FAQs
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Simply Better Medicine is an independent primary care practice focusing on the physician/patient relationship. We founded Simply Better Medicine because we believe your healthcare should be personalized, accessible, affordable and exceptional. With in office appointments, telemedicine, video visits, email, and text scheduling, we work to accommodate our members needs. Your visit will be on time and comprehensive. Because of the nature of our practice, our visits are by appointment only.
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You deserve a relationship with a physician you can trust. At Simply Better Medicine, Dr. Sills knows exactly who you are. This knowledge of your health history provides clarity to help you feel better quickly.
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The American Academy of Family Physicians defines DPC as an innovative model where patients are charged a monthly, quarterly, or annual fee that covers most primary care services. This benefits patients by providing substantial savings with improved access to, and time with, their physician. Every DPC practice can inherently be different in their structure including pricing and services offered.
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Direct Primary Care is part of the boutique medicine category. DPC and Concierge medicine are similar, yet they are not synonymous. Generally in a concierge practice, the patient pays a high retainer fee and the practice continues to bill the patient's insurance carrier. By eliminating the staff needed to bill insurance - we've decreased the fee and offer the same services including direct access to your physician, same/next-day extended visits and included procedures.
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We offer timely same/next-day appointments for urgent needs as well as 45 minute regular appointments seen on time- there's no waiting! We offer a range of flexible appointment types: in person and telemedicine phone/video appointments, thus improving your accessibility. Whether it's a quick question or you're out of town, often times a problem can be solved without being seen. If you want your loved ones involved in your care, they can be. Have multiple issues to discuss? We have time for that. We can get you in and out with quick or have extended visitsall depending on your needs.
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Your care is tailored to you and your needs. We offer comprehensive head-to-toe physicals where Dr. Sills takes her time to provide comprehensive preventative care. She is also happy to manage your chronic medical conditions during your visit. She provides care for your whole family, ages 2 and up. Nurse Kristie is available for quick nurse visits for things like strep tests, flu tests and urine testing. We also perform in-office procedures- all included in your membership. Labs and imaging are offered at Simply Better Medicine's negotiated member only pricing, or you can use your HSA/ flex/insurance. The best part is having a physician who cares for you like she'd care for her own family. Save money, save time, and receive outstanding healthcare. It's just Simply Better Medicine.
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In the typical healthcare system, doctors are incentivized to see as many patients as possible. Additional testing done in office can lead to a surprisingly high bill that you receive months later. Having a low monthly membership fee allows us to build-in operational costs, virtually eliminating unplanned bills. Our goal is to be transparent with our pricing and services, all while offering our patients improved healthcare: extended appointments, full access to your physician, relaxing clinic atmosphere and a true partner in your healthcare.
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Plenty of our patients have Medicare insurance. However, we do not bill Medicare for our services and as such you will pay a membership fee just like all of our members. As a Medicare patient, you can use your Medicare or supplement plan for labs, imaging, medications or referrals.
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No. But you can use your insurance for referrals, labs, medication and imaging.
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We have done the legwork for you and negotiated member only discounted pricing with local labs and imaging centers. Price lists are available in the clinic - no hidden fees or big bills a few weeks later. Alternatively, you may choose to use your insurance to pay for labs and imaging. Knowing your deductible is key to this decision making as many times it is less expensive to pay cash for the test. Ask us for details.
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Consult your tax or financial advisor. There is no distinct answer currently. It's very inconsistent and confusing BUT there is current federal legislation sitting in a committee that will clarify the issue! We will update this/notify patients as soon as legal clarification is made!
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We can make specialist referrals like any traditional primary care doctor. We are not limited by hospital affiliation and will work with you to find the best specialist for your needs. Fortunately, Dr. Sills has longer visits to truly flush out the root of your health issue. With fifteen years of experience practicing medicine in the community, Dr. Sills also has many local, regional, nationwide and global contacts/resources to minimize the need for formal referrals.
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If you feel you have a life-threatening emergency, call 911 immediately. Dr. Sills does not have admitting privileges at any hospital. If you need to be hospitalized, Dr. Sills will work to help coordinate care during and after your hospitalization. While no one can predict when emergencies will occur, the goal of our clinic is to minimize hospitalizations by focusing on preventative care and increasing accessibility to your doctor. She knows you best and will make every attempt to help keep you well. Remember, you will still need insurance to cover any hospitalization. We are not an insurance policy.
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If you feel you have a life-threatening emergency, call 911 immediately. While we will focus on preventative care, some things may require evaluation at an emergency room as they would at any clinic.
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No it does not.
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No worries, we will happily care for you at Simply Better Medicine. We offer predictable costs for your primary care needs. We provide access to all imaging and labs at substantially discounted prices, regardless of your insurance status. Having insurance is recommended, especially for the rare big things like surgeries, true emergencies and chronic diseases such as cancer. Because all of your primary/urgent care needs are met with our low monthly membership fee, we recommend a high deductible plan at minimum.
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Yes. Dr. Sills is the team-physician for multiple local companies. She provides OSHA testing and improved access to care for your employees to keep them healthy and on the job. We'd love to talk to your business about helping offer an affordable and ideal healthcare solution to your employees.
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We accept all major credit cards and direct bank transfers (ACH). Please call with any other questions.
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We do not treat chronic pain or carry narcotics in our office. We also do not provide prenatal care (obstetrics). We do not perform major surgeries- we are happy to refer you to a specialist for this care.
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We believe age-appropriate vaccinations are important. However, we don't have the foot traffic to utilize high quantities and therefore currently do not carry vaccines in our office. If you do not have insurance, we can provide guidance for cash-pay pricing of vaccinations at a local pharmacy.
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We understand that circumstances change and you may need to terminate your membership. We require a cancellation notice in writing emailed to our office. Cancellation is not complete until an acknowledgment of cancellation email from Simply Better Medicine is sent. Cancellations requested after business hours will be processed the following business day. If you choose to re-enroll at a later date you will pay a one-time $99 re-enrollment fee. Because we limit the number of patients at our clinic, we cannot guarantee there will be room to accept you at a later date. Please see your new patient agreement for more information.