HealthLinks Upstate July/August 2021

20 | www.Ups tatePhys i c i ansSC . com | www.Hea l thL i nksUps tate. com GETTING BACK TO THE BASICS: DIRECT PRIMARY CARE PROVIDES A GROWING ALTERNATIVE By Janet E. Perrigo Since its inception in the early 2000s, direct primary care has grown rapidly as an alternative to rising health care costs and limited patient interaction with overworked physicians. The American Academy of Family Physicians approvingly describes this model as one that “emphasizes and prioritizes the intrinsic power of the relationship between a patient and his/her family physician to improve health outcomes and lower overall health care costs.”