Dr.’s Chandler and Tracy, both established physicians in the Powell medical community, felt there needed to be a better way to care for their patients and really give them the time and attention they wanted, and quite frankly deserved. However, this was difficult in the care model normally seen in a hospital or clinic setting where volume and paperwork take a considerable amount of time. As they searched for an alternative, a different delivery model called Direct Primary Care looked appealing. This was being used in different pockets around the country, but not in Wyoming. The more they investigated, the more they felt it was a better fit for the kind of service they wanted to provide.
Direct Primary Care is a membership based practice where, for a fixed fee each month, the patient has essentially unlimited access to their physician either in the office, via phone, text message, video options like Skype, or even a home visit if needed. This covers a number of services; however things like surgery and more complicated diagnostic tests would still be performed at a healthcare facility. Direct Primary Care is not considered insurance, and in fact the doctors were instrumental in getting legislation passed in the 2016 session that clarifies this point. As such, they realize it is not for everyone, but feel it works very well for their patients.
They first approached the SBDC in January of 2015 and visited with Regional Director, Bruce Morse. They were in the early stages of sorting out what this practice would look like, where to locate, and what it would cost to get started? The SBDC provided guidance to develop a business plan and work through all of the different aspects of running a stand-alone practice. “The SBDC was most helpful getting us started with a business plan and initial steps,” commented both physicians.
307Health officially opened in July of 2015 in a convenient, downtown Powell location that has seen some recent revitalization. They are pleased with the community’s response to this new approach, and are on pace to reach their initial targets. You can find out more at their website, www.307Health.org.