Healthcare Evolution: Why Membership-Based Medicine is the Future of Primary Care

If you’ve been to a primary care clinic recently, you likely agree that the experience, at a minimum, leaves much to be desired. Many share this perspective—in recent years, the traditional primary care model in the United States has faced mounting criticism. Unfortunately, despite concerted efforts to improve the system, patients and physicians increasingly find the current setup unsustainable and unacceptable.

One specific focus of this frustration is the physician-patient relationship. When you determine it’s time to see a physician, whether for a wellness visit or an acute ailment, your needs are simple: you want to schedule an appointment in the very near future and you want to feel like your physician has a vested interest in your well being.

Unfortunately, the reality is that patients are forced to wait sometimes months for an appointment and then hours in a waiting room, only to finally see a physician for a very brief and hurried visit. As patients it feels like these visits happen “to” us and not “for” us. We leave the office feeling like a victim of the healthcare system rather than a highly valued customer. The standard service we accept from primary care businesses, and let’s not doubt they are businesses, we would not accept in any other facet of our lives.

The Promise of Membership-Based Medicine

Enter membership-based medicine clinics like Joyn Health—an alternative approach to primary care that redefines the physician-patient relationship and overall care experience. In stark contrast to the painfully bureaucratic system of copays, insurance networks, and limited scope visits, membership-based medicine puts the patient experience first, with an emphasis on holistic and preventive care, promising numerous benefits for both patients and physicians. Yes, we all still need health insurance. Insurance is maintained by patients for unexpected and exorbitant costs like hospital visits, advanced diagnostics, and lab work. In Joyn Health clinics, an out of pocket membership fee covers on-demand, at-your-service healthcare, creating an exceptional primary care experience that rises far above what we’ve come to expect.

A Positive Shift for Patients and Physicians

Within the Joyn Health membership-based care model, patients enjoy enhanced access to their top-tier primary care physician. Membership covers everything from comprehensive primary care services, to longer appointments, 5-star luxury amenities, personalized attention, and much more. Patients also enjoy shorter wait times for appointments, same-day or next-day visits, and after-hours visits when needed. 

Beyond these logistical benefits, membership-based medicine takes an expansive approach to medicine. Patient care focuses on individual needs and preferences, and can take genetic, environmental, and lifestyle information into consideration during the development of treatment plans. With fewer patients to manage, physicians are better able to provide more robust medical services and spend more time building strong connections with their patients.

Importantly, as patients, we can directly impact and influence businesses and industries with our wallets. In healthcare, this is more true now than ever before. Accepting the current norms in primary care is not only a disservice to us, it perpetuates an unacceptable situation for the physicians who care for us. Patients should actively seek out primary care clinics that promote healthy and sustainable environments for physicians and other care providers.

Why Joyn Health?

Our approach to membership-based medicine ensures both patients and providers enjoy a more satisfying and effective healthcare experience. Joyn is merging two words that rarely coexist in the current paradigm – healthcare and hospitality. 

Hospitality exists when something happens “for” you, not “to” you. To deliver on the promise of hospitality in healthcare, big changes had to occur. Yes, we’ve changed the payment model but we also rebuilt the volume in the model. While a typical primary care physician is responsible for ~2,500 patients, Joyn Health limits the number of patients per physician to 250, allowing for more focused and personalized care and an overall extraordinary experience. 

The traditional primary care model has long been due for an upgrade, and membership-based medicine offers a light at the end of the tunnel. By prioritizing both patient experience and physician well-being, membership-based medicine promises to not only improve healthcare outcomes but also to make the practice of medicine more sustainable and rewarding for both  physicians and patients. 

For those seeking a more personal healthcare experience, Joyn Health offers a unique and innovative model that paves a new path for primary care by focusing on genuine relationships and hospitality-centric care.