TUCSON, Ariz., Sept. 10, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- More than 200 physicians attended a Direct Primary Care Summit sponsored by the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), and the energy in the room was palpable, writes Albert Fisher, M.D., in the fall issue of the Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons. Dr. Fisher, a family physician in Oshkosh, Wis., is president of the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons (AAPS).
Many physicians from around the country reported their experiences in escaping the third-party-payment model and changing to the DPC model, in which patients pay a monthly membership fee for timely, personalized access to a wide range of medical services.
“DPC practices should exceed expectations and provide the best medical experience a patient ever had,” said one speaker, reflecting the general view of faculty and attendees.
DPC is intended for working people. Monthly fees are as low as $37. Employer claims data show an overall reduction in the cost of care of up to 20 percent with DPC, with hospital admissions decreasing 37 percent.
Doctors are showing “renewed interest in independence and autonomy,” writes Dr. Fisher. “At the end of the meeting, I felt optimistic about the future of the practice of private medicine.”
DPC does present some difficulties; speakers suggested a number of different solutions. Dr. Fisher also noted that old-fashioned fee for service, with patients paying physicians directly at the time of service, is still preferred by many.
AAPS strives to add value for all types of practices and specialties as it fights against a total government takeover of American medicine, Dr. Fisher concludes.
The Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons is published by the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons (AAPS), a national organization representing physicians in all specialties since 1943.