Dr. Vieages is well known in town for the exceptional level of care she provides to her patients. When I first met her, the connection was instantaneous. We bonded over mommy doctor war stories but we share much more. Dr. Vieages, Dr. Bartow and I, share an unwavering commitment to patient care. When we were practicing FFS (Fee for Service) medicine, we had 15 minutes with each patient, which was never enough, cared for thousands of patients, and rarely had time to focus on the “important stuff.” You know, the things that matter: mental health, diets, exercise regimens, relationships.
All docs want out of the hampster wheel of FFS medicine. It is exhausting and a constant burden to feel that you are never meeting the needs of your patients. That being said, most of us are also riddled with hundreds of thousands of dollars of debt, and making the change to Direct Primary Care is scary because it entails rejecting the mainstream method of providing care in this country. And let’s be honest, docs aren’t known for their high risk behaviors.
Thus, it says a lot when a doc finally says, I am going to the light side, and by light side, I mean direct care. We see patients, they pay us a fair price for unlimited care, our patients text, call and email us, and we are there, come rain or shine, through the good days and the bad days. And you know what, I find that our patients are there for us, through thick and thin, rain or shine, ready to help us, their fellow DPC members and our larger community. Because we are a family after all, of like minded people who believe our fellow citizens should have access to high quality care regardless of their bank account, age, race, gender, sex or anything else that might define them.
So when Dr. Vieages finally made the switch, she was sending a message of love and commitment to her practice and herself. She didn’t leave medicine as so many docs are wanting to do these days. She doubled down. Not only are we still here, but we are doing it better than we ever did before.
If you are Dr. Vieages’ patient now, I want you to know that you are welcome at Ashewell, and if you want to just come and meet Dr. Vieages, because you are looking for an outstanding doc, we welcome you too. We all win here. If you have insurance, you are welcome. If you don’t have insurance, you are welcome. Call us and we can tell you how we can save you money, and you can get the best care you have ever had. We all win here.
With love,
Carly Brown, M.D.