Direct Primary Care may be a newer health care model on the scene, but that doesn’t mean it can’t pack some serious punch. And, guess what?
It totally does. DPC is a service that doesn’t fail to have what feels like endless perks for patients and it truly simplifies health care in a meaningful way, especially in today’s day in age. However, one of the largest perks to this service is how much more positive the doctor-patient relationship becomes when patients take advantage of DPC.
In this article, we explore how DPC has a positive effect on doctors and, in turn, patients.
How DPC Makes Doctors Happier & More Effective
Traditional doctor’s practices that work with insurance companies can be chaotic, hectic, and draining for physicians.
These models dictate that doctors must spend a large amount of their time filling out paperwork in reference to insurance, which takes away from the time they can spend with patients focusing on what they love: practicing medicine, helping people, and working with patients to make them healthier and happier.
A 2012 Medscape study found that 46 percent of primary care physicians showed such dissatisfaction with their careers, they wouldn’t pursue medicine if they could choose again, which is a staggering statistic.
The Physicians Foundation noted that a survey showed 60 percent of primary care doctors would not recommend a career in medicine while just six percent described the morale of their colleagues as positive.
Much of doctor’s unhappiness revolves around the fact that they are operating under the rules of an insurance company, who dictate that doctors must meet with a certain quota of patients each day and that they may only spend up to 15 minutes of face time with each individual that they see.
Diamond Physicians reports that doctors spend an average of 7 minutes or less with patients – and data shows that they are likely to be interrupted within 30 seconds This leads to doctors feeling not only overworked, but also ineffective.
In the DPC model, patients are not under the constraints of the insurance company’s demands. Instead, they are operating in a model where they take on less patients so that they can spend quality time with each of them, focusing on providing the best possible care and building relationships.
Doctors in the DPC model do not deal with insurance companies in general, meaning they have much time back to focus on what really matters: their patients.
The bottom line
Clearly, DPC makes for happier doctors who are more effective and readily available to help their patients in the way they need it. Enrolling in DPC gets you access to top quality care from a doctor who cares about what’s really important – you and your family’s health. Learn more about how DPC lets doctors focus on the best care for their patients.