Affordable Primary Care Plan: ABQ Direct Primary Care $75/Mo

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – “I’m hypertensive and a diabetic with high cholesterol levels.” Sound familiar? Your employees are among many New Mexicans (NM) who journey through life with chronic conditions. Over 23% of NM adults aged 45-65, to be exact, have been diagnosed with multiple chronic conditions.

Direct primary care (DPC) offers chronic disease management for your employees. But they need a care plan to begin with. A DPC care plan is important. It ensures they receive the proper healthcare based on their needs and preferences.

What are the benefits and impacts of a care plan for your employees’ health?

• What is a care plan? 
• Who is eligible for a care plan?
• What is involved in care planning?
• What are the benefits and health impacts? 
• How much does a care plan cost? 

What is a care plan?

A care plan is a personalized plan of care. It consists of health goals, strategies, and timetables. It identifies the people involved in the care interventions. Finally, a review or report serves to assess and monitor health progress. 

A care plan is different from individual to individual. But it has the same five purposes:

1. The healthcare team, such as Well Life Family Practice, works with your employees’ to know what kind of care and how they can receive the care they need. 
2. Everyone in the healthcare team gives the same care given to others. 
3. There’s consistency and continuity of care, regardless of the caregiver.
4. Rest assured that whatever care they receive is recorded. 
5. The care plan can be adjusted based on the periodic review and their wants.

You employees and a healthcare provider, or we, collaborate to develop the care plan. It is customized based on their specific needs, particularly if they have a chronic illness. 

A study notes primary care settings are most effective in managing the chronic disease of people in their communities. For example, the Assessment of Chronic Illness Care tool was developed in 2000. It has been helping primary care providers deliver care for people with chronic diseases. It works well for diabetes and cardiovascular care outcomes.

DPC develops your employees’ personalized care plan, inclusive of the monthly fee. It costs only $75 and is offered by a DPC provider, Well Life Family Practice. It comes with other healthcare services in addition to chronic disease management.

Who is eligible for a care plan?

Your employees are eligible for a care plan if they have had illnesses for the past six months or longer. Some of these medical conditions include the following:

• Arthritis
• Asthma
• Behavioral problems or developmental disabilities
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
• Chronic pain
• Diabetes
• High blood pressure
• High cholesterol

Most of these chronic conditions are prevalent among NMs. A 2019 survey by the Bernalillo Community Health Council reveals the following statistics:

• In NM, asthma cases are higher than the U.S. average, with 10.9% of adults in Bernalillo.
• Diabetes ranks as the sixth leading cause of death among NMs. In 2012-2015, Southwest Albuquerque reported a 146% increase in hospitalizations due to diabetes.
• Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S. New Mexico, and Bernalillo shares the same figures. Medical practitioners diagnosed 4% of adults with a heart attack and 3% with coronary heart disease.
• Breast cancer cases rank highest in Bernalillo and New Mexico compared to other cancers. It’s followed by prostate and lung cancer.
• Respondents (13.1%) reported symptoms of mental disabilities, including great trouble concentrating, remembering, or making decisions.
• Arthritis and obesity are also common in Bernalillo.

What is involved in care planning?

Think of it as a blueprint that explains how to develop a care plan and where your employees play an active role. Based on a study, care planning highlights patient-centeredness, shared decision-making, and self-management. Simply put, care planning involves four steps:

1. Assessment

It details the background, interests, and medical history. Medical history includes tests, diagnoses, and treatments. At the same time, a crucial part of the assessment is discussing the health needs, desired outcomes, and goals.

2. Formulation of the care plan

This step involves the what, who, and how of care. What are the preferred medical interventions? What kind of support is needed? Who is part of the care? How are the health goals achieved and monitored? All activities are incorporated into an action plan.

3. Implementation of the care plan

The action plan in the previous step serves as a guide in applying the care. This step forms the bulk of care, where self-management plays a vital role.

4. Evaluation

During the care, it’s crucial to have regular contact with us as the healthcare provider. The feedback allows us to monitor and review the progress. Then, we make adjustments, if necessary, through shared decision-making.

What are the benefits and health impacts of a care plan?

Your employees benefit from personalized care planning in many ways. It goes beyond alleviating symptoms of their chronic disease. Besides their physical health, it positively impacts their well-being, relationships, and work. At the same time, their quality of life is significantly improved.

• Increased care and better health outcomes: DPC enhances healthcare delivery by managing chronic diseases. A person with more chronic diseases tends to have more clinic visits based on a case study. If a clinic visit isn’t possible, DPCs offer alternative communication channels like calls, texts, and virtual consultations. 
  

As a result:

• High blood pressure is controlled among hypertensive individuals. 
• Diabetics’ glucose levels are maintained at normal levels. 
• People with hyperlipidemia have their cholesterol levels controlled.
• Obese people lose weight.
  
  At Well Life Family Practice, a consultation lasts about 40 minutes. This time is longer than in a traditional setting, where a medical practitioner sees your employees only for about 10 minutes.
  
  More extended dialogues with your employees enable us to formulate a comprehensive care plan. We get to know each other better and learn how they want us to manage their chronic disease. Moreover, they can talk to us or follow up on their care whenever needed.
  
  Compared to traditional consultation, interactions in a DPC care plan enable people to take positive actions to keep themselves healthy. As a result, it contributes to better clinical outcomes.

• Empowered people with long-term conditions: The 2021 Year of Care summary shows insights about the positive effects of care planning. People with long-term conditions said they experienced better care. They felt supported and involved in the decision-making of their self-care. 
  
  Moreover, about 89% felt they could manage their health better. At the same time, 86.9% developed ideas on managing their condition.
  
  Your employees are empowered from the start. They actively participate in goal setting, identifying preferred interventions, and shared decision-making. An essential factor in achieving empowerment is access to healthcare.
  
  Well Life Family Practice provides your employees access to healthcare in various ways. It includes 24/7 telemedicine and virtual consultations in addition to traditional communication channels.

• Healthier and more productive employees: People who experienced consultation in a care plan felt they understood their condition. People with chronic diseases felt more confident in managing their health. As a result, they coped with their condition and did better in life.
  
  Moreover, people who self-cared through care planning visited their medical practitioner 40% less than people under traditional care. Hospital admissions were also reduced by 50%.
  
  It means your employees won’t have to take sick leave from work. Or worse, report for work feeling ill. Their productivity won’t suffer due to the symptoms of their chronic condition. Regular feedback and collaboration keep their health in check and shape.
  
  Absenteeism and low productivity at work can result in lost income for them and you as an employer. A care plan minimizes their chances of being absent from work. As a result, they get to perform their functions and keep their wages intact.

How much does a care plan cost? 

Healthcare need not be expensive. We help cash-strapped employees, with or without healthcare insurance, to achieve better health. A care plan for chronic diseases costs $75 per month per employee. The cost also includes other healthcare services:

• Acute care
• Discounted labs and medicines
• Nutrition counseling
• Weight loss and weight management
• 24/7 telemedicine

The rates and services vary from one DPC provider to another. So, it’s best to check each one to help you choose the best DPC provider for your employees’ needs.

Takeaway

Yes, you can spend $75 monthly per employee on a care plan by a DPC provider in Albuquerque. Your employees’ long-term conditions like hypertension, diabetes and high cholesterol can be controlled at this cost. 

As a result, they achieve better health and improved quality of life. Moreover, a care plan allows them to decide what kind of care they need and how we can support them in attaining their health goals. 

Also, your employees can be more productive at work without feeling sick frequently. First, it saves them from medical costs due to the complications of their condition. And second, their wages won’t be affected by absenteeism or job loss.

In addition to chronic disease management, Well Life Family Practice provides many healthcare services. Your employees can use these services regardless of whether they have or don’t have a chronic condition. Best of all, they can register as an individual to receive the healthcare services they need.