On this edition of ST on Health, guest host John Schumann presents an interesting conversation with the Augusta, Georgia-based physician, Dr. Rob Lamberts, who writes a popular medical blog called "Musings of a Distractible Mind" --- and who's also an expert on (and, indeed, a practitioner of) the so-called Direct Care method of health care. As Dr. Lamberts explains on his personal website, he left his longtime group practice in September of 2012 in order to "build a new solo practice, Dr. Rob Lamberts, LLC. This practice will use the Direct Care model, which means: I will not accept insurance; my patients will pay between $30 and $60 per month (depending on age) for whatever care they need; there will be no co-pays for visits, and as few additional fees as I can get away with; I will keep the patient number low (1/3 of my previous practice's size) so I can give better care for my patients; people will have direct access to me via phone, text, online visits, and by whatever other means we can come up with --- the goal is to give improved access, so people don't have to come in to my office, and (especially) don't have to use the rest of the health care system; and [lastly] I will build a library of online resources for my patients so they can get their questions answered as easily as possible at the time these questions arise." It's a very different way of practicing medicine, clearly, and one that Dr. Lamberts is finding much success with, thus far anyway. And as he affirms our show today, Direct Care --- which he has labeled "Old-Fashioned Care Made New" --- just might be the way of the future.
StudioTulsa on Health: An Accomplished Doctor (and Popular Medical Blogger) Explains "Direct Care"
