Direct Primary Care
Healing people.
Healing the practice of medicine.
Welcome to wellness.
What is Direct Primary Care (DPC)?
Imagine a visit to your doctor:
that wasn’t rushed
where all your questions were answered
who was able to bridge modern medicine, nutraceuticals, herbalism and other alternative forms of medicine
where he or she understood the importance of nutrition, and could explain it to you
THIS IS DPC. THIS IS Allegheny Integrative Medicine.
DPC stands for Direct Primary Care. It means exactly what it says – it is a direct relationship between a physician and patient without anyone in between them. This relationship has a variety of benefits and reestablishes the wholesome, therapeutic environment being lost in today’s HMO and Universal healthcare settings. Yes! Even European countries are dissatisfied with their “free” healthcare and are seeking alternatives, like DPCs.
How does a DPC work?
DPC practices are cashed based. The patient pays a one-time onboarding fee and then a small monthly fee thereafter directly to their physician. The monthly fee covers unlimited direct communication and hourly office visits (see fee schedule here). That’s it.
Allegheny Integrative Medicine, PLLC (AIM) is not only general practice, but offers integrative approach to medical care. Integrative medicine can mean a lot of things. At AIM, Dr. Hare practices a combination of modern Western medicine with Functional medicine and Ayurvedic knowledge. Your health is approached in a whole-body manner. There is no problem that exists in isolation.
Dr. Hare is a board-certified Family Medicine physician and sees patients of every age. Read more about Dr. Hare here.
AIM will be accepting new patients this spring, 2025.
For more information, please contact us at:
hello@aimedicine.life
(413) 478-3567
Commonly asked questions:
Q: Why do you not take insurance?
A: The answer to this is complex. I have a blog article that explains why here. In short, insurance companies run everything about how your doctor practices. If your doctor takes insurance, she literally cannot afford to spend more than 15 minutes with you at a time. You also must come in person to be treated. Insurance companies are the reason medical care costs are astronomical in this country (and others!). By stepping out of the insurance scam game, I am able to create the best practice for my patients (and myself!).
Q: So, can I still use my insurance outside of your practice?
A: Yes! You can still use your insurance for anything outside of our office. This includes any medications we prescribe, any specialists or services you are referred to (like physical therapy or imaging studies).
Q: Do you do telehealth?
A: Yes. DPCs were the pioneers for telehealth. Because you have an intimate relationship with your physician (i.e. your DPC doctor knows you well) and you already pay your doctor for services, you do not need to come into their office ever little concern. As a DPC patient it is routine that you would conduct a great deal of interaction remotely, if you wish. A quick FaceTime with your physician while you are at the pharmacy saves everyone a lot of time. DPCs thrived during COVID lockdowns because they had these communication systems in place… and because of their great relationships with their patients :)
Q: Are there hidden fees?
A: No. Sometimes there may be an added fee for services. Some procedures or tests done in office may have a small additional cost. For instance, a urinalysis (a urine test done to determine if a person has a bladder infection) would be $5. As a DPC patient, that is what your visit would cost that day, total. However, if you came in for a routine physical where lab work was ordered, you would have no additional charge that day. Of course, all hands-on therapies (like shirodhara or peri-steam) are separate services and are charged outside of DPC memberships.
Q: What do you mean by unlimited direct communication?
A: Call or email anytime during regular business hours, Monday through Friday, 9 am to 5 pm. Monthly members can reach out with any question or concern they have during business hours. If I do not immediately answer I usually get back within an hour pr so.
Q: Is monthly membership for people 99 years and older really $1/mo?
A: Yes.
An integrative DPC focuses on chronic issues.
Integrative medicine supports your healing journey with all chronic conditions, such as:
Allergies
Asthma
Autoimmune diseases
Alzheimer’s dementia
Cancer
Chronic Pain
Coronary Artery disease, atherosclerosis, heart attacks and strokes
Depression/anxiety
Diabetes
Eczema and other skin issues
Fibromyalgia/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Chronic EBV infection, and other post-viral syndromes, including Long Haul CoVID
IBS/IBD
Gout
Helicobacter pylori chronic infection
HIV/AIDS
Chronic Lyme disease with Co-infections
Multiple Sclerosis
POTS
What does a DPC cost?
Monthly Membership Benefits
Members get unlimited communication (via phone, email and/or video) directly with Dr. Hare, Monday through Friday 9 am – 5 pm. There are two levels of membership at this time, please see descriptions below. Membership also includes monthly emails filled with seasonal tips and tricks as well as reviews of current topics. Monthly members also enjoy a 10% discount on all products and services in-office.
All patients are required to pay a one-time initial registration fee. This occurs once in a lifetime, it is not something you ever have to repeat. You do not have to sign up for a monthly membership to be a patient with us. In this case, you would register once and then pay an hourly rate (a la carte) when you wanted to be seen. You can sign up for monthly membership at anytime.
Initial Paperwork Fees
Initial paperwork with monthly membership sign-up: $50 one-time fee
Initial paperwork without monthly membership sign-up: $75 one-time fee
Monthly Fees
Basic Membership: $55/month for adults or solo child
This membership includes quarterly (every 3 months) 1-hour visits (in-person or remotely), quick drop-ins as needed for focused problems (ex: sore throat, sprained knee) and unlimited communication via phone calls and emails. There may be additional fees for in-house testing (ex: $5 for a urinalysis), but these are usually minimal and very low in cost.
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Coaching Membership: $95/month for adults or solo child
This membership differs in that it covers 1-hour visits monthly. This is ideal for people who are working on significant chronic issues and need a lot of face-to-face time.
Children: $15/mo with an adult
Children 0-17 years of age are $15/mo if they are signed up with an adult membership of any level. Otherwise, a solo child (not associated with an adult membership) is $55/mo. All children have unlimited office/telehealth visits monthly.
Century Club – 99 yrs and older
All adults 99 years and older pay $1/mo, this includes unlimited office/telehealth visits monthly. House call fees do apply, see above.
House calls: $50 – 90/hr additional fee for members, OR, a la carte hourly fee $150/hr
For any level member, house calls cost an additional fee. For Basic Membership it is an hourly rate of $50/hr, for Coaching Membership it is an hourly rate of $90/hr. If you do not engage in membership, an hourly rate of $150/ hr applies. All house calls are charged the IRS standard of $0.70/mile for round trip travel. As an example:
EXAMPLE: If you hold a Basic Monthly membership, live 17 miles from my office and require a two hour home visit then your cost would be: (34 mi x $0.70/mi) + (2 hr x $50/hr) = $123.80 total for the visit.
You MUST register prior to your first house call. House calls are in person. Telehealth visits are included in membership.
A la carte: $120/hr
You are not required to have a monthly membership to be a patient with us. In this circumstance, you would pay a one-time application fee of $75 and then $120/hr for any time spent during visits as you need. Please note: You MUST register once in order to be seen a la carte.
We conduct all patient-physician interactions under the guidelines of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA). Learn more: Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) | CDC
AIM will be accepting new patients this spring 2025.
For more information, please contact us at:
hello@aimedicine.life
(413) 478-3567
