Huge Announcement: National Direct Primary Care (DPC) Day is November 1st!

Posted on by

I mentioned this in our DPCNewsletter recently and since then there has been intense discussions and brainstorming with some of the best minds in DPC. We worked hard and quickly on moving forward with this announcement and I think we did a pretty good job. We will fix things on the fly but it is time to get this done.

Here is the official definition, which we can tweak:

National Direct Primary Care (DPC) Day, observed on November 1, is a celebration of physician independence and patient-centered care. It highlights the growing movement of doctors reclaiming their autonomy from insurance-driven healthcare models and instead offer direct, transparent, and affordable primary care to their patients and educate the public that they have options beyond the conventional system.

Why This Day Matters

National Direct Primary Care Day serves as an opportunity to educate the public about the benefits of direct primary care and advocate for a healthcare system that prioritizes relationships over bureaucracy. It empowers both doctors and patients to take control of their healthcare decisions, fostering a model that is sustainable, transparent, and affordable for patients.

Why November 1?

  1. The beginning of Open Enrollment for health insurance is Nov 1st, making it a great opportunity to highlight DPC as an alternative or complement to traditional insurance.
  • This raises awareness during a time people are reconsidering health care options and a timely reminder that there is another way to access healthcare.
  • DPC Day could be a symbolic contrast, emphasizing DPC as that alternative.
  • This day is also free from major holidays.

Why Now?

There hasn’t been intense or coordinated effort to educate patients about DPC in the past. The DPC Alliance is a great organization but its mission is to educate and help physicians go into DPC. Some other organizations have tried to educate the public but mostly it has relied on individual DPC doctors around the country to do it. Having a Direct Primary Care Day will enable ALL of us to harness our efforts in one push, on one day.

DPC News will launch this.

Creating a National DPC Day is straight forward but it will need time (we have 6 months) and some resources, which we will initially provide. It’s not about who does it. It’s about getting this done. We have the time and the energy to make this happen. Remember, this is about educating patients and I believe a National DPC Day is the perfect way to do that.

DPCN will send out the press releases, make lapel pins (see image above) to give out, form the logo (above), and really hit the media with our connections. We will also have other shareable online content: graphics, videos, pre-written social media posts, and tweets.

We will try to get the following done as well:

  • National Day Calendar: This platform is a leader in registering official National Days, Weeks, or Months. If you’re looking to celebrate and amplify your cause, registering here is a great choice.
  • National Day Archives: Registering here is quick and easy. You have three levels of listings to choose from, based on how you plan to celebrate your day. Fill out their online form, verify your information, pay the application fee, and you’re all set! Once your application is approved, you’ll receive a certificate of registry​​.

BUT WE ARE OPEN TO MORE IDEAS. HELP US HELP YOU!

That being said, we need everyone to participate to raise awareness for maximum impact

  1. Social media videos and posts from all you DPC Docs doing it already.
  2. Sharing with the main stream media if you have any connections.
  3. Sharing with patients. This is critical as they can spread the words as well.
  4. Contacting local TV and radio stations, newspapers, magazines, online calendars.
  5. Email blasting other organizations that could promote this.
  6. Trying to get some celebrity endorsements. Does anyone have a celebrity as a patient who could help promote this to their following on social media?

Partners

We will get this started but are surely open to partners on this. I am thinking HINT, DPC Alliance, the health sharing companies, etc. Contact us (support at dpcnews.com) if interested. This day helps all of us.

And save the date. More info coming.

All images and ideas are can be tweaked a bit. If there is any major concern or problem, please leave a comment here or email us. We cannot guarantee every idea or change will be instituted but we very open to all ideas. Get involved now as six months goes by quickly!

Get our awesome newsletter by signing up here. It’s FREE!!! And we don’t share your email with anyone.

10

About Douglas Farrago, MD

Dr. Farrago is a retired family physician based in Forest, Virginia. Since 2021, he has run DPCnews.com, a leading resource for the Direct Primary Care (DPC) movement. He is the author of three best-selling books on Direct Primary Care: The Official Guide to Starting Your Own Direct Primary Care Practice The Direct Primary Care Doctor’s Daily Motivational Journal Slowing the Churn in Direct Primary Care (While Also Keeping Your Sanity) In 2016, Dr. Farrago conceived the idea for the Direct Primary Care Alliance and co-founded the organization alongside other pioneering DPC physicians. He is widely recognized as a leading expert in the DPC model and frequently lectures to medical students, residents, and practicing physicians on how to successfully start and run their own DPC practices.Dr. Farrago sold his Direct Primary Care practice in October 2020 but continues to receive care there as a patient.