Preferred Family Medicine, a primary care provider in Reno, NV, manages things differently than most healthcare clinics and we would like you to know that we understand the frustrations many people experience with today's healthcare system. With this insight, we are able to eliminate these annoyances from our patients' experiences. In no particular order, we bring you "The Top 3 Reasons You're Frustrated With Your Healthcare":
Those long waiting times...
Imagine it is a bustling Monday morning, and you arrive on time for your 9 a.m. appointment. After filling out the requested forms you hand them to the receptionist and are asked to have a seat and someone will call you shortly. Hopefully, within the hour you are ushered into a room by a nurse, asked a few questions, and told that the provider will see you soon. After another hour the provider pays you a visit, asks you a few more questions, sidesteps a few of your own, and out the door you go with a diagnosis, some instructions, and a prescription. After such, you may be left with a sense of befuddlement and even more unanswered questions.
...only to be rushed through your appointment.
A survey conducted by Nuance Communications, Inc. revealed that "40 percent of patients feel rushed during their actual visit." (Nuance, 2015, p. 10) This can be due to double-booking, an emergency walk-in, or really any number of reasons that compound and influence the time a doctor has with his or her patient. At Preferred Family Medicine, Dr. Christopher Highley has made strides so that no patient feels rushed during an appointment. Your healthcare is as important to us as it is you, and we've seen far better results when our patients fully understand their care plan along with knowing which preventative measures to take. Why treat an illness when we can prevent one?
Paying exorbitant insurance fees.
Too many people pay far too much for insurance they may never use. On top of this, we have insurance companies taking it upon themselves to make decisions on whether or not a certain prescription or treatment will be covered. If not, the patient pays out-of-pocket for the treatment as if there was no insurance, they do not get treatment, or the doctor goes another route by prescribing an alternative. If it is covered, in some instances, there may be pre-approvals and other forms filed to get it cleared for the consumer. All of this can be a headache to everyone involved, especially for the patient needing said treatment or medication.
We have decided to do away with the insurance companies, instead, we charge an affordable monthly membership fee. This allows for an overall better experience for our patients.
These three issues are the tip of the iceberg, but you can rest assured that Dr. Highley has learned plenty about what a patient needs and wants during his nearly two decades giving primary care to people. Feel free to contact us at your leisure if you have any questions or would like to apply as a patient.