Membership-Based Healthcare is Changing the Game; Meridian Springs Primary Care in The Woodlands

THE WOODLANDS, TX – Ten to twelve. That’s how many minutes the average doctor spends with each patient in the United States. Research shows that when patients get more time with doctors, they tend to be more satisfied with their care and require fewer prescription medications. At Meridian Springs Primary Care, patients are allotted thirty-minutes to an hour with Dr. Bhavana Rao. How is this possible? The answer lies within their radically different business model.

It’s called direct primary care, and it’s growing significantly across the country. Think ‘Netflix’ but for healthcare. Patients under this model pay a monthly subscription fee, which covers limitless clinic visits as well as access to virtual telemedicine - this means your doctor is one call, one text, or one video chat away. Patients at Meridian Springs pay a flat rate of $65 a month per adult and $10 a month for those 21 and under, for unlimited care with no co pays and no insurance required.

The formation of the clinic started in 2017, when Co-founder Sunil Vasisht was working toward his MBA at Mays Business School at A&M. He needed an idea for his capstone project, in which he had to create a metaphorical business that could sustain itself for one year. His wife, Dr. Rao, suggested that he look into direct primary care. Once he realized how viable and feasible it was, the topic was chosen, and then came the research. He spoke to nearly 250 doctors around the country who already worked within the direct primary care model. Many of those doctors completed Vasisht’s 75-question survey, and some even turned over their balance sheets, and income statements.

“It was a very eye opening experience,” Vasisht said. “I had insurance through work and I never once looked at how much I was paying, or how much the company was paying,” he said. “Because of the project, I actually looked at the previous year’s numbers and it was staggering.”

He couldn’t quite wrap his mind around how much money was being paid for such an inconvenient service; appointments that have to be made weeks in advance, time wasted in waiting rooms, and a fee per every visit, all for only ten to twelve minutes in front of a doctor. It just didn’t add up.

“That’s when I realized that people stick to what they are familiar with, even if it’s dysfunctional,” he said.

After reviewing his report, both Vasisht and his wife decided that the numbers were too compelling to not implement in reality. So, 15 days before his graduation, they got to work on what is now Meridian Springs Primary Care. It has since been three years from the time the clinic’s doors first opened, and the couple is delighted by the results.

“It has become a very thriving practice,” said Dr. Rao. “It has brought a lot of value to our patients. They enjoy the relationship they can share with me, and the ways they can communicate with me … It’s a very different model as a doctor, because you’re not in the clutches of insurance,” she said.

This allows her the freedom to limit the amount of people she oversees. Doctors in traditional clinics see an average of 25 to 30 patients per day (in large part due to the limited amount of funds they receive through insurance). Dr. Rao, however, communicates with an average of 8 patients per day, both in-person, and via telemedicine.

“It’s not a numbers game, it’s more about quality,” she commented. “So when people are sick, I can put aside the time needed to get to the bottom of it. We want to make sure that we catch the problem at its bud and nip it off … I can set aside time to sit down, deeply understand what’s happening, and how this is affecting our patient’s life.” In essence, preventative care is key.

On average, 80 percent of medical issues are primary care issues and can be solved by a general practitioner. The other 20 percent are major, and typically include specialists and possible hospitalization. For these situations, some form of health coverage is necessary to alleviate the cost, which is why Meridian Springs has paired with insurance providers and health sharing to offer their patients discounted prices on major medical plans. This option makes signing up with Meridian Springs a great opportunity for individuals, as well as small business owners who are looking to provide healthcare for their employees.

Besides being feasible, accessible, and convenient, Meridian Springs Primary Care is also community oriented. During hurricane Harvey, when most clinics were forced to close, Dr. Rao was able to consult with community members via telemedicine, which allowed her to order vital prescriptions. Now, in the midst of COVID-19, she is once again using this technology to the advantage of her patients. Currently, nonmembers throughout the state of Texas can receive access to the clinic’s telemedicine for $35 a visit.

“We are very flexible, and so in a crisis we can be very very effective,” Vasisht noted.

Since the pandemic began, the clinic has helped procure over 2,000 masks for 20 doctors within The Woodlands. To support the community further, the clinic is now offering free telemedicine consults for healthcare workers and first responders.

“They need all of our support in this situation,” Vasisht said.


For more information on this innovative healthcare model, click here to visit the clinic’s website, or call 281-826-1359, or email: Info@SpringsMD.com