I was honored to take part in a panel for the SBDC of Duluth regarding the challenges I faced opening my clinic. The day after, I got a call from the Duluth News Tribune who said that she was planning to write about the event as a whole, but then was particularly struck by my story. Here’s that article! It’s behind a paywall, but I’ll have some quotes below.
I described the support I’ve received for DPC:
“I went to medical school. I did not go to business school, so starting a business was a fairly daunting task,” Allen admitted during a “Small Seeds for Growth” business panel held at the Clyde Iron Works event center on Tuesday. “Fortunately, direct primary care is an expanding model all across the United States. So there are a lot of really awesome doctors all over the country who are really excited to help me out.”
And later the costs that make DPC a viable alternative to traditional healthcare:
“Because health care costs are rising, and (health insurance companies) have a motive to improve profits for their shareholders, the cost of deductibles and premiums are just skyrocketing every year,” Allen said. “This year, it’s projected another 15-20% increase in health insurance premiums. Honestly, it’s just unsustainable.”
And why I believe it to be better than the traditional system for doctors too!
“The traditional family physician in the system is expected to have 2,000 to 3,000 patients on their panel,” Allen said. “That’s why their appointments are rushed. They are frazzled, and doctors are just getting tired of being pushed in and out of rooms by the schedule keepers.”
Subscribe to the Duluth News Tribune to read the article in full!