7
FIXING PRIMARY CARE’S
BROKEN BUSINESS MODEL
By Hans Duvefelt, MD, Hans Duvefelt, MD is a Family Physician, Writer, Teacher and Mentor. You
can read more of his articles at acountrydoctorwrites.wordpress.com
Primary care visits are never quick; we don’t give much
advice over the phone or online; and we prioritize the
government’s and insurance companies’ public health
agenda over our own patients’ concerns.
Imagine health care as a retail customer experience for a
few minutes: Imagine you’re going to Walmart to buy a bag
of dog food, a new coffee maker or to equip a small kitchen
in your newly built mother-in-law apartment.
1. You’ve bought dog food there before, so you know
exactly where it is. You just want to quickly grab a bag and
get out of there.
2. You have a rough idea of where the coffee makers are;
you know some brands you trust, but you might have one or
two questions before you select one, and if they don’t have
one you like, you might get it somewhere else. Or, you might
even check their website to see which models they carry.
3. For the new kitchen, you have a list, but know you
probably haven’t thought of everything, so you plan to walk
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down the aisles in the kitchen and home departments. You
plan to spend a fair amount of money, so you might be on the
lookout for special sales or promotions. But, you definitely
don’t want someone else to choose all the items for you.
Can Walmart meet your needs in all these situations?
Probably yes.
Now, think about how your doctor’s office works
1. Can you quickly get in and out if you have a simple
problem like conjunctivitis?
2. Are they able to give you information on what your
options are for a recurring shoulder dislocation; could they
refer you to a shoulder specialist without first waiting weeks to
see your primary care doctor?
3. You have lots of issues and try to get an appointment to
deal with them all at once; you think of it as a physical, but last
time you had a physical, your doctor brought up all kinds of
things you don’t particularly see as priorities for yourself.
www.PhysiciansOfficeResource.com