To He** With Traditional Healthcare! Move Over, There Is Something Better!

The Story…

Well, YES, I did say it! To Hell With Traditional Healthcare! This week I am going to diverge from The Power of Yes In Innovation, to a project that I have witnessed come to life over the past couple of years.

As many of you know, I spent some time as Chief Innovation Officer at Xavier University. I helped to create and start up the Xavier Center for Innovation. During this time I met one of the most innovative and amazing doctors, Dr. Amy Mechley, MD.

Dr. Amy has a passion and desire to see things done differently in patient care. If you read my blog, It Never Ends…The Journey To The Consumer,  I spoke about “humanizing” health care again. This is a passion for Dr. Amy and her partner, Dr. Eleanor Glass.  I am excited to say the time has come –  they are launching their practice here in Cincinnati – Integrative Family Care.

For the past couple of years, I have spent time talking, ideating, and learning so much about this concept known as Direct Primary Care or DPC.  I will get into this more in a bit – but here is a quick definition from their website:

Direct Primary Care is a simpler way of delivering primary care. It’s an old-fashioned model with a twist. You pay your doctor a monthly fee and that’s it. All your visits are included. And best of all you have quick access with no more three week wait for an appointment.  You have a quick question? Just text me. Not sure if you really need to come in? We can videochat.

Yes! It really is that simple! All of that is included and more. Just go see for yourself! 

What I Learned And What You Can Learn…

WOW! I have learned so much about this concept – it is almost impossible to share it all. Here is a new info-graph our team help put together to explain exactly what Direct Primary Care is and how it works:

Five Key Elements:

• My Doc, Right Away – In the DPC model you see, talk to, or video chat with your doctor within 24 – 48 hours. There are many times that it is even faster. Imagine that! A model focused on the patient and not on the system.
• Saves Me Money – This is a fee-based model. You pay a single monthly fee. No more hidden costs! Full transparency! Yes, you really do take the middle man out.
• My Choice: Text, Video, Email – Care the way I as a patient desire it. Imagine a parent with a sick child. You no longer have to take the child into the office to expose them to more germs. You can have your visit over video, and best of all, it is HIPAA secured.
• Longer Appointments – I don’t know about you, but I am sick of having to rush through appointments with my doctor that starts an hour late. Imagine being able to sit and discuss not only my issues for today but my overall well-being. Or, what if the whole family could come in one visit! Consumer-patient friendly care!
• Family Docs – Isn’t this what care was supposed to be? My whole family is covered and our well-being is at the center of the healthcare experience – not a financially motivated system trying to get their money. Real authentic care! I’m in for this!

What You And I Can Do…

Try it. See if it is for you and your family. Research to see if you have any Direct Primary Care physicians in your area. For so long we have been asking for transparency, authenticity, and humanization of health care. I believe this is the way.

Is it perfect? Probably not. But, is it better than anything I have seen out there? Absolutely! If you have questions, send me a note to Dr. Amy, Dr. Eleanor, or myself. We believe in this and we are ready to see the face of health care change!