MARCH: NATIONAL KIDNEY CARE AWARENESS MONTH
3D Illustration von menschlichen Nieren mit Querschnitt 
Nurse with stethoscope holding anatomical model of healthy human kidney. White background. 
Doctor supports kidneys healthy concept design .
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What is Direct Primary Care?
Direct Primary Care(DPC) involves cutting out the middle man–insurance companies. As health insurance becomes increasingly confusing, expensive, and frustrating, Direct Primary Care removes it from the equation.
At Direct Medical Care, you have the option of obtaining a membership, which includes the cost of provider visits along with other perks. However, a membership is not required, and you can pay for waht you need as you go.
With this type of healthcare in place you should expect:
- To spend more time with your healthcare provider as they are spending less time filling and billing for insurance
- Affordable wholesale medications, labs, imaging, and procedures
- Transparent pricing
- Accessibility and convenience such as same day appointments, virtual visits, and so much more
- Flexibility! You still have the option to submit to insurance. We will provide you the necessary information at the end of your visit to do so.
Melanie Shockley, DNP
Fuel with Fiber!
All of us have been told to add fiber in our diet. This is because there are so many health benefits and most Americans only get about half of the recommended fiber per day. Lets breakdown the details of fiber and why it is an essential part of our diet.
What is Fiber?
· It is a type of carbohydrate. Don’t panic! Most carbs are broken down into sugars, which we associate with diabetes and being bad for our health. Fiber cannot be broken down into sugar and instead has a positive effect on our body!
Some Benefits of Fiber:
· Reduces the risk of heart disease and diabetes.
· Lowers cholesterol.
· Helps prevent constipation.
· Aids with weight loss.
How much do we need?
· Approximately 25-35 grams/day.
What are good sources of fiber?
- Whole grains, fruits and vegetables, beans, legumes, nuts, and seeds.
Tips to increase Fiber in your diet:
- Skip fruit juices and eat whole fruits instead!
- Substitute white rice, bread, flour, and pasta for whole grain alternatives.
- Add fiber slowly into your diet and it’s very important to increase water intake as you increase fiber.
- Still need help getting fiber in your diet? There are over the counter fiber supplements that come in variety of forms.
Fiber can be an easy addition to your diet to help meet your healthcare goals this 2021!
Melanie Shockley, DNP
Pink Isn’t the Only Color
Cervical Cancer Awareness is this month.
Direct Medical Care’s newest nurse practitioner, Jessica Whiteman, addresses what you need to know:
COVID-19 Preparation
When the pandemic hit in early spring, I commented that you should assume you will get the coronavirus. It is not a matter of if you get the virus, but when you will get it. If you happen to not get it, count yourself lucky.
So what have you been doing the last six months to prepare? I am not talking about wearing a mask. I am not talking about staying six feet apart. I am talking about what have you done to better your health to better prepare your body to fight the coronavirus?
What should you have been doing these past six months to prepare?
- Eating Healthy
- Achieving/Maintaining a Healthy Weight
- Getting Good Sleep
- Exercising
- Managing Stress
- Managing Medical Issues
- Building your Immune System–zinc, vitamin C, vitamin D, elderberry
If you have not engaged in your health there is no better time to start–not just for the coronavirus but for life.
Ann Riggs, DO
My Epiphany as a Doctor: Navigating Today’s Healthcare for My Own Family–Part 2
When the Doctor’s Family Needs Medical Care
My husband Craig had been complaining about his right shoulder hurting the summer of 2017. To be the spouse of a doctor can be challenging because getting my attention medically can be tough at home.
We had tried conservative care with ice and ibuprofen for months. We tried cold laser therapy. We even tried steroid injections with minimal relief. He had significantly modified his activities due to the pain. 
The final straw: he could no longer play catch with his daughters.
We got an MRI of his shoulder scheduled. Our cash pricing through our Midwest Direct 
Primary Care Alliance was $240.00 cash at a local free-standing imaging clinic.
The MRI revealed no full thickness tear of the rotator cuff but there was a partial tear with joint effusion and chronic tendinosis and tendinopathy.
I consulted an orthopedic specialist online through Rubicon MD who recommended surgical evaluation over continued conservative care.
An online referral was started with the Surgery Center of Oklahoma.
In January 2018 Craig was set-up for a surgical consult late Thursday afternoon with anticipated surgery the following Friday morning in Oklahoma City. We braved the typical January weather from KC to OKC.
After reviewing Craig’s case, the anesthesiologists/owners of the Surgery Center of Oklahoma hand-picked Dr. Couppens as the surgeon. This former US Olympic team doctor met with Craig and modified the surgical plans with him given the magnitude of adhesive capsulitis(aka frozen shoulder) that had developed.
The next morning we arrived bright and early for surgery. While Craig was being attended to I got to enjoy the company of Dr. Keith Smith and Dr. Steven Lantier the masterminds behind the Surgery Center of Oklahoma and the pioneers in the movement for price transparency.
The surgery was deemed a success and we drove home later that day. The road to recovery included lots of rehabilitation over the next several months and we are now happy to report Craig is once again playing catch with his daughters.
Ann Riggs, DO
My Epiphany as a Doctor: Navigating Today’s Healthcare for My Own Family–Part 1
Giving up Traditional Health Insurance
I had blogged about them and had seriously considered them–cost sharing plans.
I resisted giving up my traditional health insurance because of the beauty of the triple tax savings with the Health Savings Account(HSA) that I married to my high deductible plan. I saw such value in that piece that I lost out on the bigger picture–saving money without sacrificing care.
What changed?
I paid for my daughter’s surgery out of pocket in 2016 when the cost for the negotiated insurance pricing was higher than actually just paying cash.
I saved almost $1200 by paying cash. Click to see the details in my previous blog.
AND
My traditional high deductible healthcare insurance plan I carried in 2016 was increasing from $820.00 per month to $2100.00 per month.
The plan was not only going up by $1280.00 per month but it offered less coverage and had a higher deductible.
The decision to move to the cost sharing plan was easy at this point. We chose to go with Liberty HealthShare
Our cost became $450.00 per month for our family of four and our out-of-pocket portion or unshared amount(deductible) became $1500.00 annually.
Ann Riggs, DO
Setting the Stage for my Next Blog Series…
My Epiphany as a Doctor: Navigating Today’s Healthcare for My Own Family…coming soon!
Ann Riggs, DO
Specialists at Your Service
We Do Know a Little Bit about a Lot…
As family practitioners we are expected to know a wide range of topics and health conditions. And while we pride ourselves on knowing as much as we can about all things medical, it is impossible for us to know all the intricacies of specialty medicine. We realize that a physician or colleague that focuses on one area of medicine has insight in that area that we might not have.
A Team of Specialists
Never fear at Direct Medical Care we have a team of hundreds of specialists available to us for consultation.
Rubicon MD
Over the past year we have been utilizing an online service called Rubicon MD. It is an online eConsult platform that gives us access to hundreds of specialists and subspecialists in medicine. What often takes three to six months to get consultation we can get in less than 24 hours. Not to mention the cost to see that specialist after that long wait is estimated to exceed $200.
Quality Care that is Timely
Last night I was reminded what an incredible offering it really is for our patients:
I had an interesting case that had me puzzled and decided to ask the specialist via Rubicon MD for some input and guidance. I put together the clinical history and data at 6PM and had a response by 9PM. The patient’s case was reviewed and reassurance that we were managing things correctly with added precautions on what to do moving forward.
Better care for patients that is affordable and timely is another added bonus at Direct Medical Care.
Ann Riggs, DO
Welcome Dr. Parker to the Team!
On the eve of Dr. Parker’s first day in the clinic at Direct Medical Care I thought it only appropriate to share a little more information on her. Check out her bio:
Dr. Parker was born and raised in the Kansas City area. She is one of six children of Dr. and Mrs. C. Phillip Pattison who reside in Weston, Missouri. After spending her freshman year of high school at Shawnee Mission Northwest she moved with her family to Rolla, Missouri where she graduated from Rolla High School in 2001. She returned to Kansas City later that year to attend the University of Missouri-Kansas City, School of Medicine. Upon graduation, she was chosen as the recipient of the Society of Academic Emergency Medicine Award. Dr. Parker spent one year at the University of Indiana Emergency Medicine Program in Indianapolis. After a year of Emergency Medicine training she chose to return to her passion for primary care medicine. She completed a residency in Family Medicine, followed by a Fellowship in Geriatric Medicine at St. Vincent Hospital. During her time in Indianapolis, Dr. Parker married her husband, Dr. Matthew Parker, and had three sons. Dr. Parker and her family returned to the Kansas City area in 2013 and they reside in Weston, Missouri. She was employed as a Family Medicine physician at the Cerner Corporation through August 2017. During her time at Cerner she was the recipient of multiple patient service excellence awards. Dr. Parker chose to pursue a new path in medicine by joining Dr. Ann Riggs, Beckie Moore, and staff in her Direct Medical Care clinic in January 2018. Dr. Parker is thrilled to be providing affordable, comprehensive, and most importantly, compassionate care for her patients.
Welcome to Dr. Parker and her family to Direct Medical Care and our community!
Ann Riggs, DO and Staff
