Meet Direct Primary Care & Associates

As runners we know that exercise is good for our health. We try to eat well (usually!) and get enough sleep as much as is possible. But a lot of time, our effort toward our health ends there. One of the reasons for this is that healthcare feels complicated, expensive, and often out of reach. If this sounds familiar to you, meet our friends at Direct Primary Care & Associates! Not only are they one of our premier sponsors for the Cleveland Half-Marathon, they are an incredible community partner passionate about keeping Cleveland (and Dalton, Athens and Knoxville) healthy. We interviewed Vice President of Business Development, Tim Tatum, about DPCA and how they can help you stay healthy without the usual bank breaking hassle.

Can you tell us a bit about Direct Primary Care and Associates? What is it and who would benefit from your services? 

Direct Primary Care Associates offers a simplified and smarter approach to better health without the stress and limitations of third-party insurance companies. Our membership provides office visits with plenty of one-on-one time with your doctor, allowing you the opportunity to take proactive steps toward a healthier life. We meet you where you are with 24/7 access to your primary care provider via phone, text, email, or video call. DPCA offers same day or next day appointments and have locations in Cleveland, Athens, Dalton, and Knoxville. It’s not insurance – it’s healthcare.

What about yourself? What is your role at Direct Primary Care and how did you get involved? 

I’m Tim Tatum and I am the Vice President of Business Development at DPCA. I have worked in the mental health arena since 1995 and I want to continue to use a collaborative approach to helping people overcome challenges. I left a career of over 25 years in Behavioral Health to start this company with my partners. I am extremely passionate about the service we provide.

What makes Direct Primary Care different from the “traditional model” of primary care?

We build a relationship with you. Visits at DPCA are unrushed and are typically 30-60 minutes. We offer same or next-day appointments and are available via our HIPPA compliant app , you can call, text, or video call 24/7. We meet you where you are. We offer preventative care, chronic disease management, minor in office surgical procedures, care coordination, personalized wellness plans, episodic care, medication refills, and labs.

When a lot of people hear the phrase “primary care” they think about their annual physical. What else does primary care cover? What services do you all offer?

We are proud to offer much more than just your annual physical. We offer women’s health, men’s health, annual lab work, mental health, removal of warts, urinalysis, cholesterol testing, electrocardiogram, and much more! Visit DirectPCA.com for a full list of our included services.

Do your patients usually still have some form of insurance for emergencies?

We are a great alternative to using your insurance for routine primary care and DPCA is much less than your insurance deductible. Our fee covers only our services, not the cost of visits to specialists or some of the tests we may request. This means that insurance may still be needed for some of the care we may order.

All patients, regardless of insurance status, pay the same monthly membership for our care and receive the same services. No patient is turned away because of insurance, and no one is turned down for pre-existing conditions.

Why should people care about their healthcare beyond emergencies? 

To continue to improve your overall health and wellness. DPCA is focused on wellness which in turn decreases hospital admissions, specialty referrals, and decreases ER visits, therefore, affecting your physical and financial wellness.

How much does being a member cost? 

DPCA is a membership-based fee of $70 per month for individuals aged 18 and older. We also offer family and employer group plans. Approximately 80% of our customers are sponsored though their employer. By keeping a modest rate, we become more cost effective than paying traditional copays and deductibles. Memberships include many routine labs and medications.

How can people learn more?

For more information, please visit DirectPCA.com or please email Tim@DirectPCA.com

As a physician, do you have any advice for our runners on staying healthy and injury free? 

Before a run, we would recommend that you find great running shoes (from Terra RunningCompany), don’t run if you have any pain, and ice any injuries as needed. After a run, we recommend that you refuel and focus on eating protein and carbohydrates. This will help your muscles recover quickly. Of course, if you have any further questions or concerns, please contact us at DirectPCA.com.

Any final thoughts? 

We are happy to be supporting Terra Running Co and we are thankful for our community that continues to support DPCA. Discover the difference today at DPCA.

Preventing Plantar Fasciitis

One of the most common complaints people have regarding foot pain is plantar fasciitis.

Though a new pair of shoes will go a long way to help support and cushion injured feet, shoes or inserts alone can't solve this painful problem. Because most of us use our feet all day long, it is difficult to rest the fascia (rest is vital to healing plantar fasciitis!) which often results in this injury sticking around longer than it should. As with anything, this means that the best treatment is prevention!

Ensuring that you strengthen and stretch the muscles in your feet and legs is key to warding off this dreaded injury.

Try these exercises to help keep your feet healthy and strong:

1. Spell the Alphabet — Sitting down (you can do this at your desk or from your couch!) gently extend your foot. Flexing from your ankle, pretend that your big toe is a pen and start "spelling" the alphabet. After completing the whole sequence, repeat with the other foot.

2. Bear Squat to Downward Dog — On the floor, kneel down with your toes curled under and then sit back on your heels. From here, rock side to side on your curled toes to stretch the foot, calf muscles, and tendons. If you have the strength and flexibility, move onto all fours (with toes still curled under) and then press your hips up to move into the "Downward Dog" position. In Downward Dog, gently press your heels toward the floor. Repeat.

3. Towel Pulls — Here's another one you can do from your desk or while sitting on your couch! Start by putting a towel on the floor. Use your toes to pull the towel toward you while keeping your heel on the ground. If you would like to add resistance you could also put a book on the towel. This exercise can also help prevent shin splints.

Beyond exercises, walking barefoot or wearing shoes that engage more of your foot and ankle muscles, can go a long way. Though immediately switching to a more minimal shoe for all running and walking is a recipe for disaster, slowly introducing shoes that challenge more muscles can increase strength and flexibility and ultimately help prevent injury. Look for shoes with a minimal or zero heel-to-toe drop that don’t overdue it with the midsole. At Terra, we carry Altra Running shoes which all have a zero heel-to-toe drop, and Lems, an every day shoe designed to interfere minimally with your foot’s natural movement. Walking barefoot around the house, or even jogging barefoot outside in the grass for a short period, will also strengthen your feet. You must transition to this slowly! Especially if you have weak feet and ankle muscles or are used to wearing very supportive shoes and/or inserts, you need to take it easy or risk injury.

Though we often don’t think about the importance of strengthening and stretching our feet and ankles (and it’s certainly not glamorous), neglecting these underappreciated muscles can result in long term injury or pain.

If you already have an injury that needs to be assessed, come to our free injury clinic, put on by Results Physical Therapy, September 28th from 5:15 - 6pm.