Fee-For-Service American Health Care: You wait for appointment days and weeks later, arrive on time and wait, and wait, and wait in germ infested waiting room full of coughing, wheezing sick and contagious people. You’re finally called to the back, asked a few questions, then left in a 200 square foot room with the door closed under the promise “the doctor will be right in.” More waiting, counting minutes, then counting floor tiles, then focusing attention on memorizing anatomy charts on the wall, then waiting, waiting and more waiting. Then the doctor bursts in with “Hi, what brings you in today?” You explain for the third time why you’re there. Five minutes later you’re escorted to the exit clerk with a prescription in hand. You pay your copay. You are released to leave. You’re cured.
Direct Primary Care – You have your doctor’s cell phone, You call. “Hello Mary, how can I help you? says the doctor. You explain your problem. “Sounds like you need an antibiotic. What pharmacy do you use? I’ll call in the prescription right now! You can pick it up in a few minutes Call back if you don’t feel better and I’ll see you at the office.” says the doctor. Later you make a same day appointment. You arrive on time and you are immediately met by your personal doctor at the front door. “Come on in, Let’s see what’s going on” says the doctor. He spends 45 minutes with you. He understands more about you than any other doctor you have ever seen in your life. He says “You’re not needing half of the medications you’re on. Let’s throw those away and see if you begin to feel better.” There is no exit clerk to report to. No payment is due; You walk out. You feel better. You’re cured.
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