Skip to content
  • About
  • Contact
  • Contribute
  • Book
  • Careers
  • Podcast
  • Recommended
  • Speaking
  • All
  • Physician
  • Practice
  • Policy
  • Finance
  • Conditions
  • .edu
  • Patient
  • Meds
  • Tech
  • Social
  • Video
    • All
    • Physician
    • Practice
    • Policy
    • Finance
    • Conditions
    • .edu
    • Patient
    • Meds
    • Tech
    • Social
    • Video
    • About
    • Contact
    • Contribute
    • Book
    • Careers
    • Podcast
    • Recommended
    • Speaking

A new tagline for direct primary care

Rob Lamberts, MD
Physician
October 21, 2013
50 Shares
Share
Tweet
Share

He seemed a bit grumpy when he came into the office.  I am used to the picture: male in his early to mid-forties, with wife by his side leading him into the office to “finally get taken care of” by the doctor.  Usually the woman has a disgusted expression on her face as he looks like a boy forced to spend his afternoon in a fabric store with his mother.  My office is the last place he wants to be.

He let himself down on the couch across from my desk with a wince, belying the back pain that brought him here.  He looks around at my office, which is not only a place he didn’t expect to be, but not what he expects a doctor’s office to look like.  First there’s the sofa he is sitting on, which is where my patients spend most of their time during their visits.  Then there is my guitar just behind me.  He and his wife comment on how their daughter would love the fact that I have a guitar, as she is into acoustic guitar music.  Then there’s me, wearing jeans and an untucked button-up shirt, sitting back in my chair and chatting like an ordinary person.  He seems intrigued.

He owns a business, which is a service type business like mine.  Like me, he and his wife choose to do things differently, charging less for folks who can’t afford it.  I chat with him about the stress and strain of owning and running a small business, pointing out how his choice is similar to mine.  He had actually suggested coming to me after he had seen me on television, but obviously had initial doubts as to the accuracy of the report.  Spin happens.  But as we talk, there is much to find in common, and he warms up.  His shoulders relax, he sits back on the couch, and forgets he’s in the doctor’s office.

He explains to me how he is a “bad patient,” wanting to spend as little time in the doctor’s office as possible.  He tells me about other doctors he’s seen who have “forced” medications on him (which he refused to take).  His wife gives him a scowl as he explains this to me.  I describe my approach to care and how it has been changed by this new practice style: how I used to focus on problems and treatments, but now focus on assessing and reducing risk and improving quality of life.  My job is to keep him as healthy as possible, and I point out to him that I am actually more happy for the business when the office is empty than when it is full.  After all, I get paid the same amount either way, and the empty office allowed his waiting time to be the usual one: 30 seconds.

He’s not begging for medications or quick-fixes.  He knows that back pain doesn’t go away magically.  I explain that his poor sleep due to the pain probably keeps his back in spasm, and that a muscle relaxant at night might help.  I reassure him that this is not a slipped disc, and discuss the merits of avoiding 250 pound sacks in the future.  He laughs, and his wife shoots me an appreciative glance, impressed by the fact that he’s actually comfortable seeing the doctor.

We move on to a discussion of prevention, with the disclaimer up front that “when the house is burning down, we don’t cut the lawn.”  In other words, I am totally focused on his back first, but the heart disease and cancer prevention will need to be addressed at some point.  I explain that our goal is not to treat the disease, but prevent them in the first place.  We talk a bit about exercise, with me admitting my struggle with doing it on a regular basis.  I explain that I hope eventually to set up an online community of patients to encourage each other to exercise, using something like the Foursquare badges to reward, and perhaps even having a drawing for a gift card or something.  I know I need that community to help motivate me to exercise, and he agrees it would help.

By the end of the visit he’s talkative, bemoaning the fate of small business as it is in the crosshairs of the Affordable Care Act.  He uses a few choice words for the president, and I explain how I want to work on this problem, combining a wrap-around high-deductible plan with my services to meet the criteria for the ACA.  The ACA is totally confusing for me and my wife, I explain, and I hope to offer something not seen much in health care: simplicity.  I work for you, I tell him, not the insurance company or the government.  He nods and smiles.

As the visit finishes up, he tells me how much he appreciated the visit.  He is genuinely excited about the visit.  It’s as if he’s found a gorgeous woman who likes to hunt, drink beer, and watch football.  After he’s gone, I talk to my nurse Jamie and we conclude that this is one of our target demographics: men in their 40’s who hate going to the doctor.  I am, to them, the un-doctor.  I don’t act much like a doctor (which is a good thing in their mind), and I focus on keeping them where they want to be: away from my office.  It’s a win-win, as a practice full of guys like this would be easy to manage.  They don’t want long explanations, they just want to be listened to and answered in English.

Contrary to what some think, I’ve not done any “cherry picking” of patients — choosing only healthy “easy” patients over the complex chronic disease patients.  In reality, my message of risk management, minimizing medications and tests, focusing on education, and having open communication plays just as well in that demographic as it does for today’s patient.  I was at a meeting for local small business and was greeted (by a middle-aged man) with the exclamation, “you are that doctor doing the thing that makes so much sense!”

I like that.  Maybe it should be the tagline for direct primary care: that thing that makes so much sense.

Rob Lamberts is an internal medicine-pediatrics physician who blogs at More Musings (of a Distractible Kind).

Prev

Are you dating the person or the patient?

October 21, 2013 Kevin 5
…
Next

When treating male patients, watch the wife

October 22, 2013 Kevin 10
…

Tagged as: Primary Care

Post navigation

< Previous Post
Are you dating the person or the patient?
Next Post >
When treating male patients, watch the wife

More by Rob Lamberts, MD

  • How the lack of coronavirus testing impacts primary care

    Rob Lamberts, MD
  • Welcome to prior-authorization hell

    Rob Lamberts, MD
  • We must find a way to reward doctors who are caring and compassionate

    Rob Lamberts, MD

More in Physician

  • The hidden factor in physician burnout: How the climate crisis is contributing to the erosion of well-being

    Elizabeth Cerceo, MD
  • Raw humanity on night float: inspiring patient encounters and overcoming challenges

    Johnathan Yao, MD, MPH
  • Revolutionizing emergency medicine: Overcoming long-term challenges with innovative solutions for physicians and patients

    Anonymous
  • The pediatric health care system tested to the limits: an inside look at the “at capacity” period during the tripledemic

    Jacqueline Bolt, MD
  • How chronic illness and disability are portrayed in media and the importance of daily choices for improved quality of life

    Juliet Morgan and Meghan Jobson
  • How biased language and stigmatizing labels affect patient care and treatment

    Joan Naidorf, DO
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • A patient’s perspective on the diminishing relationship between doctors and patients

      Michele Luckenbaugh | Conditions
    • Unmasking wage disparity in health care: the truth behind the Elmhurst Hospital physician strike

      Kevin Pho, MD | KevinMD
    • Why affirmative action is crucial for health equity and social justice in medicine

      Katrina Gipson, MD, MPH | Policy
    • Emulating Michael Jordan’s winning mindset: a path to success for health care professionals and entrepreneurs

      Harvey Castro, MD, MBA | Physician
    • How electronic health records preserve patients’ legacies in the words of oncologists

      Marc Braunstein, MD, PhD | Physician
    • Unmasking the brutal reality of gun violence in America: a call to action for unity and meaningful change

      Osmund Agbo, MD | Policy
  • Past 6 Months

    • The growing threat to transgender health care: implications for patients, providers, and trainees

      Carson Hartlage | Policy
    • It’s time to replace the 0 to 10 pain intensity scale with a better measure

      Mark Sullivan, MD and Jane Ballantyne, MD | Conditions
    • Breaking point: the 5 reasons American doctors are dreaming of walking away from medicine

      Amol Shrikhande, MD | Physician
    • “Is your surgeon really skilled? The hidden threat to public safety in medicine.

      Gene Uzawa Dorio, MD | Physician
    • Revolutionize your practice: the value-based care model that reduces physician burnout

      Chandravadan Patel, MD | Physician
    • Breaking the cycle of racism in health care: a call for anti-racist action

      Tomi Mitchell, MD | Policy
  • Recent Posts

    • Uncovering the truth about racial health inequities in America: a book review

      John Paul Mikhaiel, MD | Policy
    • Why electronic health records are failing patients: the dark side of copy and paste [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • The hidden factor in physician burnout: How the climate crisis is contributing to the erosion of well-being

      Elizabeth Cerceo, MD | Physician
    • The surprising medical mystery of a “good” Hitler: How a rescued kitten revealed a rare movement disorder

      Teresella Gondolo, MD | Conditions
    • The power of coaching for physicians: transforming thoughts, changing lives

      Kim Downey, PT | Conditions
    • Why doctors aren’t to blame for the U.S. opioid crisis [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast

Subscribe to KevinMD and never miss a story!

Get free updates delivered free to your inbox.


Find jobs at
Careers by KevinMD.com

Search thousands of physician, PA, NP, and CRNA jobs now.

Learn more

View 5 Comments >

Founded in 2004 by Kevin Pho, MD, KevinMD.com is the web’s leading platform where physicians, advanced practitioners, nurses, medical students, and patients share their insight and tell their stories.

Social

  • Like on Facebook
  • Follow on Twitter
  • Connect on Linkedin
  • Subscribe on Youtube
  • Instagram

CME Spotlights

From MedPage Today

Latest News

  • 'Medically Relevant to Saving the Life of Your Patient': What We Heard This Week
  • Want to Solve the Nurse Shortage?
  • Why Are Female Doctors Sued Nearly Half as Often as Male Doctors?
  • What Drug Did FDA Just Approve for COVID?
  • PET Scan for Alzheimer's Dx; Predicting Colon Cancer Survival

Meeting Coverage

  • No Access to Routine Healthcare Biggest Barrier to HPV Vaccination
  • Trial Results Spark Talk of Curing More Metastatic Cervical Cancers
  • Cross-Border Collaboration Improves Survival in Pediatric Leukemia Patients
  • Monoclonal Antibody Reduced Need For Transfusions in Low-Risk MDS
  • Less-Invasive Surgery for Pancreatic Cancer Proves Safe, Effective
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • A patient’s perspective on the diminishing relationship between doctors and patients

      Michele Luckenbaugh | Conditions
    • Unmasking wage disparity in health care: the truth behind the Elmhurst Hospital physician strike

      Kevin Pho, MD | KevinMD
    • Why affirmative action is crucial for health equity and social justice in medicine

      Katrina Gipson, MD, MPH | Policy
    • Emulating Michael Jordan’s winning mindset: a path to success for health care professionals and entrepreneurs

      Harvey Castro, MD, MBA | Physician
    • How electronic health records preserve patients’ legacies in the words of oncologists

      Marc Braunstein, MD, PhD | Physician
    • Unmasking the brutal reality of gun violence in America: a call to action for unity and meaningful change

      Osmund Agbo, MD | Policy
  • Past 6 Months

    • The growing threat to transgender health care: implications for patients, providers, and trainees

      Carson Hartlage | Policy
    • It’s time to replace the 0 to 10 pain intensity scale with a better measure

      Mark Sullivan, MD and Jane Ballantyne, MD | Conditions
    • Breaking point: the 5 reasons American doctors are dreaming of walking away from medicine

      Amol Shrikhande, MD | Physician
    • “Is your surgeon really skilled? The hidden threat to public safety in medicine.

      Gene Uzawa Dorio, MD | Physician
    • Revolutionize your practice: the value-based care model that reduces physician burnout

      Chandravadan Patel, MD | Physician
    • Breaking the cycle of racism in health care: a call for anti-racist action

      Tomi Mitchell, MD | Policy
  • Recent Posts

    • Uncovering the truth about racial health inequities in America: a book review

      John Paul Mikhaiel, MD | Policy
    • Why electronic health records are failing patients: the dark side of copy and paste [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • The hidden factor in physician burnout: How the climate crisis is contributing to the erosion of well-being

      Elizabeth Cerceo, MD | Physician
    • The surprising medical mystery of a “good” Hitler: How a rescued kitten revealed a rare movement disorder

      Teresella Gondolo, MD | Conditions
    • The power of coaching for physicians: transforming thoughts, changing lives

      Kim Downey, PT | Conditions
    • Why doctors aren’t to blame for the U.S. opioid crisis [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast

MedPage Today Professional

An Everyday Health Property Medpage Today
  • Terms of Use | Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • DMCA Policy
All Content © KevinMD, LLC
Site by Outthink Group

A new tagline for direct primary care
5 comments

Comments are moderated before they are published. Please read the comment policy.

Loading Comments...