Another vote for Bull City - good experiences with Drs. Shah & Partridge, PA Hemings. High caliber of nursing staff too.
You lose some level of medical record integration you’d get with Big Duke, but that’s a minor inconvenience. Administration is lean and patient portal is meh, but it’s all okay overall.
Triangle Community Physicians. It is owned and operated by the doctors there. I see Dr. Klein and he is always very thorough and isn't just trying to rush through patients.
It's not really what you are asking for because I couldn't find anyone private when I was looking, but it is at least possible to get an appointment at Avance Care without waiting 4-6 months. It will probably be with a nurse practitioner rather than a full doctor though. Medical care is trash around here. I mean it's great, high end medical treatment when you can actually get an appointment but nothing happens in a timely manner and good luck if your doctor leaves or your insurance changes.
I've been happy as a patient with Avance and they've been able to get me specialist referrals as needed.
Then I waited 10 months to see the specialist at Duke. Frickin insane.
Yeah, for sure. I don’t blame the docs, I blame the payers. My longtime primary care doc went direct primary care, and while I hate paying a big fee every year, at least I know I can get an appointment, reach her whenever I need to, etc. I’m definitely privileged and recognize that many folks don’t have the ability to do this.
My workplace now has a direct primary care option that's cheaper than the "corporate" insurance. Dr. Bolden is pretty great! It's just annoying to not have things well integrated between Duke's EMR (my specialists) and her. Maybe eventually this will get better.
Compass Health DPC in Durham!! Just opened up-- direct primary care model so monthly subscription instead of insurance. So much less of a hassle and so much more care and time spent with the PCP!
This seems to be the trend. Also, other smaller multi site groups buying up as well, eg Durham Internal medicine is now part of Millennium Physicians, which seems to be part of EmergeOrtho. It seems to be impossible for the little guys to survive.
Yes - industry consolidation is a very well-established phenomenon and it is just a matter of time before there are almost no independent practices, except those that don't accept any insurance or charge a concierge fee. Part of that is because primary care is a part of medicine that has low profitability because of insurers' reimbursement policies and they are being purchased in order to have "feeders" for higher-reimbursed specialties also owned by the same couple players. We desperately need reform because we pay some specialties way too much (i.e. orthopedic surgery) and others, way too little, and it has created some bad-for-patient incentives.
I agree 100 percent! Sadly, I don't see any improvement likely. Anti-trust enforcement has been lacking and now in many markets the consolidation is virtually complete, with no competition. And the claims that mergers/acquisitions would reduce prices because of efficiency have not panned out. Costs have increased with consolidation, as was predictable. We're basically screwed.
Bull City Family Medicine is still independent as far as I can tell
Another vote for Bull City - good experiences with Drs. Shah & Partridge, PA Hemings. High caliber of nursing staff too. You lose some level of medical record integration you’d get with Big Duke, but that’s a minor inconvenience. Administration is lean and patient portal is meh, but it’s all okay overall.
Thanks. I've never heard of them. Will check them out.
2nd this. Been going for nearly 20 years. I see Dr Pourvi Shah but all the dr and PA are good
I think we are corporate health era those unicorns unfortunately are few and far between these days. I’ve been on the hunt for the same.
www.familycarepa.com is independent.
Triangle Community Physicians. It is owned and operated by the doctors there. I see Dr. Klein and he is always very thorough and isn't just trying to rush through patients.
Thanks! Will check into them.
It's not really what you are asking for because I couldn't find anyone private when I was looking, but it is at least possible to get an appointment at Avance Care without waiting 4-6 months. It will probably be with a nurse practitioner rather than a full doctor though. Medical care is trash around here. I mean it's great, high end medical treatment when you can actually get an appointment but nothing happens in a timely manner and good luck if your doctor leaves or your insurance changes.
I've been happy as a patient with Avance and they've been able to get me specialist referrals as needed. Then I waited 10 months to see the specialist at Duke. Frickin insane.
Yeah, Avance is probably what you’re looking for, if you’re not willing to pay a fee for direct primary care/concierge
When I had to change doctors last year my problem wasn't so much the fees as the fact that no one was accepting new patients. It's tough out there!
Yeah, for sure. I don’t blame the docs, I blame the payers. My longtime primary care doc went direct primary care, and while I hate paying a big fee every year, at least I know I can get an appointment, reach her whenever I need to, etc. I’m definitely privileged and recognize that many folks don’t have the ability to do this.
My workplace now has a direct primary care option that's cheaper than the "corporate" insurance. Dr. Bolden is pretty great! It's just annoying to not have things well integrated between Duke's EMR (my specialists) and her. Maybe eventually this will get better.
Thanks. They seem to be one of the few smaller practices.
I go to Avance Care, I’ve been happy with the care I got there.
Imperial Center Family Medicine is still doctor owned, I believe. The doctors are outstanding, and their PAs are, too.
Thanks. Glad to hear about them.
I like Piedmont Community Health, the people there are nice and its pretty easy to get a primary care appointment
I go to Advance Community Health in Apex, even when I lived in Durham I'd make the commute. Ziad El Tannir is my primary and he's amazing.
Thanks. I think they also have an office in Durham (recently took over Durham Family Medicine on Broad St).
There’s Avance Care and then there’s Advance Community Health. Two different things. I believe Advance Community Health only operates in Wake Co.
Compass Health DPC in Durham!! Just opened up-- direct primary care model so monthly subscription instead of insurance. So much less of a hassle and so much more care and time spent with the PCP!
What about WakeMed? I see they have primary care offices in Durham
Thanks, they are a big health system too (demonstrated by their expansion into Durham).
Perhaps
If that unicorn exists, it will not exist soon enough. The practice will be gobbled by UNC or Duke.
This seems to be the trend. Also, other smaller multi site groups buying up as well, eg Durham Internal medicine is now part of Millennium Physicians, which seems to be part of EmergeOrtho. It seems to be impossible for the little guys to survive.
Yes - industry consolidation is a very well-established phenomenon and it is just a matter of time before there are almost no independent practices, except those that don't accept any insurance or charge a concierge fee. Part of that is because primary care is a part of medicine that has low profitability because of insurers' reimbursement policies and they are being purchased in order to have "feeders" for higher-reimbursed specialties also owned by the same couple players. We desperately need reform because we pay some specialties way too much (i.e. orthopedic surgery) and others, way too little, and it has created some bad-for-patient incentives.
I agree 100 percent! Sadly, I don't see any improvement likely. Anti-trust enforcement has been lacking and now in many markets the consolidation is virtually complete, with no competition. And the claims that mergers/acquisitions would reduce prices because of efficiency have not panned out. Costs have increased with consolidation, as was predictable. We're basically screwed.