better way to provide you with the care you deserve. It takes a bit of bravery. It takes a partnership, knowing that we can bring about a better system where doctors don’t burnout in the first five years and where patients can develop a lifelong trusting relationship with their doctor.
Think about this for a second. When the financial exchange is between you and your insurance company and then between your insurance company and your doctor, the insurance company is the gatekeeper. They set the prices, they dictate what care you can and cannot receive, how care is delivered, and everything in between. They incentivize and regulate to maximize their own profits.
When the exchange is directly between you and your doctor, you enter a partnership with shared values. We work together, aligning goals, to improve your health. This care model enables me to provide comprehensive care by whatever means works best for you! Suddenly phone calls, video visits, text messaging, and even house calls are available! We can spend more time during each visit getting to the heart of the issue, rather than limiting our conversation to a single chief complaint. We can even focus on diet, lifestyle, emotional and mental health, which are often dismissed in our current healthcare paradigm.
By joining Integrate Internal Medicine, you are joining a practice where you matter individually. Let’s get back to what matters most—you!
We’d love to care for you. Learn more about becoming a member of our practice here.
