What does direct primary care include?

Direct primary care, often called DPC, is a membership-based approach to primary care. Instead of billing insurance for routine primary care visits, a patient pays a recurring membership fee directly to the practice for the primary care services included in the membership.

At Firebird Direct Primary Care in Worthington, Ohio, the goal is to make primary care more accessible, personal, and straightforward.

But what does a DPC membership actually include?

1. Routine primary care visits

Primary care is the foundation of a DPC membership.

Members can see their physician for many of the same reasons they would visit a traditional family medicine office, including new symptoms, follow-up visits, medication questions, preventive care, and management of ongoing medical conditions.

Because the practice is built around a smaller membership rather than a high volume of short appointments, visits can be longer when the situation requires more time.

2. Preventive and wellness care

Primary care is not only about treating illness.

Preventive care may include annual physical examinations, reviewing recommended health screenings, discussing cardiovascular risk factors, reviewing medications, and developing practical plans for improving long-term health.

The appropriate preventive plan depends on factors such as your age, medical history, family history, medications, and individual risk factors.

3. Chronic condition management

Many common chronic medical conditions can be managed through primary care.

Examples include:

Having an ongoing relationship with the same physician can make it easier to follow symptoms, medications, laboratory results, and treatment plans over time.

4. Sick visits and minor injuries

DPC members can also contact the practice when a new illness or injury develops.

Depending on the problem, primary care may be appropriate for concerns such as respiratory infections, sore throats, sinus or ear symptoms, urinary symptoms, rashes, gastrointestinal symptoms, sprains, strains, and minor wounds.

Some conditions still require urgent care or emergency evaluation. Part of primary care is helping patients determine the appropriate next step.

5. Direct communication with your physician

One of the major differences between DPC and many traditional primary care models is access.

Firebird DPC members have multiple ways to communicate with the practice, including office visits, phone, text, secure messaging, and telehealth when clinically appropriate.

Not every medical concern can be handled through a message or virtual visit, but having easier communication can help determine whether an office visit or another level of care is needed.

6. Labs and blood draws

Laboratory testing is an important part of primary care.

Firebird DPC can perform blood draws in the office and offers access to lower-cost laboratory testing when appropriate.

Laboratory results are most useful when interpreted in the context of your symptoms, medications, medical history, and overall health rather than viewed as isolated numbers.

7. Selected office procedures

Primary care can include more than conversations and prescriptions.

Depending on the medical problem, Firebird DPC may provide selected office procedures such as simple wound suturing, abscess drainage, joint injections, EKG testing, and simple dermatologic procedures or biopsies when clinically appropriate.

Keeping appropriate procedures in primary care may reduce unnecessary handoffs while still referring patients when specialty care is the better option.

8. Osteopathic manipulative treatment

As an osteopathic physician, Dr. Mark Hagen may incorporate hands-on osteopathic evaluation and osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) when appropriate for a patient's condition.

OMT is one tool within a broader primary care evaluation rather than a replacement for appropriate diagnostic testing, medication, physical therapy, specialty care, or other treatments when those are needed.

9. Care coordination

Primary care does not mean that everything has to be handled in one office.

When specialty evaluation, imaging, emergency care, or another service is needed, your primary care physician can help coordinate the next step and place the new information into the context of your overall health.

What isn't included?

Direct primary care is not health insurance.

A DPC membership is designed for primary care. Patients should still have appropriate coverage for major medical expenses such as hospitalization, emergency care, surgery, specialty care, and other services outside the practice.

You can learn more about how Direct Primary Care works and review Firebird DPC membership and pricing.

Primary care in Worthington, Ohio

Firebird Direct Primary Care provides physician-led family medicine in Worthington, Ohio, for individuals and families in Worthington and surrounding Central Ohio communities.

The purpose of DPC is not to make primary care do everything. It is to make your primary care relationship easier to access and useful for more of the everyday health concerns that belong in a family medicine office.

Explore primary care services available at Firebird DPC or schedule a free Meet & Greet.