Second National Gathering Focused On Direct Primary Care To Be Held In Nations Capital, June 20-21, 2014

ATLANTA, GA, April 25, 2014 (Press-News.org) The Direct Primary Care Journal (DPCJ) released the dates and location of the second Direct Primary Care Conference hosted by the Family Medicine Education Consortium (FMEC). On June 20th - 21st, 2014, The FMEC will host its second national gathering of physicians, payers, investors, policymakers and others near the nation's capital, Arlington, VA. Direct Primary Care (DPC, also known as Direct-Pay) is a model of paying for primary care outside of insurance and is growing in popularity among Primary Care physicians. An individual or employer typically pays a monthly fee for all of their primary care needs. Generally, DPC providers say they can address 88 percent or more of the most common diagnoses faced by individuals and families.

This National Summit will take place June 20th - 21st, 2014 at the Sheraton Pentagon City Hotel and Meeting Center in Arlington, VA. Physicians, policymakers, payers, researchers, purchasers, investors, suppliers, and others are invited to attend.

"The 2nd DPC Summit will be a great opportunity to build on the enthusiasm and momentum of the first conference held last year in St. Louis, MO," says Dr. Erika Bliss, a Family Physician at Qliance Medical Group of WA and President/CEO of Qliance Medical Management Inc. "We hope to bring together an even larger group this time and dive deeper into the direct primary care business model and its promise for transforming primary care and the rest of the healthcare system for all Americans."

As the nation's healthcare system prepares to cope with an influx of 30 million newly insured Americans as a result of the Affordable Care Act, physician entrepreneurs are leading medicine down a new path that will see more doctors listing their prices and connecting with patients much like the days before managed care and administratively-burdened insurance. DPC physicians are able to run a very low cost practice that is for the most part, cash only. Clinics and physicians, like Qliance, are now being opened across the country, many with extended hours that offer a more patient-centered relationship with a physician.

"Interestingly, doctors across the country are becoming more transparent about their fees," says Catherine Sykes, Publisher of the industry trade publication, The Direct Primary Care Journal. "This is all happening at a time when the cost of health care is rising. We have an era coming with more innovation in health care delivery in our country than we've had in a decade. The way health care is delivered will radically change and the focus will be on the customer. Employers are on alert as well and are switching to high-deductible health plan policies where employees are now responsible for a higher amount of dollars upfront before the company picks up the cost. As that expands, patients are going to start looking at health care from more of a consumer perspective, become more cost conscious and less reliant on a piece of plastic in their wallets."

"In this time of tremendous upheaval, the implications of this person-centered, effective, efficient, and easy to deploy model of care are powerful," says Bliss. "We invite anyone interested in reviving and rebuilding our much-needed primary care system and to learn more this summer."

As the growing industry comes together to address the new challenges related to this new, old-fashioned healthcare delivery model, insights into consumer wants, physician needs, and employer behaviors will be discussed at this event. Topics will include:

+ New and emerging DPC business models and data platforms.
+ Creative best practices in an affordable, personalized, patient-centered era.
+ The latest trends in the marketplace.
+ How-to implement the DPC business model.
+ How-to transition successfully from a traditional managed care or insurance-reliant practice to a DPC business model.
+ The regulatory challenges faced by DPC.
+ Keynotes from industry thought leaders.
+ Case studies from brands successfully incorporating DPC into their practice.
+ Peer-to-peer collaboration, problem solving, and networking.
+ The potential healthcare system impact of DPC.
+ Crucial insights into the current state of consumer wants and the requirements of physicians and practices.
+ Physicians leading the way.
+ Rethinking the ways in which the industry has traditionally approached healthcare delivery and insurance.
+ A peer-to-peer town hall dedicated to industry thought leadership.

"It is clear that at the core of the DPC movement is the determination of the physicians to respond effectively to the needs of their patients and communities," says Laurence Bauer, MSW, Med, CEO of FMEC and host of the event. "We expect that the 2014 Summit will double last years size. We also expect an increase in the number of medical students and medical residents who will be attending the meeting as this industry provides an employment lifeline to those physicians entering primary care early in their career."

"This event offers a wide variety of exploratory learning opportunities from experienced experts in the industry," adds Michael Tetreault, Editor of The Direct Primary Care Journal. "We believe this event will be another significant step forward in determining how all of the stakeholders can work together."

About The Direct Primary Care Journal

The Direct Primary Care Journal is a media sponsor for this industry-wide Summit. The Direct Primary Care Journal (DPCJ) is an independent trade journal and online news reporting publication observing, reporting and connecting with experts from all facets of the DPC industry. For more information, news or to locate a physician, visit: http://www.DirectPrimaryCare.com or call (770) 455-1650.

To stay abreast of the issues concerning direct primary care programs, look for more information at http://www.DirectPrimaryCare.com.

TO REGISTER or for MORE INFORMATION: Contact Shayla Rammel at (937) 696-5024 or shayla.rammel@fmec.net. Early Bird Registration: $350 (through May 1st, 2014) or $395 (After May 1st, 2014). Online registration is available. The event also includes an opportunity for exhibitors interested in the DPC movement. To learn more, call (937) 696-5024 or email shayla.rammel@fmec.net for Exhibitor/Sponsorship information.

HOTEL and EVENT INFORMATION: To make hotel reservations at The Sheraton Pentagon City Hotel, call 800-325-3535 and reference 'Direct Primary Care Summit 2014′ to receive the preferred group rate of $124 per night. This must be completed by Friday, May 30, 2014 to receive the group rate..

About The Family Medicine Education Consortium (FMEC)

The Family Medicine Education Consortium, Inc. is an incubator, convener, catalyst that connects those interested in improving the health of the community by strengthening Family Medicine/primary care services and medical education. Their member organizations include: Medical school-based Departments of Family Medicine; Family Medicine Residency programs; State chapters of the American Academy of Family Physicians; State wide Primary Care Associations; Community Health Centers; and Community-based and hospital-owned Primary Care Practices. For more information, visit: http://www.fmec.net or call (937) 696-5024.