Direct Care Connect

Two of the Direct Care Connect Crew right here!

Between co-founding a non-profit and working as director at a compliance firm, Tiffany Ryder is an inspiring story! I'm thrilled to shine the spotlight on her as a featured non-clinical provider! 1.    How did you transition to the non-clinical side of healthcare?   Although I'd decided to start my journey in healthcare as a PA, it was clear, even before I graduated from school, that to incite systemic change, I would eventually need to transition to the non-clinical side of things. I was advised early on that no matter where I wanted to end up, I would need to serve in a 'challenging clinical environment' for a minimum of 2 years to earn credibility and insight into the inner workings of the system I was so desperate to overhaul. Looking back, that advice was spot on and I'm incredibly grateful for the time I served in the ER. The experience provided me with a perspective I wouldn't have gotten any other way, and I use it to be successful every single day in my non-clinical work!     2.   What's your current role? What are the pros and cons of working non-clinically? My passion project is Direct Care Connect (DCC), a non-profit organization I co-founded with a small group of other mission-driven change-makers where I'm currently serving as Medical Director. DCC facilitates connections between uninsured and underinsured patients and direct primary care providers through education and scholarships. I also serve as the Director of Fiduciary Services for a compliance firm where I develop solutions that support employers in establishing a process for conscientious, ethical decision-making as it pertains to the selection and administration of health benefits for their employees.     3.   What's your top piece of advice for those looking to transition to a non-clinical career?   You need a village to succeed - no one does it alone! I never could have transitioned to a non-clinical path without the help and guidance of others. It took me trying new projects, talking to what seemed like 1000 strangers and building relationships with people outside of my comfort zone to transition to non-clinical roles. No matter what, don't let anyone discourage you along the way. So many things are possible and whatever you envision can be realized - just go!

We're hosting our first pop-up DPC this summer!

Thanks to ⁦‪BenefitsPRO for having me to this remarkable event. "If you have transparency and no competition, you just see how bad you are getting screwed." #healthcare

No matter how dedicated or knowledgeable clinicians are, we can't work hard enough or smart enough to overcome deficiencies in the system that often work against patient adherence to treatment plans and engagement. The solution is to facilitate systemic changes that create an environment that is patient-centered and conducive to high quality medical care. Plan sponsors have more power (and responsibility) to enact these changes than they think. __ Big thank you to Emma Fox, CHVA for leading our panel through a colorful discussion on what this patient-centered path could look like and to Alan Cohen for engaging in thoughtful discourse! Grateful to Carley Beckum and ALM for covering the story. "Ryder shared: '[The common thread was] healthcare navigation questions & how to manage payments for the medical services. I did the best I could to educate the patients but realized I had no idea what I was doing. We don't learn these things when we study medicine.' Ryder realized she could not be an effective provider unless there was significant changes on the business side of healthcare." ▶ https://lnkd.in/eb9reT8F

The Patient-Centered Primary Care Collaborative concluded... "Consistent and growing evidence shows that primary care oriented systems achieve better health outcomes, more health equity and lower costs" And our response to that is... Of course it does 😊 Join us.

We're hosting our first pop-up DPC this summer! Our mission at Direct Care Connect is multifaceted but the at our core, we want to help people by introducing them to direct primary care and the benefits that come with it. Insurance is not always accessible or available for Americans and when it is, it often leaves us with poor clinical and financial outcomes. Instead, we know that receiving 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞 is a vital component to a healthy and fulfilling life. That's what we aim to do. ᴄᴀʀᴇ. Our clinicians are helping underserved Americans with initial primary care intake visits in their own communities, and our navigation team is connecting every patient we see with a local DPC practice under our Direct Care Connect scholarships. Imagine the potential impact of a community with direct access to their own primary care physician, without the stress of acceptance or affordability... 🥰 We're here to 𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 and 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 in the United States. Get involved and sponsor a pop-up in your community: https://lnkd.in/ea4zFBe7

The beauty of DPC.. Yesterday, I texted my provider with a concern I had. After texting back and forth a bit about it, she recommended coming in for a lab test. I went in, had a $6 lab drawn, and got my (reassuring) results this morning. A few things that would never happen in the traditional healthcare system: 1. Direct texting with my provider 2. Coming in for a lab test an hour after texting her about my concern 3. A SIX DOLLAR lab test. My “estimate” at a local healthcare system is $110. 4. Knowing the exact cost of my lab test. If I asked this question in the traditional healthcare system they would have NO idea the answer to that (because I’ve tried asking those questions before..) 4. Results sent to me on a Saturday, for peace of mind. Direct Primary Care is truly for EVERYONE! Not just those who don’t have traditional health insurance or those who have high deductible plans. If you want HIGHER QUALITY, AFFORDABLE and transparent healthcare, check out Solstice Health

I loved my family medicine rotations, but I *never* considered practicing in primary care - here are the top reasons why: - Burnout is exceptionally high - Pay is comparatively low (2x higher for Emergency Med) - Number of patients per clinician is large (& always increasing) - Administrative burdens & work hours also going up while payments are stagnant I'm not the only one who noticed & opted out. There's a PCP shortage relative to market demand that is so predictable, it's as if it were carefully crafted. And as much as we have a right to complain about the problems with our current system, we also have an obligation to discuss promising solutions. Direct Primary Care has emerged as a care and payment model that addresses many of these issues by offering care that's membership based - like Netflix 📽 . It's not perfect. And my DPC colleagues assure me it's still a lot of work - but I see hope and that's worth taking a moment to celebrate. 🎉 Happy to have spent some time digging into this topic with Jay K. Joshi of Daily Remedy. Link to the episode below ⤵ !

Hi-we’re DCC!   Join our founders Emma Fox & Tiffany Ryder as they dive into all things Direct Care Connect: who we are, what we do, and how you can help us make an impact. Big things are coming for DCC this year and we can’t wait to share them with you. See you there!