I’m sure that my historical relationship with doctors has been like anyone else. You go to the doctor, you get a check up, and the doctor tells you what happens from there. There isn’t much discussion involved. Basically you find out what you are doing wrong, or what is not working well for your body. More often than not, a medication is prescribed to take care of whatever ails you.
Around 10 years ago I was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes in this same manner. Every so often, the doctor would pile another pill on to my growing list of medications. This kept happening until I was up to 8 pills a day to manage my ever growing blood sugar levels. Luckily for me I moved on to another doctor who knew me personally, and we worked together to find a better way to manage my Diabetes.
What if you aren’t as lucky as I was? What happens to the every day person who didn’t have a fraternity brother who became a doctor? Why is it that major medical providers seem to manage your health more with the insurance companies than communicating with the patient? Wouldn’t it make more sense to make medicine a collaborative process where you can get informed advice from a medical professional? After all there is normally more to an issue than just a medical test. My Diabetes is likely due to my lack of physical activity and my terrible eating habits. What if my earlier doctors thought to ask questions instead of just giving me more pills?
There is a new solution in the Lexington, KY area that solves this issue. I recently met with Nicole Perkins who is an APRN with Journey Health. Journey Health defines themselves as “Direct Primary Care.” They
Nicole and I did not meet in her professional setting on Harrodsburg Road. I met her over coffee to learn a bit more about what Journey Health does. Journey Health works on a membership basis where a small monthly fee gives a patient unlimited access to healthcare visits with no copays. Most procedures require no extra charge, and they have an onsite pharmacy that offers discounts. This can work very well in tandem with high deductible insurance plans, and it can save tons of money for the average patient.
I quickly figured out the biggest difference while I talked with Nicole. She asked lots of questions, and she listened to my answers with out a judgmental look. She takes this type of approach with all of her patients, and they work together to find plans that work for the patient. Since Journey Health is not dependent on insurance companies for income, their focus is 100% on the patient’s success. This can be tied to lifestyle changes, medicine, preventative measures, or anything else that makes sense for the patient moving forward.
If you are like me, Journey Health is worth checking out. They are located at 3094 Harrodsburg Road in Lexington, and their phone number is 859-605-8060. Check out their website at journeyhealthdpc.com. This is your chance to get personalized affordable healthcare. It’s definitely worth a look.
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