I did it, I used AI for the first time and I asked the program “What are the major complaints about primary care?”. If we can identify the problem, maybe we can fix it. This AI program listed 10 issues.
- Long wait times: both for appointments and in the waiting room leading to frustration.
- Lack of time with the Doctor: 15 minutes anyone?
- Poor communication: In and out of office.
- Difficulty reaching the doctor: Call centers, office staff and sending messages on the computer?
- Inadequate follow-up: “Lets recheck in a week” but next available appointment 7 months.
- Limited availability: see above
- Insurance and Billing issues: its all in a code that no one teaches
- Staff Issues: Stressed to the limit, they begin to lash out
- Feeling like a number: Well…yeah, you are.
- Lack of empathy: The system will wear down almost everyone given time.
So, what if I told you there is an easy solution to all this? It’s simple; limit the number of patients in the primary care practice. Limiting the number of patients in a practice improves all these issues by nearly eliminating the time constraints that burden traditional medical practices. Imagine no wait times, long office appointments, direct communication with the physician as needed and easy scheduling for follow-up. Suddenly, you don’t feel like a number and realize that someone actually knows you, has empathy, and cares about your health and well being.
This is the direct care model, a model that is gaining momentum in the USA. It’s not new but it is offering a return to the core values of medicine and the Doctor-patient relationship. Patients and physicians in Direct Care practices rave about the experience, describing it as far superior to common primary care practice.
So what’s the down side? Simply that it’s a new financial model that doesn’t accept the dysfunctional medical insurance industry. It’s an added cost to your medical finances. If it was covered by insurance, no-one would practice in the current traditional primary care model; no-one likes it! Direct care is not perfect; it does not replace insurance which you will need for labs, imaging, referrals and and direct hospital encounter. But easy access reduces costs by avoiding frequent co-pays, urgent care visits, etc… Additionally, some people opt for high deductible insurance to offset costs. Monthly subscriptions vary but generally run in the range of your cell phone bill or a nice dinner out once a month.
