How does your system work for someone that needs several surgeries?
How does your system work for someone that needs several surgeries?
Major medical insurance covers that. If you don't currently have insurance, you won't get it unless you can get it through your employer's group policy. However, according to Obamacare, there will be no exclusions in 2014. Originally, we were saying: sure, but nothing says insurance companies can insure you with no exclusions, but make it so unaffordable that you can't get it anyway. Now, apparently there will be a limit on the premiums. You think that will out them out of business?
If you do currently have a policy, you should keep it, reduce your benefits, increase your deductible, add our primary care, and you save between 20-80%, get unlimited 30-60 minute visits with your provider, and if your appt is at 10am, you get in at 10am.
And if you are a small business owner, be afraid. Example: there is a business in monroe with 500+ employees. Obamacare will make the business unsustainable, forcing them to close. 500+ jobs. Thus the reason we are approaching small businesses first.
I usually refrain from these type discussions regarding healthcare (mostly), but since the questions are coming, I'll gladly answer whatever you got...It'll prep me for the panel discussion with the local Tea Party I have coming up.
I like your model, RD. I'm not sure it's THE solution, but our current "one-size-fits-all" system certainly needs viable alternatives.
And not to pick on physicians, but they aren't completely blameless in some of the grind the healthcare system is experiencing. They have done an incredible job of promoting themselves and placing themselves at the center of the healthcare universe. Unfortunately, at times they have done this by seeking to unfairly diminish the scope of practice of other healthcare providers. Fortunately, there are trends in healthcare to create more collaboration among providers, and this is definitely in the best interest of patients. But, one of the big barriers to the growth of this is the (sometimes apparently willful) ignorance of physicians regarding the training of other healthcare specialties (particularly of other doctoral-level healthcare providers).
At the heart of the issue is the dominant healthcare model. In the late 19th through the 20th centuries, the disease model (upon which current physician training is predominantly based) exploded, and with amazing results: even looking at advancements in vaccinations and antibiotics alone, the top diseases in morbidity of the 19th century have nearly all been virtually eradicated. The disease model is predicated on a focus on the biochemical functioning of the body, and this constitutes the vast majority of physician training. This has been their strength, and what rightfully put them at the center of healthcare throughout the last century and a half. They become experts in the biochemical, biomechanical, and other biological functioning of the human organism, and are immersed in biochemical (and mechanical, for the surgeons) interventions for that system through pharmacology.
As the dust settled from the victories over the diseases that responded well to biochemical approaches, it became clear that the top killers that emerged to succeed them required more than just biological interventions. Toward the end of the 20th century, a successor model was developed in medical science, which attempts to account for the additional factors that lead to the development and maintenance of ailments such as heart disease, obesity, and diabetes. It is the biopsychosocial model, and research continues to point to the need for systemic interventions that address biological, psychological, and social aspects of human functioning if we are to effectively deal with these diseases that do not respond fully (if much at all) to purely biochemical interventions.
Physicians still play a vital and centrally important role in health care, and their specialized training in the biochemical and biomechanical functioning of the human organism is absolutely essential. But the days of the solo (and all-knowing?) GP who makes house calls and fixes everything that ails you is gone. Collaborative teams that pull from specialties across not only the biological, but also the social and psychological, clinical sciences are going to provide the best systemic solutions to systemic problems.
Sorry to interject my own agenda into your agenda, RD. To try to connect this to anybody still reading, as patients I encourage folks to recognize that a) not every health problem can or will be solved by a pill (and many that can may be solved as well or better by other means) and b) educate yourselves on how your physicians are trained, and what other types of providers may be able to add to what your physician provides in your treatment.
And to physicians, I encourage you to not only know what you know and to know it well, but also recognize where the boundaries of your knowledge exist. Then educate yourselves on the training that other healthcare folks have received and the expertise they offer that can truly extend the care you provide your patients. (And, for the most self-serving piece of the whole argument, consider the possibility that many other doctoral-level clinicians actually had to work for their doctorates, too. :icon_wink
Brian, I absolutely 100% agree with your post.
Are these unlimited 30-60 minute sessions with a licensed M.D. ?? Does the customer see the same person each visit ?? Can the customer choose ??
What is a midlevel ??
So what is your target market - individuals, small businesses, or both. What size businesses are you targeting?
Both. The business model works such that, if you have, between employees and dependents, 500+ individuals, we can actually consider putting a clinic and provider(s) on sight at your place of business, if you have space. At the moment, because we are a startup and currently operate one location, the only real challenge arises right now with targeting large businesses with multiple locations. But expansion will remedy that over time.
Specifically, we have already found that the quality and tremendous convenience is extremely appealing to men.
Wow, that unlimited 1-hr. visits should help you sign up every hypochondriac within driving distance once word gets around. I know one person who would probably be there every day, twice if they could. :icon_wink:
I suppose everyone else on here knows who you are since no one asked, but is that a deep dark secret? You say you already are in business in Ruston. Where? What's it called, etc.? Or are we not supposed to know who you are? I suppose I could go to the country club if I really wanted to find out that way. And I did read your entire posting, and it sounds interesting. Almost too good to be true if it actually works.