9 Things to Know Before Switching to DPC

Direct primary care (DPC) is a throwback to an earlier time, where physicians abandon reliance on insurance in favor of a direct payment agreement with their physician. They may not be traveling to patients' homes, black bag in hand, but those embracing this approach are finding that, at least in part, it offers a welcome return to the medical practice of earlier times.

"Direct primary care is a new adaptation to an old concept," says Ripley Hollister, MD, a primary-care physician in Colorado Springs, CO. "This concept is why many chose medicine as a career. They want to provide the best quality of medical care possible for their patients," says Hollister.

The DPC model is one many physicians find potentially attractive. In the Physicians Practice 2017 Great American Physician Survey, 63 percent of respondents said they would consider switching to DPC if circumstances were favorable. Before making such a move, what are some of the factors to consider?

Here are thoughts from physicians with first-hand experience.