Care to Cash is a story of trust and incentives
If the patient-doctor relationship is the earth, it’s had more than a few earthquakes. Either way, it’s still in one piece—for now. I aim to help both patients (i.e. all of us) and doctors covet their relationship again. The slow but steady rise of cash pay medicine is changing the patient-doctor dynamic for the better. Let me show you why—tectonics be damned. My experience owning and operating a cash pay medical office is a lens into these trends. Gaze through it. Use that scope to prepare for medical care’s next great movement from ground zero—the exam room. This series then becomes practical for you, a reflection for me, and a reminder for what medical care should be. That’s a win-win-win!
This series serves two people:
Patients (and, well, everyone) wanting our medical system to work FOR them instead of AGAINST them.
Doctors caring so deeply for the patient that they wish medicine can be both FULFULLING and FREEING again.
Fantastical stuff, I know. In truth, we can achieve those ends. How would that work, and what are the tradeoffs?
Care to Cash gives you primers, guides, and commentary on all things cash pay medicine. These articles break down our mistakes (a lot), triumphs (less, but impactful), and stories. All of them will save you precious hours. But we’ll have a little fun too. There’s nothing like a poignant meme or scathing dialogue to explain something better than a traditional article could.
Whether you’re a patient or provider, you might ask yourself:
Why does my doctor not seem to care about me? Why is my visit just 4.2 minutes long? Am I a sack of meat, or a patient?
How can I take better care of my patients without being influenced by health plans? Am I a physician, or an EMR power-user? Is there a way to retake control of my profession? My life?
And, most importantly, are mitochondria really the powerhouses of the cells? If you wonder about all those questions and more, you’re in the right place!
Catch us on the interwebs!
Care to Cash posts weekly on caretocash.substack.com, LinkedIn, and X.com.
Wait, there’s an author? This isn’t a ChatGPT Substack?!
Yes. My name is Rushi. I started a cash pay clinic with a dermatologist in 2019. I’ve learned much about the essence of a successful private pay office where patients are excited to see (and pay out of pocket for) us. Not to mention knowing the ultimate tier list of sunscreens and lotions. Maybe that’s why you’re really here. Either way, I’m grateful for this work. Let’s go restore the patient-doctor relationship, together!
