Cash pay practices

[Guest guest]

I recently read about Dr. Dykes and was wondering if anyone else in the group is

moving

toward a cash only practice (let the patient file the claim). For the past 2

years we have

been marketing almost exclusively to small business owners and other people with

high

deductible policies.

Right now I am at approximately 35% cash pay.

Bill Dupon, M.D.

[Guest guest]

Dr. Dupon,

Could you comment on why and how you are marketing to small business owners? What do you offer that they are interested in?

Thanks,

Lowell

From: oneyoungmd Sent: Sunday, November 28, 2004 1:41 AMTo: Subject: Cash pay practices

I recently read about Dr. Dykes and was wondering if anyone else in the group is moving toward a cash only practice (let the patient file the claim). For the past 2 years we have been marketing almost exclusively to small business owners and other people with high deductible policies. Right now I am at approximately 35% cash pay.Bill Dupon, M.D.

[Guest guest]

For an interesting view of a cash only practice, see this website for

Patmos clinic:

http://www.emergiclinic.com/

Its run by an internist who takes only Pay At The Moment of Service

(PATMOS). Interesting story.

Don Ives, MD

Fairbanks, Alaska

>

>

> I recently read about Dr. Dykes and was wondering if anyone else in

> the group is moving

> toward a cash only practice (let the patient file the claim). For the

> past 2 years we have

> been marketing almost exclusively to small business owners and other

> people with high

> deductible policies.

>

> Right now I am at approximately 35% cash pay.

>

>

> Bill Dupon, M.D.

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

,

Thanks for the links, I really enjoyed reading them. Dr. Dykes story is certainly encouraging to those of us trying "new" models, and it is comforting to know that others have gone before and succeded. My father is an FP who works out of his home in Michigan with only the help of my mother the "office manager". Every month is a struggle despite being at it in this model for over 5 years, but I have also seen the pride and enjoyment he takes in his work now that he had lost in the years he worked under a more traditional practice. Now that and I have been open for almost 3 months we understand, now first hand, what a bittersweet venture this can be. While we await the day of being financially self-sustaining, we take encouragement from patients and supporters who know we are doing the "right thing". I received my first patient gift the other day, a Christmas tree carved from a cedar log with a chainsaw, and it lifted by spirit unlike ever before in practice because it came with these words... "thanks for taking the time to go the extra step". It has been a joy to have the time to give.

We started our practice almost 3 months ago taking only one insurance, and at this point we have over 55% of our patients being uninsured and paying in full at the time of service without any complaints. We continue to discount our fees substantially for cash paying patients, and do not hope to earn anywhere near what Dr. Dykes is bringing home. This is partly because and I are young physicians without any prior exposure to the community, so it is hard enough to get people to come and see us. However, the word is getting out, and the gratitude of our patients is the single strongest marketing force we have. It takes time. It really does. But we still believe it is worth the wait. I suppose as the demand for our services materializes, we will have more opportunity to "value our time".

What we are considering at this point is to begin working some Emergency Dept shifts on the weekends to keep things afloat, much like Dr. Dykes did and I know many of you out there are doing as well.

One other comment. A while back there were some disparaging remarks made about cash-paying patients often being drug-seeking patients. While I don't refute the possibility of this, I simply ask us to remember that there is a growing, substantial part of our society that simply can't afford to buy in to our broken and expensive medical/insurance system. They still have legitimate medical needs, be they pain related or not, and we should be doing what we can to make care affordable. My experience so far is that people who pay out of pocket for their medical care will hold us to a higher standard, and rightly so.

Hangin' in there,

Greg

Re: Cash pay practices

For those who are unfamiliar with Dr. Dykes (like I was), an article written by him appeared in the September issue of Family Practice Management: http://www.aafp.org/fpm/20040900/45maki.htmlFollow up is here: http://www.aafp.org/fpm/20041100/letters.htmlInteresting reading!

Dr. Dupon, Could you comment on why and how you are marketing to small business owners? What do you offer that they are interested in? Thanks, LowellFrom: oneyoungmd Sent: Sunday, November 28, 2004 1:41 AMTo: Subject: Cash pay practicesI recently read about Dr. Dykes and was wondering if anyone else in the group is moving toward a cash only practice (let the patient file the claim). For the past 2 years we have been marketing almost exclusively to small business owners and other people with high deductible policies. Right now I am at approximately 35% cash pay.Bill Dupon, M.D.