| Show Wednesday October 20 2004 A5 Sanpete MessengerGunnison Vmey Edition K Ephraim physician sets up direct pay clinic as alternative for uninsured a By Judy Chantry Staff writer EPHRAIM — A Sanpete County physician will soon open a clinic in Ephraim based on a direct payment plan Dr Kim Bateman of Ephraim has developed a plan of ' ' providing health care In other words when you visit the doctor at the clinic you will pay a fee at the time of the visit Consequently the insurance companies are omitted Bateman acknow- miaisappointed with how expensive and complicated it become to get medical especially for people without insurance” insurance that ledges - - companies started out to be a good idea but they do not work well for primary care In regards to the health care system Dr Bateman explained “It is like ‘The House That Jack Built’ adding on rooms over the years without blueprints What started out as a cottage is now a mansion with no uni-- r tying plan The idea of health insurance is one of the things that has made the ‘house’ go skeewampus and it distorts the relationship ( tween the patient and the doctor” Dr Bateman has been a fam-doctor in Sanpete County since 1977 “I’m disap- pointed with how expensive and complicated it has become to get medical care especially for people without insurance” said Bateman “I want to revolutionize the way we take care of people but I can’t do it and cater to the insurance com-- ily practice ) ' and a shorter visit will reflect a visits may be lesser fee Follow-udone by or web visits within one working day then the cost will be cut in half again payable by a credit card “This is not a charity clinic” said Dr Bateman “We expect that most will pay in cash while some may pay part in cash and the rest in service” Patients who can’t pay the reduced fee will be asked to pay what they can at the time of the visit and the balance will be paid through volunteer has service via their care choice of trading company demands “Only the uninsured pay retail prices for health care” stated Dr Bateman But with DirectMD that will change The percent discount given by other clinics to a payer will be reflected in a visit to the DirectMD clinic “In order to charge everyone the same fee I have had to disassociate myself with insurance providers” he stated “I’m only doing this for my own clinic so if you need panies So he gave up his practice in May to work full time on develop- tng his plan for the clinic He rec- ognized the need in the Sanpete i area and decided to do something to help those who are going with-out proper medical care because J they cannot afford it “What I want to do is be a t good example and demonstrate something that I believe will work” said Bateman The new clinic will be called DirectMD “I have pondered the thought about what an uninsured patient must pay for an office visit” stated Bateman “and it made me so angry that it prompted me to develop this plan I can’t stand the anymore because the people who need medical attention the most are the ones who can least afford it” Bateman pointed out that it is unfortunate when a patient cannot see a doctor and be given the same break on costs that the insurance system —Dr Kim Bateman to go to a specialist or hospital you will be back in the old system” One of the clinic’s methods will be to use computers to create a paperless office A patient will go online to a website to fill out a basic questionnaire much like the one filled out on paper in a doctor’s office The basic demographic information can be entered from a home computer at the brary or at the clinic This gives a patient direct contact with the doctor from the start It will take time to build a database that will reflect a patient’s history but Dr Bateman is optimistic about the overall plan and is confident that it will ultimately evolve into a workable program Eventually the medical history will be built into the database lowing the doctor to quickly view past prescription history service with the doctor donating service to the clinic or donating com- munity service Proof of this service will be required before the next medical visit Dr Bateman chose Ephraim for the pilot program for several reasons He has practiced in the area and realizes that there are probably over 3000 people in the county who are uninsured He has worked as a rural medical director helping doctors in rural hospitals JUDY CHANTRY Dr Kim with medical staff issues He is associated with Healthlnsight which is an organization focused on quality health common ate a little island of sanity here in Sanpete I will be happy” said Bateman “Ephraim is my home and I would like to stay here” he care improvement “I have given up my medical practice to start over If I can cre- - MESSENGER PHOTO Bateman and his new website which offers appointment scheduling sense approach to health care added The website for the new clinic and the physical address is 39 East 450 is wwwdirectmdcom and his new North Ephraim in the same build- ing as the Ephraim Eye Center The exact opening date has not yet been determined Snow College presents patient complaints chronic problem lists a medication list and other information necessary to analyze problems and prescribe a course of action Patients will also set up appointments on the computer with an online appointment scheduler Since no receptionist will be needed another cost will be eliminated and the savings passed on to the patient Once the appointment is set the patient goes to see the doctor The doctor already has the information from the database at his fingertips and more quality time can be spent establishing a October 23rd 2004 relationship The cost of a visit will depend on the amount of time spent with the doctor If the visit goes over the 6:00 allowed time for an established flat fee the cost will be a little higher Wi am 5K Fun Run (Line Up at the Activities Center) 11:00 SFHn V‘S am Grand Parade (300 South to College Avenue then east to Stadium) 12:00 pm Tailgate Party (Badger Stadium) CARWASH Week of Oct Come in and 1:30 18-2- 3 Only! check out our Car Wash and Convenience Store! 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