Marketing for direct primary care (DPC) practices

The Direct Primary Care (DPC) practice model is still relatively new. With a payment structure that is completely different than the insurance-focused traditional practice, new DPCs may have to market their practice to build their patient panels. Part of the attraction of the DPC, of course, is for the independent physician to be able to see fewer patients than in a traditional practice; however, patients do still have to be attracted to the DPC for it to be successful.

Education may be the first challenge and the primary strategy in a DPC’s marketing efforts. The Wall Street Journal reports that “less than 2% of the nation’s 900,000 licensed physicians are involved in direct primary care to date” (as of February 2017). The concept is new and many patients might be hesitant when it sounds like too good a deal.

A patient may pay as little as $60 a month for complete access to the primary care provider, including communication during and between visits, with no co-pays or deductibles. A DPC’s marketing efforts will need to educate potential patients on the value, and possibly the legitimacy, of the structure.

One excellent way to promote the practice is through word-of-mouth. Patient referrals are hands-down the best way to market a practice as well as an excellent way to educate and reassure potential patients. Testimonials from those patients who have taken advantage of the DPC structure and enjoy the results they are seeing from it will do more to market the practice than any amount of paid advertising.

Effective patient engagement within the practice will become a popular topic for testimonials, spread through word-of-mouth and posted on the practice website. Social media posts can also help market the practice. Again, having current patients help spread the word through social media can reinforce the trustworthiness of the message.

Building a low-cost marketing plan into a DPC’s practice management plan can be as easy as providing quality care to current patients and asking them to help spread the word.

Other content in this stream

• 10 days ago

Elation Health's Clinical-First Approach Continues with New AI Solutions for Primary Care

24 days ago

Building the Future of Family Medicine at the AAFP National Conference 2024

For the second year in a row, and the second time in my life, I recently attended the American Academy of Family Physicians National Conference. Read more here.

24 days ago

Learning from the Future of Primary Care

The AAFP National Conference 2024 was in full swing, and I found myself swept up in a sea of eager faces—the next generation of family physicians ready to shape the future of healthcare.

about 2 months ago

Astrana Health and Elation Health Form Nationwide Partnership to Expand Sustainable Support Infrastructure for Primary Care Physicians

about 2 months ago

MedCity News: Why Are Primary Care Physicians Optimistic About AI?

MedCity News recently published an article featuring Elation's latest survey results on the impact of AI and shared insights from Elation's VP of Engineering and AI Innovation Lead.

How do we get smart about designing AI for physician trust?" />

about 2 months ago

Kyna Fong in Fast Company: How do we get smart about designing AI for physician trust?

In this piece for Fast Company, Elation's co-founder and CEO, Kyna Fong explores how AI should and can be designed for trust in the healthcare setting.

2 months ago

History of Value Based Payment

Value-based care and its underlying value-based payment schemes are a complete paradigm shift that many believe will improve how the U.S. delivers and pays for care. How did value-based payment emerge

3 months ago

Chapter 3: Driving Preferred Behavior: Changing Incentives & Care Delivery Under Value-Based Care

We’ve established that the U.S. has the most expensive and worst performing healthcare system in the developed world. It’s admittedly a grim situation, but we also know that there are many people who

6 months ago

Chapter 2: Laying the Foundations: The Goals of Value-Based Payment

In this post we'll try understand how value-based care emerged as the hopeful solution and how its reimbursement goals and care delivery differ significantly from those of FFS.

6 months ago

Chapter 1: Value-Based Payment Background: The Need for Change in the U.S. Healthcare System Pt. 2

This post is part of a series of blog posts aimed at unpacking the value based payment for primary care practices looking to make the transition to value based care.

6 months ago

Chapter 1: Value-Based Payment Background: The Need for Change in the U.S. Healthcare System Pt. 1

This post is part of a series of blog posts aimed at unpacking the value based payment for primary care practices looking to make the transition to value based care.

about 2 months ago

Dr. Sara Pastoor and Dr. Andrew Carroll: Is Corporatization Killing Primary Care?

Learn why Dr. Sara Pastoor and Dr. Andrew Carroll see a future for independent primary care emerging in collaborative care models.

2 months ago

Kyna Fong in KevinMD: What if AI focused on respecting the craft of medicine?

The following article is a version of a piece that was published on KevinMD. In it, Elation's CEO and co-founder, Kyna Fong, comments on the importance of developing AI that supports quality care.

2 months ago

Kyna Fong in Fierce Healthcare: The Future of U.S. Healthcare Must be Primary Care-led

Below is a version of an article that was originally published in Fierce Healthcare. In this article, Elation CEO and co-founder, Kyna Fong, discusses the emergence of primary care-led systems of care

2 months ago

AI Impact Survey Infographic

Elation recently conducted a survey to learn from 156 primary care clinicians who are current Elation customers on the specific challenges hindering their craft of medicine.

70% of Clinicians Agree on AI’s Promise to Increase Efficiencies in Care Delivery, Finds Elation Health's Latest Survey Results

Elation recently conducted a survey to learn from 156 primary care clinicians who are current Elation customers on the specific challenges hindering their craft of medicine.

3 months ago

Elation Announces Collaborative Billing: Simplify, Streamline, and Secure your Billing Process

Elation recently launched Collaborative Billing – an integrated billing solution. This integration allows clinicians to use incident-to billing.

3 months ago

How to Choose the Right Value-Based Contracting Model as a Physician

By reading this article, you'll gain valuable insights into the different types of value-based contracting models, their pros and cons, and key factors to consider when selecting a model.

3 months ago

What Does the Future of Value-Based Care Look Like in 2024 and Beyond?

The future of value-based care (VBC) is poised for significant transformation, driven by several key trends that are reshaping the healthcare landscape.

3 months ago

Value-Based Care Analytics: Which Metrics Are the Most Important to Focus On?

This article will delve into the importance of value-based care analytics, the critical metrics to monitor, and how these metrics can lead to improved patient outcomes and overall efficiency.