Today, we continue our journey discussing physicians who are using direct patient care through a membership model as disruptors in the health care field. Direct primary care is one of the most disruptive and innovative models to emerge in recent years and more and more specialties are looking for ways to adopt the insurance-free notion of providing care to patients. On the show, I've spoken to family physicians, med/peds, internists, cardiologists, rheumatologists, and pediatricians. Now we can add an OB/GYN to the ever growing lists of physician specialties as I discover the practice of Deborah Herchelroath, DO. Dr. Herchelroath had what would be considered a traditional career working in a busy OB/Gyn practice as an employed physician, then in private practice before launching her new venture. A few years ago, Dr. Herchelroath left a busy private OB/Gyn practice to open her own direct care business focusing on women's health, wellness, and hormone therapy mostly for those going through menopause. In just a few short years, her practice is booming and her goal of a 600 patient panel is just one patient short at 599 at the time of the interview. Dr. Herchelroath describes many of the pitfalls and practice considerations she made in creating the Vitality clinic during the episode. Coincidentally, Dr. Herchelroath also sits on the AOBOG which is the credentialing and recredentialing board for OB/Gyn physicians in osteopathic medicine. Interestingly, the allopathic (MDs) and osteopathic (DOs) professions are joining up and working under the same rules through the ACGME for residencies. They look to maintain separate credentialing boards though which brings to light an interesting possibility for physicians who may soon have competitive boards with which to choose where they receive their credentialing. The rules on whether an allopathic physician can obtain original credentialing through the allopathic boards but then recredential through an osteopathic board has not yet been determined. The uncertainty is surprising since the merger of residencies will happen next year. Dr. Herchelroath is an OB/Gyn and owner of Vitality Gynecology. She also serves on the AOBOG which is charged with credentialing of osteopathic OB/Gyns. show notes
Vitality Gynecology, Aesthetics, and Wellness: Dr. Herchelroath's direct care practice in suburban Harrisburg, PA where she specializes in women's health, nutrition, and hormone replacement therapies.
@DrDebHerch: Where Dr. Herchelroath does her twittering.
Vitality GYN Instagram: Where you can find Dr. Herchlroath on Instagram
Dr. Herchelroath: personal Instagram account
American Osteopathic Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology: The board that Dr. Herchelroath serves on.
Episode 001: Why You Should Care About Board Certification with Dr. Meg Edison
Memorial for Andy Larson: This is the donation link to honor Andy's death with the Grand Rapids Choir of Men and Boys where he blossomed and served as a head chorister.
YouTube for Paradocs: Here you can watch the video of my late son singing his solo on the Paradocs YouTube page.
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