To my patients:
Thank you for your support. Since my resignation became effective June 29th, I’ve had time to read, reflect, and better understand the trajectory of our current healthcare system. Additionally, I’ve had numerous discussions with healthcare thought leaders, health system administrators, and colleagues. Currently, I am in the process of finalizing office space as well as the many logistical challenges of starting a new medical practice. I expect to begin scheduling patients by late September. Please know that I have been deliberately slow in this process to make sure PostRx provides real value in healthcare. More specifically, it is a different model than the traditional volume-based system.
PostRx Healthcare will be a bit different from traditional healthcare. It will be cash-based and free of insurance companies’ many rules and regulations, allowing for impactful relationships rather than rushed 15-minute appointments. In a world of COVID-19, algorithms, artificial intelligence, and health insurance regulations, PostRx will be patient-centered, personalized, proactive, and, most importantly, simple. Healthcare is too expensive and overly complicated. People have been “re-imagining” healthcare for quite some time, and, in my opinion, the COVID pandemic accelerated the need for change.
At PostRx Healthcare, costs will be transparent, and relationships will be the foundation for good health. Patients with chronic conditions like Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, and liver disease can subscribe for a yearly membership with easy access to care via office visit, text, email, virtual visit, etc. Those patients will have quarterly office/telemedicine visits as well as lab monitoring to track objective markers of disease activity. In addition, vitamin and nutrient levels will be monitored to assess general health status. Yearly participation will be limited in order to maintain a more individualized care model.
Patients will be expected to be active participants in the patient-physician relationship and in their own care. There are not many conditions where a pill alone heals all. Questionnaires regarding diet, over-the-counter medications, and supplements will be required and reviewed at each visit. An integrative approach to care will also rely on support from dieticians, behavioral therapists, etc. And, there are valuable self-management tools to support a holistic approach to health and wellness. Such a personalized approach has been shown to improve health outcomes and overall quality of life, especially in those patients with chronic digestive diseases.
Those patients with less chronic needs can pay per visit by scheduling a consultation. Costs will be reasonable. In 2021 it is imperative that patients become better healthcare consumers in light of rising out-of-pocket expenses and premiums. And, more companies are reverting to high deductible health savings plans. Save health insurance for those large expenses such as colonoscopies, CT scans, labs, and surgeries. At PostRx Healthcare, paying a little upfront will decrease long-term expenses related to poor disease control, absenteeism, and disease progression.
Covid was/is a defining moment that must accelerate innovation in healthcare delivery and chronic disease management. Like other defining moments (postpartum, postgraduate, and postseason), the time after the challenge is critical. At PostRX Healthcare, we believe in better care, not simply more care. We believe that good health leads to happiness. And, we believe that healing requires much more than just a Rx.
All the best,
Jeff Kreikemeier, M.D.
Founder, PostRx Healthcare
(636) 220-8700