I saw this post in a garage sale on Facebook. The first thing that came to my head was- “who pays this much for shoes?!”, followed by- “and to only wear them once?! What a waste of money? But even if I could afford them, does it mean I should buy them?” I hope this person was able to afford them without having to ask a bank for a loan or go into debt.
This post made me think of priorities in life. What should be a priority and what shouldn’t. And this is an important question we should all try, from time to time, ask ourselves, because later we find out, like this person trying to recoup some of the money by selling the shoes, some things in life are worth our time and effort, while others aren’t after all. Squandered money and time are often grieved the most when we run out of them.
Taking care of our health should be one a top priority in our lives. Whether poor or rich, health is priceless and neglecting it can be very costly. Some individuals are financially able to see their healthcare providers regularly but have such poor unhealthy lifestyles that at the end they get the same results as those that don’t see a provider at all. In the meantime, for others is not even a matter of a choice, they just can’t afford it, either financially, or the time and resources. For example, some of my patients at the free clinic, come to see us until their blood sugar levels are in the 500’s or blood pressures run above 180/90. But can you blame them when they can’t afford to go to an ER, is either food or medications, or are not able to get out of work because they can lose their jobs.
A world, where everyone would have health insurance, would not make it perfect either, in fact it could make it worse as the money has to come from somewhere. The government just labels it under a different tax fee. That’s my opinion, FYI. I personally believe that nothing in life is free, except repentance and resurrection through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, and that is if you believe in Him. Other than that, taking care of our health is not free, and because it’s an expense, in any way you see it and most often than not, ends up falling at the bottom of our priorities, or stops being a priority at all.
I’m not a financial analyst or math genius, but at my end as a healthcare provider, is my responsibility to find alternatives that might benefit my patients more than the standard healthcare we are all used to. Direct Primary Care (DPC) is a new way of doing business while delivering quality care. “Doing business” in the sense that we, as providers, can make a living and actually enjoy while doing it, and “delivering quality care” because DPC makes it about you and me, and no one else, and that is beyond valuable for both of us.
DPC allows one-on-one interaction between provider and patient, without the rushed visits and waiting times in the lobby. It’s cost effective, in general, you pay one monthly fee for an unlimited number of visits in a month, are able to be seeing same day or next day, and even after hours. It promotes trust, as you are usually being taken care of by the same provider and have direct access to her/him by phone or email when you need it. Most of the times, they can get you to have lab work done at reduced prices, or sometimes they are included along with medications, in the monthly fee. What can get better than that, right?!
But wait. . . – there’s still the contingency of catastrophic events like accidents, terminal illness, disability, surgery and procedures, etc. What about those? How can you pay them? This is the limitation for DPC. I mention this to be honest and to help you make an educated choice. Transparency and honesty are key for any good relationship, specially between provider and patient. You should still have some type of coverage for these unforeseen circumstances, because life can be unpredictable. However, these events are not the norm for everyone or happen all the time, and that’s how DPC model has proven its value to those who choose to use it.
In closing, do what works best for you and your circumstances, because they are personal to you. But in the meantime, I am here for you. Just let me know.
Wendy
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