Proactive Family Medicine
I recently took care of a patient while working in the hospital that got me thinking about proactive medicine. My patient’s story is one, honestly, I probably experience daily. A patient comes in sick and is wanting to get better. They are scared and willing to start to make changes to their life. However, they have neglected their health for the past 10, 20, 30, even 40 years. This patient was wanting to reverse some of the damage done but unfortunately the damage was already done. We can certainly work to optimize health at that point but the lung damage that is done is done.
Much of what we do in the hospital setting is reactive medicine. We treat people when they are sick and ignore them when they are “healthy.” This type of medicine is certainly warranted at times but what if we were more proactive in our approach to healthcare with our patient/provider relationship?
By being proactive we can optimize our health to have fewer episodes of needing reactive care. Waiting until we are sick is often much more expensive as well in the long run. By being proactive with our care and health leads to better health outcomes, leads us to feel better about ourself, and reduces anxiety and depression.
The great thing about direct primary care is we have the time to spend with our patients to develop a plan that works for them and their life. This allows us to achieve the goals the patient has for their life. Your membership also grants you 24/7 unlimited access via talk, text, or email and unlimited visits. This promotes proactive health as there are no copays or hidden fees for using the service. While we hear all the time that the health care industry is trying to prevent hospitalizations, if there are no visits, medications being ordered, or tests being done then they are not making money. With direct primary care we genuinely want to help people use the least amount of medication possible. Obviously not all medication is bad but it should not be the go to solution in every case. With direct primary care it is our goal to care for the patient and allow them to be less reliable on medication, ultimately resulting in healthier patients and saving the patients money.
People often ask if they really need to see a provider if they are healthy. We say absolutely. Our goal is to work with the patient to keep them at their peak health. Early detection of a disease process or abnormal lab values can greatly improve outcomes. It is our hope at Maple Leaf Health and Wellness that you are being proactive about your health. If you are in need of help in your health journey, we would love to help you.
Reason for transitioning to Direct Primary Care
It all begins with an idea.
One day or day one, you decide-Paulo Coelho
My why. I have been working in healthcare since 2009. I started out as an aid. Completed my RN and started in the ICU in 2011. In 2020 I finished my Family Nurse Practitioner degree and started working in the emergency department/observation unit doing hospitalist medicine. While working I have seen people struggle to be seen in a timely manner. Insurance rates increase every year and they cover less of the expense passing it on to the patient. Because insurance companies are reimbursing hospitals and providers less the pressure is on to see more and more patients. This results in less time spent with the patient.
Since providers are being pushed to see more patients per day it results in patients often not being able to get into their primary provider for a month or more. This results in more urgent care and emergency room visits again costing the patient money and results in the patient being seen by multiple different providers.
I stumbled across Dr. Paul Thomas at Plum Health in Detroit Michigan and he is operating a Direct Primary Care clinic. Direct Primary Care Clinics operate under an affordable monthly membership that includes access to your provider via call, text, or email anytime. Direct Primary Care does not bill insurance and maintains a patient load of anywhere from 300-1000 patients. The typical provider has a patient panel of 2500-3500 patients. This reduced patient population allows the provider to spend more time with the patient, typically 30-60 minutes.
It was typical for me to see 50-60 patients in a 12 hour shift in the urgent care. One day I saw 70 patients in one 12 hour shift. This was quickly leading to burn out and not what I envisioned when I got into practicing medicine. I went into this field wanting to help people and spending 3-4 minutes with the patient is not the way healthcare should be. We need to be advocates for our patients. Spend time listening to them and including them on their healthcare choices. After learning about Direct Primary Care I got a new passion and I knew where my future in medicine was.
My family and I live in La Porte Indiana. It is known as Maple City. This inspired the name Maple Leaf Health and Wellness. The maple leaf has also carried significant spiritual meaning throughout time. For the Cherokee tribe the maple leaf symbolizes renewal. After a long winter the maple leaf is one of the first leaves to appear in spring. The Cherokee saw this as a picture of hope and a new beginning. This view of the maple leaf applied to me as well as I set out on this new journey. Direct Primary Care is a renewal of my faith in medicine and my spirit. I could not think of a more appropriate name than Maple Leaf Health and Wellness. We are thrilled that you are here and we look forward to having you follow us on this journey.