What is Direct Specialty Care?
Direct Specialty Care offers a more personalized approach to your medical care. It removes all the middlemen between the patient and the physician. This model of care offers transparent pricing, decreases the interference of insurance companies and focuses on strengthening the relationship between the patient and their doctor.
The Direct Specialty Care practice model prioritizes quality of care over volume of visits. This in turn, decreases the chance of medical errors and allows sufficient amount of time for your doctor to work up and treat your complex rheumatologic disease.
The Direct Specialty model of care facilitates timely evaluation and treatment. We are able to see you for routine visits as well as during periods of flare. This model allows better access to care and leads to less frequent visits to Urgent Care or the Emergency Room for our patients.
In a Direct Pay Membership model, patients become members of a practice and, for a monthly subscription, gain prompt access to their rheumatologist with in-person and telehealth options as well as longer visit times.
How does it work?
It is as simple as establishing a direct contract with your physician. All patients are accepted. There are no additional co-payments or bills submitted to your insurance. You will be able to receive personalized care when you need it the most.
Patients can join our practice with either a monthly membership fee or can choose to see us on an "as needed" or "pay as you go" basis. Patients that choose to enroll in our membership plan will have direct access to their physician through office visits, telemedicine visits, phone calls and patient portal messaging at no additional cost.
Our Membership Plan includes:
Scheduled visits with your doctor (in-person or telehealth)
Access to the patient portal
Access to urgent visits when needed
Joint injections and trigger point injections when needed
Thorough review of outside medical records by your doctor
Forms/documents filled out by your doctor when needed
*You will still be able to use your health insurance benefits for laboratory tests, imaging studies as well as prescription medications and infusion services.
We are here for you, to offer high quality rheumatology care without compromise.
Direct Specialty Care vs. Traditional Healthcare at a glance
Direct Specialty Care
Traditional Healthcare
Traditional Healthcare
- Your doctor will see you promptly and there will be minimal time in the waiting room
- You will have plenty of time to ask questions during your visit
- We will always treat you with respect and dignity
- You will have access to both in person and telehealth visits with your doctor
- Your doctor will work together with you to come up with a comprehensive treatment plan for your condition
- You do not need a referral to see your doctor
- You will be able to see your doctor even if you are uninsured
- You will not receive any surprise bills after your visit
Traditional Healthcare
Traditional Healthcare
Traditional Healthcare
- It may take several months to see your doctor
- Waiting room time is unpredictable and often long
- The visits may be short and impersonal
- You may have difficulty reaching your doctor or their staff directly
- For urgent visits you may wait weeks to see your doctor or may be redirected to another physician
- If the practice does not accept your insurance, you cannot be seen by the doctor/specialist
- You may receive surprise bills for the visit and other services performed