Advanced Primary Care is on the rise. While it’s not yet mainstream, corporations small and large across the U.S. are beginning to reap the benefits of adopting this kind of model—both in terms of employee health outcomes and cost savings. Several studies have revealed this trend and the innovations in the marketplace that are driving it. For instance, Bain & Company’s study Primary Care 2030: Innovative Models Transform the Landscape predicts that by 2030, primary care models from nontraditional players (including Advanced Primary Care disruptors like Proactive MD) will capture a third of the U.S. market.
Why is this important? And what is Advanced Primary Care? How is it different from traditional primary care?
At its core, Advanced Primary Care is comprehensive, coordinated primary care that focuses on quality over volume. Employers subscribe to Advanced Primary Care models for improved patient outcomes, lower costs of care, and high levels of engagement. It’s a kind of care that treats the whole patient, rather than just their symptoms. It’s proactive because the goal is longterm, whole-person health and well-being.
Why employers should care:
Quality – Advanced Primary Careprioritizes health outcomes. Visits are focused, timely, and effective—and when there is a concern, the providers are persistent in getting to the bottom of it and creating a comprehensive plan toward better health. Primary Care is often heard with the phrase “treating the whole patient,” because it considers factors outside of what brought the patient into the Health Center that day. Patients are encouraged to look at their regular visits through the lens of their longterm health and make lifestyle habits that support overall wellness. This leads to less sick days, more productivity, and most importantly, happier and healthier employees.
Wait Times – With a model that’s based on quality over volume, wait times are often significantly less. For example, Proactive MD’s onsite Health Centers have little to no wait times so patients can be seen sooner and providers aren’t rushed to get to their next appointment. In fact, most Proactive MD Health Centers are built without waiting areas, because there is no use for them—this allows for more dedicated space for clinical care or private rooms for patients and providers to have important conversations.
Visit Times – Across the country, insufficient time is a major constraint for healthcare providers to deliver high-quality care. In a recent poll 6AM City conducted asking how primary care visits can be improved, 44% of respondents answered, “more time with my doctor.” While the national average appointment time ranges from 10-15 minutes, Proactive MD’s patients spend 30 minutes or more with their provider. This is due to Advanced Primary Care’s focus on quality over volume granting providers more dedicated time with their patients.
Coordinated Care – For chronic and specialty care, Advanced Primary Care providers often have a team that manages the referral process, saving patients time and getting them the care they need faster. When patients require specialty care, Proactive MD deploys Patient Advocates to come alongside patients throughout every step in their healthcare journey. Going beyond merely selecting a specialist and making a referral, Proactive MD Patient Advocates coordinate next steps, follow up, seek second opinions, ensure medication adherence, make hospital visits, and more.They remain a trusted healthcare guide by their patients’ side, so patients never have to face the isolating maze of healthcare alone.
Patient-Provider Relationships – There’s something special about having a provider who knows and genuinely cares about you. Advanced Primary Care providers prioritize knowing the whole patient, because all aspects of health—mental, physical, social—play a role in optimal and prolonged health. That’s what Proactive MD hopes to achieve. We understand when patients trust their providers, they are more likely to be open and share information about their lifestyle that could affect their health, allowing their providers to make better diagnoses.
More Affordable Care (for both patients and employers) – Care should never have to be compromised for cost. As part of a company’s benefits plan, Proactive MD’s Advanced Primary Care model allows employees to receive free, unlimited access to personalized, broad-scope primary care at a nearsite or onsite Proactive MD Health Center. A corporate benefit like this is a tremendous addition to an employee value proposition and can help attract top talent. Over time, companies that work with innovative Advanced Primary Care vendors like Proactive MD are able to reduce healthcare costs by leveraging a broader approach to healthcare delivery that encompasses strategic patient engagement, high touch service delivery, and in-depth data analytics. Plus, it ultimately helps patients get to the root of their health concerns faster. When Health Centers are able to practice broad scope primary care, it leads to significant cost and time savings. When patients see these kinds of results, they become empowered to take the driver’s seat of their health, and employers reap the benefits of retaining happier, healthier, and more engaged employees.
Data – As a data-grounded Advanced Primary Care provider, Proactive MD is unique in how it leverages data and predictive analytics to make actionable decisions on how to deploy resources, ultimately reducing costs for employers without compromising care for their employees and their families. When it comes to cost containment, data is the key driver. With its proprietary analytics platform that shows employers the big picture, Proactive MD can bend the cost curve and give providers the data they need to create personalized treatment plans.
Above all, Advanced Primary Care is a patient-centric model that constantly focuses on outcomes. Employers of all sizes and across all industries would be well served to explore Advanced Primary Care as a healthcare solution for their existing patient population, as well as an important component of their benefits package. When recruiting in a competitive marketplace, benefits like comprehensive, onsite primary care can be a game-changer for top candidates.
The status quo of primary care is rapidly changing and Proactive MD is proud to be leading the charge. Ignited by a passion to fight for every patient’s greatest good, Proactive MD is primed to revolutionize the way primary care is delivered. Take care of your business and empower the health of your employees by connecting with Proactive MD today at [email protected].
The Editorial Team at Healthcare Business Today is made up of skilled healthcare writers and experts, led by our managing editor, Daniel Casciato, who has over 25 years of experience in healthcare writing. Since 1998, we have produced compelling and informative content for numerous publications, establishing ourselves as a trusted resource for health and wellness information. We offer readers access to fresh health, medicine, science, and technology developments and the latest in patient news, emphasizing how these developments affect our lives.