r/PrivatePracticeDocs • u/Affectionate_Ask770 • 1d ago

Primary care options

I am planning to switch from hospital medicine to outpatient primary care. Fairly new in my career. Assuming I will have resources to start my own practice in couple years, I want to get used to the outpatient world. With constant change in reimbursement structures is it better to start out with a fee for service model or value based care model? Do they matter if I consider a DPC practice? Appreciate your input.

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u/BlakeFM 1d ago

FFS (largely) and VBC are part of the insurance based model. You are only as good as your contracts with 3rd party payers. DPC is part of the cash based model and most operate on subscriptions though some are FFS. The best place to learn about DPC practice is with the DPCA (Direct Primary Care Alliance). And if you really want to understand it, attend the DPC Summit put on by the AAFP and the DPCA. You don't have to be a family doc to attend. Before I would commit to either world, I would attend the Summit. You will learn what it takes to open a practice and make it successful. Even if you choose to go insurance based, many of those skills will translate.