By DPC Journal Staff
SEPTEMBER 16, 2015 – Published and designed by Staff at Concierge Medicine Today and its research arm, the Concierge Medicine Research Collective, along with their sister publication, The Direct Primary Care Journal, have combined interviews, surveys and polling data to help describe the various nuances of each of these growing healthcare sectors in their own right.
Not every physician will choose Ideal Medical Practice environments, Direct Primary Care models or even choose to work within a Concierge Medical program. Over 60% of physicians polled in 2014 were so frustrated with today’s healthcare headaches that they are willing to leave the profession of medicine altogether … and start a new career entirely outside of healthcare, according to The Concierge Medicine Research Collective. Today (2015), there are more and more free market healthcare delivery solutions and buy-out options which physicians are evaluating.
While all Concierge Medicine and Direct Primary Care (DPC) practices do share some similarities, they vary widely in their staff employment, structure, payment requirements, insurance participation and form of operation. Both equally impressive and proven business/practice models, they differ in the level of service provided and the demographic using each. Additional characteristics of DPC include (Source: The DPC Journal):
- DPC is primary and preventative care, urgent care, chronic disease management and wellness support through a monthly care fee patients (or an employer) pay to cover the specific primary care preventative care services.
- DPC practices are distinguished from other retainer-based care models, such as concierge care, by lower retainer fees, which cover at least a portion of primary care services provided in the DPC practice.
- Monthly fees at direct practices vary from $25-$85 per month or less. Patients prefer to pay monthly vs. quarterly or annually.
- DPC patients typically come from the Generation X and Millennial population and earn a combined annual HH income of less than $100k.
- A DPC health care provider charges a patient a set monthly fee for all primary care services provided in the office, regardless of the number of visits.
- No insurance plan is involved, although patients may have separate insurance coverage for more costly medical services.
- Because the insurance “middle man” is removed from the equation, all the overhead associated with claims, coding, claim refiling, write-offs, billing staff, and claims-centric EMR systems disappears.
What Is Direct Primary Care (DPC)? The Revised, Modern Definition.
Direct Primary Care (DPC) practices are distinguished from other retainer-based care models, such as concierge care, by lower (monthly) retainer fees (82% cost less than $99/mo), which cover at least a portion of primary care services provided in the DPC practice; No insurance plan is involved, although patients may have separate insurance coverage for more costly medical services; Patients typically prefer to pay monthly vs. quarterly or annually; DPC patients typically come from the Generation X and Millennial population and earn a combined annual HH income of less than $100k (SEE INFOGRAPHIC below for COMPARE/CONTRAST).
DPC is primary and preventative care, urgent care, chronic disease management and wellness support through a monthly care fee patients (or an employer) pay to cover the specific primary care preventative care services. A DPC health care provider charges a patient a set monthly fee for all primary care services provided in the office, regardless of the number of visits. Because the insurance “middle man” is removed from the equation, all the overhead associated with claims, coding, claim refiling, write-offs, billing staff, and claims-centric EMR systems disappears.
DPC medical practices bypass insurance and go for a more ‘direct’ financial relationship with patients and also provide comprehensive care and preventive services for an affordable fee. DPC is a ‘mass-market variant of concierge medicine, distinguished by its low prices.’ Simply stated, the biggest difference between ‘direct primary care’ and retainer based practices is that DPC takes a low, flat rate fee whereas concierge medicine models, (although plans may vary by practice) – usually charge an annual retainer fee and promise more ‘access’ to the doctor.
Direct primary care (DPC) is a term often linked to its companion in health care, ‘concierge medicine.’ Although the two terms are similar and belong to the same family, concierge medicine is a term that fully embraces or ‘includes’ many different health care delivery models, direct primary care being one of them.
Source: The DPC Journal, © 2015.
Related: BUSINESS MODELS: A Simple Look at the Best Corporate Structure for Your DPC Practice
Direct primary care (DPC) is a term often linked to its companion in health care, ‘concierge medicine.’ Although the two terms are similar and belong to the same family, concierge medicine is a term that fully embraces or ‘includes’ many different health care delivery models, direct primary care being one of them.
Similarities
DPC practices, similar in philosophy to their concierge medicine lineage – bypass insurance and go for a more ‘direct’ financial relationship with patients and also provide comprehensive care and preventive services for an affordable fee. However, DPC is only one branch in the family tree of concierge medicine.
DPC, like concierge health care practices, remove many of the financial barriers to ‘accessing’ care whenever care is needed. There are no insurance co-pays, deductibles or co-insurance fees. DPC practices also do not typically accept insurance payments, thus avoiding the overhead and complexity of maintaining relationships with insurers, which can consume as much as $0.40 of each medical dollar spent (See Sources Below).
Differences
According to sources (see below) DPC is a ‘mass-market variant of concierge medicine, distinguished by its low prices.’ Simply stated, the biggest difference between ‘direct primary care’ and retainer based practices is that DPC takes a low, flat rate fee whereas omodels, (although plans may vary by practice) – usually charge an annual retainer fee and promise more ‘access’ to the doctor.
“This primary care business model [direct primary care] gives these type of providers the time to deliver more personalized care to their patients and pursue a comprehensive medical home approach,” said Norm Wu, CEO of Qliance Medical Management based in Seattle, Washington. “One in which the provider’s incentives are fully aligned with the patient’s incentives.”
References and Sources
“Doc This Way!: Tech-Savvy Patients and Pros Work Up Healthcare 2.0”. New York Post. 4/7/2009.
Who Killed Marcus Welby? from Seattle’s The Stranger, 1/23/2008
“Direct Medical Practice – The Uninsured Solution to the Primary Medical Care Mess” with Dr. Garrison Bliss (Qliance Medical Group of WA).
“Direct Primary Care: A New Brew In Seattle”. Harvard Medical School – WebWeekly. 2008-03-03.
DPCare.org
Qliance.com
ConciergeMedicineToday.com
Michael Tetreault Editor-In-Chief Concierge Medicine Today URL: http://www.ConciergeMedicineToday.com Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/conciergemd E: Editor@conciergemedicinetoday.com T: (678) 597-2559
