There and Back Again: My Journey to Direct Primary Care
For me, being a family physician has always been as much about the people as it is about the medicine.
Graduating medical school over 15 years ago, I was excited about the opportunity to invest in my patients, develop deep relationships and take care of families.
At 22 years old, I accepted a military scholarship for medical school and joined the Army in 1999. Pursuing this path at Oklahoma State University’s Center for Health Sciences allowed me to serve both my patients and my country -- two deeply held passions of mine.
Early on I made the decision to train in the field of osteopathic medicine, a patient-centered approach emphasizing primary care and holistic health. This was a great fit for me, as I wanted to foster “health” in my practice, not just focus on sickcare for my patients. I have always desired to help others cultivate a healthy lifestyle and live well, and becoming a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.) equipped me to do just that.
After completing my residency in family medicine at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, I went on to certify as an Army Flight Surgeon and complete Basic Airborne Training. Deployed four times during my 20 years in the military, I completed tours of duty in Kuwait, Iraq, and served in the 82nd Airborne Division in Afghanistan -- I got to jump out of planes and do medicine. It was a memorable season to say the least.
I left active duty in 2010, transferring to the North Carolina National Guard where I continued to serve, and my family and I moved to Black Mountain. Accepting a position with Parkway Medical Group I immediately made the mountains of Western North Carolina my home. I’ve practiced as a family physician in this area for over 10 years now.
And, as my years of practicing medicine have passed, I’ve experienced firsthand a healthcare system that is fractured in its care delivery. And the cost is a lost relationship between me and my patients -- the reason I went into medicine in the first place. That relationship, built on trust and mutual respect, is the heart of medicine. We’ve been there once, now it’s time to get back.
This led me to a crossroads: Do I continue practicing medicine in a system where I am unable to pursue my passion? To develop meaningful relationships with patients? Or do I find a better way?
I did hours of research about various approaches to healthcare. And I believe I’ve landed on the best chance to restore medicine: the Direct Primary Care model. DPC’s simple, innovative approach solves the problems I faced each day in the insurance-driven healthcare system.
There’s a low monthly membership fee to cover my expenses, and my patients’ have my cell number -- it’s as simple as it gets. At the primary care level, I can be my patients’ advocate, doctor, and friend.
Direct Primary Care gets back to the core of medicine. And our doors are open to everyone, regardless of insurance. This model allows me to once again prioritize the relationship with my patients -- the way healthcare was meant to be, the way it used to be.
I can honestly say, one month after opening the Wellspring clinic, I am more excited about practicing medicine than ever before.