PARTNERING WITH PATIENTS FOR HEALTHY LIVING

Q: What is unique about My Family Doctor?

A: My Family Doctor is part of a movement in the United States among primary care physicians seeking more joy in their work by creating small practices that use technology to lower overhead.  This makes it possible to spend more time with patients and to have higher quality encounters with efficient flow of information between the physician and patient, and a higher level of satisfaction of both patients and physicians.  This movement, called the Ideal Medical Practice, has been featured recently in the New York Times and on CNN.

Q: Where is My Family Doctor located?

A: 1155 Alpine Ave, Suite 230, Boulder, CO 80304, in the Medical Pavilion connected with Boulder Community Hospital.  The office is located on the North-West corner of Broadway and Alpine, and is across the street (west) of the Ideal Market shopping complex.  We share office space with The Thayer Group for Women’s Care.  Free parking is available in the covered lot just across the street on the corner of Broadway and Alpine Avenue.

Q: What does My Family Doctor charge for services?

A: A $300 annual membership fee includes a yearly comprehensive physical exam lasting up to an hour (valued at $300), providing a chance for us to understand and address your health goals and challenges. Member patients pay a discounted rate of 30% less for office visits compared to non-members.  The fee also allows us to provide our patients with enhanced services including the Patient Portal, a secure way to communicate questions and test results electronically, request prescription refills, and schedule appointments on-line.  We are on call after hours and on weekends for our member patient for urgent matters as well.  Members can expect availability of same day appointments (please phone by noon to be guaranteed you are seen that day).

Charges for office visits other than the annual wellness exam are based on time spent.  Please click on the “Price List” tab above for more information, and the “Our Services” tab for a listing of the breadth of care we provide.

We believe the membership model saves patients time and money because often a brief phone or email communication can determine whether a problem can be addressed without the patient needing to be seen in the office.  An example would be a patient who has likely or certain conjunctivitis, or ‘pink eye.’  Many offices will require patients to come in to be seen for this simple problem despite the fact that, in the case of conjunctivitis, education and reassurance and sometimes eye drops are all that is needed.

Q: What if I can’t afford the $300 a year annual membership fee?  Can I still come to My Family Doctor for regular appointments?

A: We believe that every person deserves to be able to afford a medical home.  For patients who are unable to pay $300 up front to join the practice, a payment plan can be arranged.  Patients who do not wish to join but want to use our services for episodic care, e.g. sick visits only, will pay 30% more per visit than non-members.

Q: Why is there an annual fee?

A: Primary care physicians spend an enormous amount of time on ‘behind the scenes’ coordination of care when we are not directly interacting with patients (e.g. returning phone calls from patients, other doctors, pharmacists, labs, and insurance companies; documenting patient encounters; reviewing and communicating lab and imaging results;  refilling prescriptions; preparing referrals, etc.).

It is our hope that patients will understand why we strive to see no more than twelve patients a day instead of twenty-plus – so that we can adequately meet their needs and communicate in a timely manner while still being able to have a personal and family life.

Q: Is My Family Doctor a ‘boutique’ or ‘concierge’ practice?  What exactly does that mean?

A: The terms ‘boutique’ or ‘concierge’ typically refer to medical practices that provide enhanced access services similar to My Family Doctor (same day visits, direct phone communication with the physician, emailing with the physician, etc.) but involve high annual membership fees, often in excess of $1000 a year just to join. By keeping our overhead low, we are able to offer similar services at a small fraction of the price.

Q: What insurance will you accept?  What about Medicaid and Medicare?

A: My Family Doctor does not directly bill commercial (for-profit) health insurance, nor are we contracted as Medicare providers. WE DO ACCEPT COLORADO MEDICAID. For those with private commercial insurance, we provide what is called a “superbill” for patients to submit to their insurance companies themselves, but we cannot guarantee any level of reimbursement.  The rationale for not “taking insurance” (directly billing insurance companies) is that it results in markedly increased overhead costs and thus would require that we see twice as many patients daily to cover costs. Our model allows us to provide higher quality, safer, more cost-effective care. We do recommend that our patients carry a health insurance product, as we do not provide emergency or in-hospital care.  If you are currently uninsured, PLEASE visit www.healthcare.gov to explore affordable health insurance options.

Q: Do you speak Spanish?

A: Yes, both Dr. Kristin and Dr. Lila speak Spanish and pride ourselves on our ability to provide culturally competent and sensitive care.   We welcome Spanish speaking individuals to join My Family Doctor, and are actively looking for funding to make this website available in Spanish.  Please check back often.

Q: Do you offer vaccines?

A: At this time, we are offering tetanus booster (Td), ActHIB (Haemophilus influenza in single dose vials) and Adacel (Tdap-adolescent and adult booster for Pertussis or whooping cough, tetanus and diphtheria).  The cost per vaccine is $30 for the Td and ActHIB, and $40 for the Adacel or Tdap.  When patients come for a vaccine-only visit, there is a $25 fee for the administration and time.   We also recommend patients use Boulder County Public Health for immunizations. Please visit their website to learn more or call 303.413.7500 for a vaccine appointment.  This is undoubtedly the least expensive way for patients to get vaccines.

Q: Why is a medical home important?

A: There are many reasons that every individual should have a physician who knows them personally, and a single place where they receive their primary medical care.

Say you are on vacation and you develop painful urination.  You have had a urinary tract infection (UTI) before and you’re pretty sure your symptoms are the same.  You don’t know where to go, or the local urgent care clinic is closed.  So you call My Family Doctor, talk to YOUR family doctor, who can phone in an antibiotic prescription for you to the nearest pharmacy.

Or, it’s a Saturday evening and your four month old develops a fever and is crying inconsolably.  The urgent care has closed.  Do you have to go to the ER?  With a traditional medical practice, that is your only option.  With My Family Doctor, we can discuss the issue on the phone and if necessary, meet you in the clinic that night or the next morning.

Finally, if a patient has a chronic medical condition for which they require multiple specialist referrals, a medical home with a dedicated primary care physician is critical to coordination of care.