What If Your Doctor Actually Had Time to Know You?

Most of us know what a typical primary care visit can feel like.

You wait weeks for an appointment, just to sit in the waiting room. Then when you finally see your doctor, the visit feels rushed.

You may have several things you want to ask about, but there's only so much time.

You don't a chance to bring up everything that's been bothering you.

That is one of the reasons we chose a different model of primary care at Emerald Health.

Direct Primary Care Works Differently

Emerald Health is a Direct Primary Care, or DPC, practice.

Instead of billing insurance for every office visit, our patients pay a monthly membership fee for their primary care.

There are no copays for your visits with us. If you need to come back because you're sick, need a recheck, or have another concern, you aren't paying another office visit fee each time.

But the biggest difference isn't simply how you pay for care.

It's what becomes possible when your primary care isn't built around squeezing as many billable visits as possible into a day.

Your Doctor Can Actually Get to Know You

Good primary care is about much more than treating a sinus infection or checking your blood pressure once a year.

It's about having someone who knows what is normal for you.

If a patient who rarely contacts us suddenly reaches out, we notice.

If someone with diabetes mentions a problem with their foot, we know why that deserves attention.

We remember what we've been working on together. We know your medical history, your medications and your risk factors. Over time, we also learn about your family, your work, your stressors and what matters to you.

That context matters.

When you know your healthcare provider and your healthcare provider knows you, it can also be easier to bring up the things you might otherwise have blown off.

You Don't Have to Save Everything for Your Annual Physical

Have you ever gone to your annual physical with a mental list?

Your knee has been bothering you.

You're not sleeping well.

You had a strange rash three months ago.

You're more tired than usual.

You've been meaning to ask about your blood pressure.

These things come up all year long, not just during your annual physical.

With DPC, you have an ongoing relationship with your primary care provider.

Sometimes you need an office visit. Other times, a question may be appropriate for a message, phone conversation or telehealth visit.

The goal is to make primary care something you can actually use when you need it.

More Time Can Mean Better Conversations

When visits aren't rushed, we can talk about more than the immediate problem that brought you through the door.

Sleep.

Nutrition.

Exercise.

Stress.

Medications.

Family history.

Preventive care.

The things you've been meaning to ask about.

Sometimes those conversations are where the most important information comes out.

At Emerald Health, lifestyle medicine is also an important part of how we approach care. Health isn't simply about treating a diagnosis after it happens. We want to help patients understand their health and make informed decisions about it.

What About Insurance?

Direct Primary Care isn't health insurance, and it isn't intended to replace coverage for major medical expenses.

We encourage patients to maintain appropriate coverage for things outside the scope of primary care, such as hospitalizations, major emergencies, specialists and other significant medical expenses.

Insurance can still be used outside our office.

Inside our office, your DPC membership covers your primary care visits with us.

We can also often help patients access certain labs at significantly reduced cash-pay rates, which can be particularly helpful for people with high-deductible insurance plans.

What Can Primary Care at Emerald Health Include?

Depending on your individual needs, our primary care services may include:

• Preventive and wellness care

• Chronic disease management for things like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, low thyroid

• Sick visits and acute care

• Women's health

• Medication management

• Lifestyle medicine

• Weight management

• Telehealth when appropriate

• Minor office procedures

• Coordination of outside testing and specialty care

Most importantly, you have a primary care team that has the opportunity to know you over time.

Primary Care Should Feel Personal

Healthcare is complicated enough.

Your relationship with your primary care provider shouldn't have to be.

We created Emerald Health because we wanted the time and flexibility to practice medicine differently: fewer rushed visits, more meaningful conversations, and care built around an ongoing relationship rather than a series of isolated appointments.

Because there is a big difference between having a doctor who knows your name and having a healthcare provider who actually knows you.

Curious whether Direct Primary Care might be a good fit for you?

Learn more about membership at Emerald Health Direct Primary Care in Hickory, North Carolina.