Bringing Hope to Healthcare
Fatigued by the mounting pressures from private insurance plans that force practices to see more and more patients in less and less time, husband-and-wife team, Dr. Christi and Dr. Peter Ghaleb, decided to change the way they deliver medical care.
This year provided plenty of hints for our ever-changing healthcare setup. Fortunately, two local physicians have rolled up their white coat sleeves and designed a system that does what its supposed to.
When a broken healthcare system is no longer working to properly fulfill the needs of either patients or physicians, what do you do? You find a new system. Fatigued by the mounting pressures from private insurance plans that force practices to see more and more patients in less and less time, husband-and-wife team, Dr. Christi and Dr. Peter Ghaleb, decided to change the way they deliver medical care. They want to get back to serving patients in the style they know best: efficient, caring and attentive. They believe in exceptional quality service for their patients, which they are not willing sacrifice in the face of insurance company demands. In their practice, Family Medicine of Pooler, Drs. Ghaleb have taken a bold, new move to embrace what they believe will be the future of healthcare. This new model is called Direct Primary Care and it is the first of its kind in the Greater Savannah/Pooler region. The structure of the new system is surprisingly straightforward and simple, which is contrary to what most people have been conditioned to expect from healthcare. The platform emphasizes the care of the patient over the bottom line. The idea behind Direct Primary Care began as a grassroots movement within communities of medical professionals on the west coast who were seeking change. They demanded better, personalized care at affordable rates. This movement is starting to take root and the proof of success can be seen in the satisfaction of both patients and physicians.
A New Practice Model
How Does Direct Primary Care Work?
> Pay a flat-rate monthly membership fee. No hidden costs. No co-pays. No deductible.
> See your doctor any time you want and as many times as you need.
> Longer visits with your physician. Take the time to discuss any concerns and get answers to all of your questions.
> Insurance companies set quotas that a physician should see each patient for an average of 7.5 minutes. With Direct Monthly care, there is no time limit because there are no insurance companies.
> The focus returns to the patient/physician relationship.
> A smaller practice allows personalized care and attention. Many family practices around the country have between 2,500 and 3,000 patients in the practice. The membership model for Family Medicine of Pooler is capped at 600 patients.
To learn more about Direct Primary Care and for information and pricing on individualized plans visit: familymedicineofpooler.com
To read the full article, subscribe now or pick up the December/January issue of South Magazine.
