Today we’d like to introduce you to Meighan & Brad Patton.
Hi Meighan & Brad, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
With a toddler and a newborn at home, we made the decision to walk away from steady income, health insurance benefits, and essentially everything we defined as stability to that point in our lives. This was July 2022. Seven months later, we are honored to share the details of our improbable but successful journey.
We met during our first year of medical school at Nova Southeastern College of Osteopathic Medicine in Fort Lauderdale, FL, and got married a few days before graduation. We completed our Family Medicine Residency training at University Hospitals in Cleveland (Brad) and Mercy Health St. Elizabeth in Youngstown (Meighan). After residency, we decided to stay in the area and signed a contract with a multi-physician, Hospital-owned Family Medicine practice in Twinsburg, OH. We bought a house in neighboring Hudson and welcomed our first daughter one year later. We thought we had found our path for the next phase of our lives.
We quickly realized the challenges of balancing a young family with a busy medical practice – our professional growth would come at the expense of our family time, the same fate we had witnessed with many of our predecessors. It was during this time, about three years into practice, we realized the trajectory of our lives as hospital employees would gradually be dominated by work obligations detracting from our personal interests and time with family. We developed strong relationships with many of our patients but found ourselves having less time to offer when their needs expanded beyond routine concerns. It became clear they were having difficulty accessing us for unplanned health needs due to our appointment slots being filled weeks, sometimes months, in advance by our administrative scheduling teams. Our patients were being diverted to an ER/Urgent Care or we were “squeezing” them in at the expense of someone else’s scheduled appointment. We came to see these as foundational hurdles of the volume-driven, insurance-based primary care world.
We had always dreamt of opening our own practice but lacked vision and a manageable plan. This is when we started to consider alternative practice models such as Direct Primary Care (DPC). DPC had been growing in popularity across the country with both patients and physicians due to the simplified model of reconnecting patients and doctors, eliminating the administrators and insurers who pushed Primary care into the “factory-farming” process it resembles today. DPC is a simple agreement between patient and physician with a flat monthly fee (typically $50-100), which covers most, if not all, of the patient’s primary care needs. Due to lower overhead costs and a smaller patient panel, patients enjoy longer visits and easier access. Patients can text, email, or call their doctor directly when they have a concern. This model deeply resonated and directly aligned with our personal and professional priorities.
During our planning stages, we read books and articles, listened to podcasts about branding, marketing, starting a medical practice, scoured the ends of the internet for affordable equipment, and sought counsel from colleague mentors. We could not have been more humbled by the open-source support offered by everyone who had taken this step before us.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Given the context of starting a business fresh off the heels of a global pandemic and welcoming a newborn, it has been as smooth as we could have hoped. When COVID restrictions started in March 2020, there seemed to be no cohesive game plan or leadership structure in our daily world of medicine. Each day was an opportunity to refine workflows and innovate operational processes to serve our patients. This was helpful when we started our new venture because neither of us had run a business, nor did we have any formal business education. We started conversations with small business owners whose businesses we frequent and found solutions to problems we hadn’t previously considered. Business licensing and state-to-state variability of medical office requirements were some of the more memorable hurdles, but our tribe of mentors was instrumentally helpful.
The reception from patients has been incredible. From the day our website and social media launched, we had patients reaching out with interest in joining. This confirmed everything we had suspected about the climate of healthcare in our area. This still proves to be one of the most humbling daily thoughts! People were ready to take a chance on us and this new concept with minimal hesitation, “…it just makes sense” is what we repeatedly hear.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
In an effort to optimize outcomes while serving large populations, healthcare systems have standardized clinical workflows so that they can be replicated in varied settings. An unintended consequence is that patients are just seen as data points. We started our business with a plan to restore identity to patients and their doctors. We are most proud of the time we spend collaborating with patients to weave tailored health plans, guiding them through what can often feel like a convoluted and intimidating healthcare world.
We offer a full range of Family Medicine services and are confident we can take care of nearly all of a patient’s needs under the umbrella of our practice. Preventive care is our passion, striving for an optimal state of health by being proactive instead of reactive. We partner with individuals and families to educate and guide healthy behaviors. Through this empowerment we improve not only individual health but create healthier homes that lead to happier lives and stronger communities.
How do you define success?
So many thoughts on this one, none of which are we able to concisely convey nor do we feel captures the essence of our intention!
For us, success is defined by maintaining balance between a sustainable business and a healthy home, each contributing to the enrichment of our community.
Pricing:
- One-Time Initial Visit Fee $150
- Ages 0-22 $60/month
- Ages 23-39 $75/month
- Ages 40-64 $90/month
- Ages 65+ $105/month
Contact Info:
- Website: www.myacropolishealth.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/acropolis.health/
- Facebook: facebook.com/acropolishealth
