Leveraging Technology to Enhance Efficiency in a DPC Practice

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Running a Direct Primary Care (DPC) practice requires a unique blend of patient-focused care and operational efficiency. No matter how big or small the practice, the direct relationship between physician and patient in DPC models means that streamlining administrative processes is essential to providing high-quality, personalized care. Fortunately, a whole host of tools can significantly improve a DPC practice’s workflow. Here’s how I’ve integrated some of these innovations into my practice:

  1. AI-Assisted Note Writing Medical documentation is one of the most time-consuming tasks for any healthcare provider. Integrating AI-powered note-taking platforms has been a game-changer. These tools, such as AI-driven medical transcribers and dictation software, allow me to dictate notes converted into comprehensive and accurate documentation. At least one popular DPC EMR already has an integrated tool, but there are multiple independent tools. I have used ScribeMD and FreedAI; of the two, FreedAI is my preference. Most platforms have free trial periods, so you don’t have to commit to a subscription immediately.
  2. Automated Scheduling Systems Streamlining appointment scheduling is great for patient satisfaction and practice management. Many of our EMRs already include this. However, don’t forget to automate Meet & Greets (and anything you can). Building out your schedule requires a little work upfront, but this is a small investment compared to the long-term payoff. We currently use Calendly to schedule Meet & Greets (and later workshops) and Acuity for per diem rental of our exam room spaces. Since these are not clinical, having a separate system is helpful. We will likely merge all external scheduling to a single platform in the future, but this is what we have for now.
  3. Emails and Newsletters Communication with patients is vital, but manually reaching out can be time-consuming. Automated email systems allow me to send updates, wellness tips, and appointment reminders without the administrative burden. Regular newsletters with health tips, practice updates, and educational content help keep patients engaged and informed, fostering a sense of community and proactive healthcare. We use Mailchimp to create custom newsletter templates and schedule multiple newsletters several weeks in advance.
  4. Social Media Management Social media can be a good tool for patient education, engagement, and outreach. However, maintaining a consistent online presence requires effort. Fortunately, our practice has a Social Media Manager for this, but it takes her very little time. She uses online scheduling tools to schedule several posts multiple weeks at a time. She repurposes content from our blog, newsletter, and podcast instead of reinventing the wheel each time.
  5. ChatGPT or other built-in AI tools need help generating a patient letter, work note, or recommendation letter. Need to summarize a patient’s chart for a referral? Some EMRS have built-in tools for this, and if not, other online tools like ChatGPT have professional versions that can be helpful. It’s actually kind of scary how good they work, to be honest.
  6. EHR integrations Finally, ensure you are familiar with all the integrations, tools, and built-in time-saving functions available in your EHR—telemedicine, secure messaging, chart summary, scheduled email response, etc.

By embracing AI for documentation, automating routine tasks, and using digital tools for patient interaction, I can spend more time where it matters most—with my patients. If your most significant pain point seems overwhelming, I recommend focusing on it. I would love to hear what other practices are using to improve efficiency. For all I know, the tools I mentioned here may be obsolete when you read this.

About Angela Andrews, MD

Dr. Angela Andrews is a board-certified Internal Medicine and Pediatrics physician, health coach, wife, mom, and lifelong athlete. When not spending time with her family or caring for her patients, she is training for her next competition. Dr. Andrews graduated from the University of Michigan with a Bachelor of Science in Engineering in Biomedical Engineering and worked at General Electric Healthcare Wisconsin for nearly five years before returning to her dream of becoming a doctor. She received her medical degree from Michigan State University College of Human Medicine. She completed her Med-Peds residency at the Detroit Medical Center & Children's Hospital of Michigan in Detroit, MI. After 8 years in the system, Dr. Andrews opened Seeds of Health Direct Primary Care in Grand Rapids, MI in February 2014. Her personal journey with fitness, nutrition, and lifestyle medicine training was a key factor in her decision. She spent years trying to figure out how to incorporate this experience into a “standard” clinical practice, before finding a natural fit within Direct Primary Care. Dr. Andrews is passionate about helping patients address the root cause of their mental and physical conditions and guiding them to cultivate healthy habits around exercise, good nutrition, and mental well-being. Dr. Andrews lives in Byron Center, Michigan, with her husband and exercise companion, Joseph VanEss, their son, Myles, and her two bonus children, Griffen and Quinne. She engages in various fitness activities (CrossFit, running, swimming, yoga, and bodybuilding) and enjoys gardening, tackling projects around the house, and building things out of wood.