5 Things to Know about Direct Primary Care

Dr. Matt was recently featured in an online interview about direct primary care! Here are the five things the article shared about DPC:

1. DPC docs foster an enduring doctor-patient relationship

   Instead of seeing up to 30 patients a day, DPC providers typically see less than 10. “A lot of medicine can be done electronically,” says Dr. Matt, who has capped his practice at 450 patients. “I know all my patients by name. I have time for them,” he says. “I probably interact with about 20 patients a day when you factor in the electronic communication.”

   The longer appointments in the DPC model allow time for discussions between a physician and patient that encompass lifestyle choices with the aim of long-term health and well-being

2. DPC is growing and DOs are joining in

   In the past decade, the DPC model has grown from just 21 practices to over 1,000 practices in 49 states that care for an estimated 500,000 patients, according to the Direct Primary Care Coalition (DPCC), an advocacy group.

3. Efforts are underway to enhance DPC

   The AOA supports the DPC model, and urged Congress at DO Day on Capitol Hill last week to support a Primary Care Enhancement Act (PCEA) that includes a DPC model which would allow physicians to provide health care to the full extent of their scope of practice, including providing diagnostic services and dispensing prescription drugs.

4. DPC offers upfront pricing

   At Elevated Health in Huntington Beach, California, patients pay an average of $75 monthly. This includes same- and next-day visits, 30-60 minute appointments, and the ability to call, email, text or video chat with a physician 24/7.

   Elevated Health offers patients free diagnostic EKG and spirometry testing, as well as procedures such as laceration repair, skin lesion removal and ear lavage. Labs, medications and imaging are available to patients at contracted wholesale prices.

5. DPC embraces the ‘quadruple aim of medicine’

   The triple aim of medicine—to enhance the patient experience, improve population health and reduce health care costs—is well-documented, says Dr. Abinante, but he and other DPC providers are focused on “the quadruple aim of medicine,” which acknowledges that improving the work-life balance of physicians is necessary in order for the other three aims to happen.

This blog post was shortened for this website. The full, original article was published here.

About the Author

Matthew Abinante is a board-certified family physician providing direct primary care to patients of all ages. Offering excellent care, diagnosis, and techniques, he continually participates in educational opportunities to best serve his patients. Working in Huntington Beach, he analyzes common aches and pains, proposes innovative treatment plans, and provides specialized services for each individual patient. 

After excelling for years, Matthew received his DO and MPH from Touro University in Vallejo, CA. Matthew completed his residency training at PIH Health Hospital in Downey, CA, where he became a board-certified and trusted family physician who values patient-doctor relationships and clear communication.