What Draws Local Doctors Towards Direct Primary Care – What Options Do You Have?
Given the constant changes in the healthcare system and a series of measures that don’t seem to benefit doctors or patients, the necessity of a new system has become obvious over the past few years. That’s when direct primary care kicks in – an ideal solution for underpaid doctors and a more convenient option for patients. Simply put, doctors earn more money and skip third party reimbursements, while patients benefit for a more personalized service and faster care.
Sometimes referred to as concierge medicine, direct primary care is quickly gaining popularity all over the world. Thousands of professionals turn to this option every year. What does this mean for patients? Easy – same day visits, immediate care, individualized treatments and a more prompt response. Simply put, the two most important parts of the system – the patient and the doctor – benefit at the same time. It’s a win-win situation that clears a series of inconveniences in the current medical system.
Healing a Weakened System
Direct primary care can potentially solve multiple problems in this system. In fact, there are numerous examples that support this fact. For example, doctors who handled thousands of patients take care of 90% less people for more money. As for patients, they are no longer treated like numbers, but they gain more time with their doctors for faster and more efficient treatments. Basically, it looks like a perfect scenario for everyone.
On the specialist side, direct primary care will inevitably reduce the economic burden on doctors. It will allow doctors to handle up to 10 times less patients in their clinic. They gain more time, so the working environment is friendlier and more efficient. At the same time, doctors are paid directly by patients based on their charges, rather than the maximum premiums from insurance companies. Simply put, for a doctor, this system means less work and more money.
When it comes to patients, they gain greater access to their doctors. It’s no longer a procedure based on speed and numbers. Instead, doctors can properly analyze their patients and assess their needs, but also practice medicine responsibly. Patients usually gain immediate consultations, round the clock access to their doctors, long office visits, same day appointments, free basic evaluations and even direct contact with their specialists through phone or email.
Both parts gain a major common advantage – the possibility to overcome the bureaucracy that literally asphyxiates the medical system. Patients have to wait for days to see their doctors, while doctors are underpaid and limited in their practice. Forget about wasteful bureaucracy and paperwork. There were many news in the media related to dramatic situations that could’ve been prevented by a less bureaucratic system.
Redefining the Bureaucratic Aspect
The bureaucratic aspect is defined, redefined, changed and updated on a regular basis. Laws and regulations change every once in a while. Instead of becoming simpler, it turns out to be more overwhelming than ever. Who’s responsible for it? Two parts.
First, the government has obviously failed at perfecting this system – a vital component of the national living standard. There’s not much for individuals to do if the system is against them. Second, insurance companies have made it even more complicated.
As a doctor, you’ll no longer have to chase insurance companies, provide lots of proof and even face refusals when trying to get the money you deserve. If you’re on the other side, you certainly don’t want to call today and get an appointment in a couple of weeks just because your doctor is overwhelmed.
Forget about reaching to an insurance quote website, completing 45 minutes forms and struggling to reach the customer service when you need help. Instead, patients deal with doctors directly. Whether they pay premiums or yearly rates, there will always be solutions to ensure a more practical collaboration in the long run.
What Makes Direct Primary Care a Must
There are more reasons wherefore direct primary care is a must. The above mentioned changes represent the most obvious upgrades. There are numerous studies and research observations based on the current medical profession.
It seems that 80% of all doctors are dissatisfied and disappointed whenever they need to deal with an insurance company. Just under 70% of them claim that medical facilities are slowly losing their clinical autonomy. There is also no compensation for quality, while the doctor-patient relationship is drastically altered.
Although the medical industry is said to be on a rise based on statistics, the truth is that more and more doctors feel left behind. Some of them are overwhelmed, so they start working in the private sector. Some others lose interest in their jobs, which means they find their careers dull and less likely to advance.
Conclusion
As a short final conclusion, direct medical care has answers to a plethora of problems raised by an ill medical system, hence the popularity of this change.
