When Dr. Todd Johnson opened Access Family Medicine eight years ago at 8101 O St., he wanted to offer a more affordable and accessible health care option.
Instead of charging a fee every time patients come in, Access Family Medicine has adopted the Direct Primary Care model. It offers age-based monthly memberships ranging from $50 to $100, with unlimited visits. Children cost just $10 a month when a parent is a member.
The no-contract arrangement allows patients to make a low-risk commitment. At the same time, Johnson hopes that patients will establish a long-term relationship and a primary care “home.”
He and Physician Assistants Krystal Jackson and Teresa Novak spend a minimum of 30 minutes with their patients, capping their patient load to make themselves more available. Johnson said getting to know his patients and being able to tailor his services to their needs was a missing component in his prior practice experience.
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Those needs vary from a patient’s comfort with doctors to their financial situation. “We help them get through the financial murkiness,” added Jackson.
For those who require a test, Access Family Medicine can remove some obstacles by lining up a cash pay situation, getting patients served more quickly. “You don’t have to worry about the next step,” Novak said. “We’re going to guide you through.”
About 50 small businesses rely on Access Family Medicine to provide medical care for their employees. The typical family of four can access care for $120 a month. The average adult will break even for the membership fees after two visits per year, compared with the traditional health care model.
Tailoring services to patients is one of the main goals at Access Family Medicine. They understand that coming in for an office visit isn’t always convenient, or necessary. With the option to text or email, employees can miss less work.
The physicians are available via their personal cell phones and can take FaceTime calls, too. With electronic records easily available via their phones, all the practitioners can access a patient’s medical history in seconds. That helps the patient avoid playing phone tag with the nurse. “It’s like having a doctor in the family,” Johnson said.
“When we have the relationship with the patient, we know what to be equipped for and can educate the patient and give them a plan for next steps,” Jackson explained.
If a health emergency arises in the evening or on a weekend, “We can walk them through it,” Johnson said. “We have a good track record.”
Over the past eight years, Johnson said his practice has only sent 15 patients to the emergency room, saving many from paying more. “We know who they are,” he explained. “We’re helping prevent that overutilization of urgent care and the ER.”
Keeping costs down is important to Johnson. While traditional health care model costs have risen 20 percent over the past two years, his practice’s costs have stayed constant.
Access Family Medicine saves patients on labs and tests by negotiating with providers. With their own pharmacy dispensary onsite, they can offer meds with lower mark-ups than mainstream pharmacies.
With its Direct Primary Care plan, Access Family Medicine can also help patients utilize any insurance they already have in the most cost-effective way. For catastrophic health events like hospitalizations or surgeries, the practice can direct patients to a health care broker to secure a high-deductible insurance plan.
Johnson and his colleagues welcome the opportunity to help more Lincoln small businesses provide high-quality, affordable health care for their employees. To find out more about available plans, call 402-858-1510 or visit www.accessfamilymedicine.com.