I’m starting a new project with Colin McDonnell (of Bagel) called Brick Health. We hope to provide DPC practices with an additional revenue stream by making it easy to offer cash-pay services to the patients of virtual clinics/telemedicine companies. Read on for details.
Why are we doing this?
Telemedicine has received a huge boost during the pandemic, despite the fact that it has major limitations in terms of care quality and continuity. There's only so much you can diagnose without vitals, auscultation, otoscopy, spirometry, EKGs, or labs.
At the same time, DPC practices across the country are currently seeing reduced foot traffic from patients. A lot of resources — staff, facilities, devices— are going underutilized at a time when budgets are tighter than ever.
We think there's a way to solve both problems at once. Patients from virtual clinics can be referred to DPC practices, who will provide non-urgent diagnostic and nursing services on a cash-pay, walk-in basis. This gives the virtual physicians the data they need to do their job, and lets the DPC practice better utilize their equipment and staff without eating up any of the physician's time.
How much will I make?
Reimbursement rates are set on a per-service basis. You can view our Reimbursements page for details. On top of that, you get a generous margin on each test or service you provide. We're still finalizing the exact amounts.
Where are the patients coming from?
We're working with existing telemedicine companies and virtual clinics who will push orders directly into our system. Every service will be ordered by a physician who works at/for one of these telemedicine companies.
When would I start?
That depends. Initially we're running pilots in particular areas. Over time we'll expand to more regions. For now, fill out the interest form at the bottom of this page. Once we have patients available in your area, we'll reach out.
How does this work exactly?
Here's the entire flow:
1. The patient sees a physician through an existing telemedicine service.
2. The telemed physician submits orders into our system.
3. The patient visits an AirPCP clinic in their area.
4. A staff member at the clinic uses the provided AirPCP dashboard to check if the patient has any outstanding orders. If so, the staff member fills the order and submits the results through the dashboard.
5. AirPCP relays the results back into the ordering physician's EHR.
What services will I need to provide?
Each partner clinic must provide a standard "menu" of services. Tentatively, this menu will include:
Vitals: pulse ox, BP, HR, height, weight, respiratory rate, temperature
Digital auscultation: recording cardiac, pulmonary, and abdominal sounds in twenty second clips. We will provide this device free of charge if you don't have on one hand.
Otoscopy: digital images of the tympanic membrane
Cerumen removal via ear lavage
EKG (12-lead)
Stool hemoccults
Phlebotomy + passthrough to a local lab
Urinalysis (rapid result)
Spirometry
Peak flows
Note that all these services can all be performed by clinical staff, without requiring any physician time!
What if I don't have the equipment I need to provide those services?
We will lend devices (e.g. digital stethoscopes) free of charge to clinics who need them. You are free to use these devices for your DPC patients as well.
Will these patients need appointments?
No, all services will be provided on a walk-in, non-urgent basis. This means you won't need to make any changes to your existing scheduling workflows.
Could these patients tell others about my DPC practice?
Sure! Offering walk-in services is a good way to raise your profile in the community.
Do I need to be open for certain hours?
No, you can still set your hours however you like!
What if I'm busy when a patient arrives?
All services can be performed by staff members. If your staff happens to be busy when the patient arrives then the patient can wait to be seen for this non-urgent issue.
How many patients will be coming in?
Initially we're running small, localized pilots with a small number of telemedicine companies, so volumes will be quite low. Down the road, if the volume of patients becomes disruptive, you'll have the ability to throttle down the number of walk-ins to a level that works for you. We also plan to provide high-traffic AirPCP clinics with a set automated testing devices (mostly oriented around vital signs) to minimize staff time needed to fill an order.
Interested?
FILL OUT THE AirPCP INTEREST FORM BELOW.
You can also open the form in a new tab.