Magic, Pixie Dust, and Miracles: A Guide for Direct Primary Care and Employers

In 2015, my practice partner Dr. Amy Cianciolo and I started down the magical road of direct primary care (DPC) leading away from a frustrating and inadequate healthcare system. The system had devolved into a glorified secretary punching computer buttons all day to satisfy insurance companies, administrators, and government bureaucrats leaving real patient care in its wake. DPC was the magic path out of the frustration and back to helping patients. We found this model of care was the closest thing to achieving the healthcare quadruple aim of lowering costs, improving health, and increasing both patient and physician satisfaction. After a year or so, employers large and small started asking for our high access, low costs direct care. This book is the culmination of years of experience working with employers (small and large), the magic and the mistakes. The book is written from the DPC physician perspective and the DPC physician is the main focus to learn how to approach employers, work with them and their benefits advisors. In addition, there are specific sections for employers and benefits advisors to learn about DPC and how, together, all three groups can work to achieve some magic and miracles. Important Topics include: For DPC clinics, what are the advantages and disadvantages of working with employers? How do DPC physicians connect with employers in their area? How do DPC physicians find DPC knowledgeable benefits advisors in the area? For employers and employees, what are the DPC advantages? How can benefits advisors and employers find and vet DPC physicians? What “reg flags” should everyone look out for regarding DPC clinics, employers and advisors? How do DPC clinics handle pricing and the legal issues when working with employers? How do DPC clinics get large numbers of new employees integrated into their clinic? These are merely the opening act of the Magic, Pixie Dust, and Miracles that await in this guidebook. Read more