Selling DPC to Employers

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I want to talk to you about selling DPC to employers. How is that different than selling to individuals? Same service, but the buyer is approaching it from a different angle. Employers and business owners are looking to solve some healthcare pain points. What are those, and how does DPC help? Let’s discuss.

Summary:

  • Selling to employers is different from selling to individuals/patients in the retail market, even though the core service is the same—employers approach from a different mindset and viewpoint.
  • Individuals buy personal healthcare: they care about access (text/video/email), time with the doctor, discounted meds/labs, out-of-pocket savings, and personal health value.
  • Employers buy a healthcare solution for their whole team. They are the actual buyer/customer (not the employees), so the pitch must address company-level issues.
  • Key employer questions/pain points include:
    • How does this solve our company’s healthcare problems?
    • Will employees actually use it?
    • Does it fit into our existing health plan?
    • Will it improve overall wellness (as a more effective alternative to past failed wellness programs)?
    • Can it improve access (reducing ER/urgent care use)?
    • Will it reduce absenteeism and keep people healthier and at work?
    • What care coordination benefits does it offer in navigating the medical system?
    • Is the cost predictable (a fixed monthly expense they can budget for)?
  • Don’t lead primarily with “this saves money”—employers have broader risk/reward and operational pain points around their insurance/healthcare plans (or lack thereof).
  • Focus on identifying and addressing the specific healthcare pain points of the employer/business (access, absenteeism, wellness, predictability, etc.) when pitching DPC to small or large employers.

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About Shane Purcell, MD

Dr. Purcell is board certified family physician working in Anderson, SC. He received his medical degree from Mercer University in Macon, GA and completed family medicine residency at AnMed Health in Anderson, SC. After completing his residency, Dr. Purcell worked in a private group practice for 3 years before opening his own cash-only primary care clinic in 2005. As he built his cash-only clinic, he was also working part-time in a local urgent care facility. In 2008, he purchased a dormant medical clinic on the “wrong side of the tracks” and opened an urgent care and primary care clinic. After gaining his freedom from third-party captives, Dr. Purcell and a colleague formed the first direct primary care clinic in Anderson County in 2015. In 2019, he transitioned to full-time direct primary care and sold his urgent care. The direct primary care model has brought about a restoration of a relationship with patients broken by third-party middlemen. Now, he can offer more access and more of his time to patients. Dr. Purcell firmly believes that the direct primary care model is the last hope for health care in America. Dr. Purcell is an active member of several medical organizations including the DPC Alliance, Free Market Medical Association, and American Academy of Family Physicians. He is the former Chair of the Direct Primary Care Member Interest Group for the AAFP and a founding member of the DPC Alliance and the Carolina’s Free Market Medical Association. He was elected to the Advisory Committee for the DPC Alliance in the Fall of 2018 and completed his term in 2021. Dr. Purcell is the author of Magic, Pixie Dust, and Miracles: A Guide to Direct Primary Care and Employers which shares how to connect DPC with employers of all sizes. He has spoken about this topic and DPC in general at the DPC Summit, DPC Nuts and Bolts conference, Hint Summit, AAFP FMX, Carolina’s Free Market Medical Association, TedexFurman, and DPC Alliance Mastermind sessions. He continues to speak to residents and student groups about DPC as well.