Whitaker DPC, in Arcanum, held a ribbon cutting and open house on March 28. Shown left to right are Ainslie Lowry, Tehya Whitaker, Lonnie Printz, Tina Printz, Abby Whitaker, Theo Whitaker, and Carlee Gibboney.
Tammy Watts | Daily Advocate
Examination rooms were designed to make patients feel comfortable, and at home.
Tammy Watts | Daily Advocate
By Tammy Watts
DailyAdvocate.com
ARCANUM — Whitaker Direct Primary Care (DPC), located at 104 N. Main Street in Arcanum, held a ribbon cutting and open house on March 28. The independent practice provides services such as acute and non-acute care, school and sports physicals, benign wart removal and other simple dermatology procedures, as well as weight loss counseling, and anxiety and depression treatment.
Abby Whitaker, APRN-CNP, owner of Whitaker DPC, and primary care provider, holds a Master’s in nursing, with the title of Nurse Practitioner. Previously, she worked at The Ohio State University in thoracic surgery, then with OB/GYNs and cardiologists, after moving back to Darke County. For the past ten years, she has provided primary care in Arcanum.
The office has its own on site mini-lab, and mini-pharmacy. The examination rooms are aesthetically pleasing, designed to make patients feel more at home. Whitaker has 125 patients currently enrolled in the DPC, with the ability to serve 450-600 patients total.
Medicare and Medicaid patients may enroll, as the practice operates independently of insurance companies, and therefore, is not considered “double-dipping.” Among other benefits are options for more affordable direct-pay imaging, expedited diagnostics, and more personalized care.
“I’ve been able to keep patients out of the hospital,” Whitaker stated. She successfully treated COVID-19 patients, including those with serious pre-existing conditions, with at-home oxygen. “Overall, patients tend to do better at home,” she explained, adding that with close monitoring and frequent contact, the patients were able to avoid the ICU, and all the costs associated with a hospital stay.
In a DPC, members pay a fixed monthly rate, usually on a sliding scale, based on age. The fee covers office visits, phone calls, texts, emails, and virtual office visits. Often cheaper than a gym membership, clients benefit from 24/7 access to a primary care provider. Even for people who have insurance, a DPC is often a good investment, as copays for office visits, urgent care, and simple procedures, add up quickly. The DPC, on average, is capable of meeting 80-to-90 percent of preventative and basic health care needs, for one all-inclusive monthly rate.
For more information, visit whitakerdpc.com, email [email protected], or call 937-662-0181.
Daily Advocate Reporter Tammy Watts can be reached at [email protected].
