Benefits of Direct Primary Care

Discover the Benefits of Direct Primary Care

Direct Primary Care Models vs. Traditional Model

Direct Primary Care, providers partner with their patients for primary care services for a set “subscription” fee. By moving outside the administrative burdens and hurdles of traditional insurance-based billing systems (ie, by not accepting insurance), DPC practices have the time to offer a higher level of service, direct communication, and easily accessible healthcare. The DPC provider is employed by the patient — and the provider-patient relationship forms the core of this healthcare model.

Direct Primary Care providers actually spend time with their patients, with standard appointment lengths ranging from thirty minutes to an hour or more. The set “subscription” fee covers all services that the physician provides, including annual exams and acute visits. Patients can directly phone, text, email, or video chat with their providers. There are no co-pays or hidden fees.  

DPC takes out the middleman, cuts through the layers of bureaucratic complexity and provides good, old-fashioned customer service — it is the best of old fashioned medicine in modern times. 

Benefits of Direct Primary Care:

More individualized and personalized care

Better access to timely and convenient care

Extended appointment hours

Better communication over the phone

More affordable costs

Increased preventive care

Better chronic disease management

Improved overall health outcomes

You should go to the emergency department (ED) immediately or call 911 for life-threatening or severe conditions where delay could cause permanent harm or death. Here’s a guide:

🚨 Go to the ED NOW for:
1. ANY CHEST PAIN or PRESSURE(especially with sweating, nausea, or shortness of breath) – could indicate a heart attack. Even young people can have life threatening heart trouble
2. Sudden severe headache ("worst headache of your life"), confusion, slurred speech, weakness/numbness on one side, or vision loss – signs of stroke.
3. Difficulty breathing or choking.
4. Uncontrolled bleeding that doesn’t stop after 10 minutes of direct pressure.
5. Severe trauma (e.g., car accident, falls, gunshot wounds).
6. Sudden severe abdominal pain(especially with vomiting blood or rigid abdomen). If the pain severe enough that you have trouble concentrating. If you experience pain in your abdomen that worsens with movement, or pressure. Any of these symptoms are likely to require emergency lab work that cannot be done in an urgent care.
7. Suicidal or homicidal thoughts
8. Seizures lasting >5 minutes or repeated seizures. Or seizure with no previous seizure.
9. Loss of consciousness, fainting or near fainting. Even if there was not any trauma. Fainting or near fainting may be a sign of a life threatening electrolyte imbalance.
10. Poisoning or overdose.
11. Severe burns (large area, deep, or on face/hands/genitals, circumferential burns as around a finger or wrist). Severe burns can cause dehydration and electrolyte disturbances and death if not treated emergently
12. Broken bones with deformity or open wounds.
13. High fever with:
    - Stiff neck/light sensitivity (meningitis).
    - Rash that doesn’t fade when pressed (sepsis).
14. Sudden vision loss.
15. Severe allergic reactions(swelling, trouble breathing, hives) – use an epinephrine auto-injector first if available.
If you think you ate something you know you are allergic to, GO TO THE ER
16. If you have any change in mental status, confusion, loss of memory, severe mood swings.
16. If you have multiple chronic diseases and you have a change in status, you should go to the ER
17: Any sudden loss of sensation, or any loss in ability to control movements.

18. Children and infants compensate well, if they are having severe symptoms they need to go to the ED as they no longer have the ability to compensate. Adults tend to slowly progress to severe symptoms. 

⚠️ When to consider Urgent Care or a Doctor Instead:
Urgent care is for mild illness/Injury that is not life threatening, but can't wait till your doctors office has an appointment.
- Mild to moderate flu/cold symptoms.
- Earaches, sore throats, or sinus pain.
- Minor cuts that may need stitches (but aren’t bleeding heavily).
- Sprains, strains, or minor fractures. (If Traumatic mechanism, ex:Car accident, falling from a roof, go to the ER)
- Urinary tract infections (unless severe with fever/back pain).
- Rashes without fever or swelling. Rashes that blanch with pressure. (Non blancheable rashes require ED evaluation
- Mild Asthma exacerbation
- Infants and Children with moderate to severe symptoms, or having symptoms with out improvement. 

❓ If Unsure:
- Call your doctor or nurse line for advice.
- Call emergency services if symptoms are sudden/severe – they can guide you.
- When in doubt, go to the ED. It’s better to err on the side of caution.
Key Takeaways:
> 💡 "Better safe than sorry" applies here. If your gut says it’s an emergency, go. 
> 💡 Do NOT drive yourself if experiencing chest pain, stroke symptoms, or severe dizziness – noncall an ambulance. 
> 💡 Use urgent care clinics for Non-life-threatening, Non Severe issues to avoid ED overcrowding.

Always prioritize your safety. Delaying care for serious symptoms can have irreversible consequences.