Direct Primary Care Is On The Rise! w/ Dr. Natasha Diaz (Ep. #31)

A New Era in Healthcare: Dr. Natasha Diaz’s Direct Primary Care Approach

Healthcare in the United States has long been criticized for prioritizing profits over patient care. Dr. Natasha Diaz, a board-certified family medicine physician and the founder of Roots Health DPC in Forest Park, Illinois, is challenging this narrative. By embracing the Direct Primary Care (DPC) model, Dr. Diaz aims to deliver high-quality healthcare while reducing costs, focusing on patient-centered care. In this article, we explore her experiences, the benefits of DPC, and its growing popularity among physicians and patients alike.

From Frustration to Innovation

Dr. Diaz’s passion for medicine was clear early in her career. Drawn to family medicine for its variety and the ability to build long-term relationships with patients, she decided to move back to the Midwest to balance work and family life. Her husband, a programmer for Call of Duty, also supported this move. Despite the initial excitement, Dr. Diaz soon faced the harsh realities of corporate healthcare.

Around 2017, Dr. Diaz's frustration peaked when corporate medicine’s profit-driven motives overshadowed patient care. She recalls the difficulty of explaining unnecessary fees to patients, the lack of transparency, and the constraints imposed by insurance companies. This dissatisfaction led her to explore the Direct Primary Care model, which aligned with her values and professional goals.

The Shift to Direct Primary Care

Direct Primary Care (DPC) is a model where patients pay a monthly membership fee for comprehensive healthcare services, bypassing traditional insurance. This model allows physicians to spend more time with patients, fostering better relationships and understanding of their health needs. Dr. Diaz highlights how DPC’s relationship-based care can lead to better health outcomes and patient satisfaction.

Dr. Diaz shares a poignant story of a patient who benefited immensely from DPC. This patient, a dog groomer, suffered from recurring hand infections. Through the DPC model, Dr. Diaz was able to spend the necessary time to understand the root cause of her condition, ultimately providing more effective treatment. For physicians, DPC offers a way to escape the burnout associated with corporate healthcare, allowing them to focus on their primary mission—patient care.

Overcoming Systemic Challenges

One of the significant challenges in corporate healthcare is physician burnout, exacerbated by administrative burdens and lack of autonomy. Dr. Diaz describes this as moral injury, where the inability to provide the best possible care conflicts with a physician’s professional oath. DPC, by eliminating these administrative hassles, allows physicians to regain control over their practice and prioritize patient care.

Dr. Diaz points out that the US healthcare system’s high costs do not translate into better outcomes compared to other industrialized nations. The DPC model addresses this by offering high-quality care at a fraction of the cost. Patients benefit from transparent pricing and direct access to their physicians, reducing unnecessary expenses and improving overall health outcomes.

Empowering Employers and Employees

DPC is not only beneficial for individual patients but also for employers. By partnering with DPC providers, employers can offer customizable healthcare plans that meet their employees’ specific needs. This model is particularly advantageous for small business owners, who can save on healthcare costs while providing better care for their employees.

Good healthcare options contribute significantly to employee retention and productivity. Dr. Diaz explains that savings from DPC can be reinvested to grow a self-funding savings bucket for businesses, further enhancing their financial health. Employers benefit from having a healthier, more satisfied workforce, while employees enjoy better access to care without the burden of high insurance premiums and deductibles.

The Future of Healthcare

To further enhance the DPC model, Dr. Diaz is involved in developing a Direct Specialty Care Network. This network aims to offer more choices for patients and better negotiate healthcare costs, putting decision-making back in the hands of physicians and improving patient care.

Dr. Diaz is not alone in her advocacy for DPC. She collaborates with like-minded individuals and organizations to promote this model and its benefits. Together, they work towards a healthcare system that prioritizes patient care over profits.

Dr. Natasha Diaz’s journey with Direct Primary Care is a testament to the power of patient-centered healthcare. By shifting away from profit-driven corporate models, DPC offers a sustainable, transparent, and high-quality alternative. Dr. Diaz’s experiences and advocacy highlight the potential for DPC to revolutionize healthcare, benefiting both patients and physicians. As more healthcare providers and patients embrace this model, the future of healthcare looks promising, with a renewed focus on what truly matters—patient well-being.