More and more doctors are leaving jobs they hate and opening ideal clinics.
It’s a national trend.
Now there are hundreds of ideal clinics nationwide. Find one near you on this map. Meet some of the most innovative doctors in the country in these news stories. Discover how they’ve created the cutting-edge clinics of the future.
What’s an ideal clinic?
Ideal care is relationship-driven rather than production-driven. Most ideal clinics offer 24/7 access to the doctor by cellphone, as well as e-mail access, home visits, same-day appointments, and more . . .
Ideal clinics deliver ideal care for patients in sustainable neighborhood offices. Patients have excellent access to their doctors and develop strong relationships over time while receiving comprehensive health care services close to home.
Ideal care is defined by patients. They often say, “I can get care when and how I need it with a doctor who knows me as a person.” Doctors who provide ideal care say, “I am free to do what is best for my patient and I have all the time, tools, and technology I need.”
Many physicians have led town hall meetings and have allowed their patients to design the entire clinic, from homemade gowns to the office decor and more.
Don’t like the health care you are receiving? Stop complaining. Find a doctor you love.
Meet two of the newest ideal doctors in America in these video clips: Lara Knudsen, M.D. and Nila Jones, M.D.
Keep your eyes open for the next ideal clinic coming to a neighborhood near you.
Pamela Wible, M.D., pioneered the first community-designed ideal medical clinic in America. She can be reached at idealmedicalcare.org.
I am a 35 year old nurse who is trying to get into medical school so that I can be the kind of family medicine doctor you are talking about. I’ve read about you and other Ideal Medicine pioneers, and been inspired. This is how medicine should be. It has to be grassroots, because there is just no way to commoditize good care. Medical commercialization requires depersonalization, so that one size can fit all. Thank you for leading the way back to what medicine is supposed to be.
My doctor friends all think that I am nuts. They talk about how they wouldn’t want to go into medicine these days, if they had it all to do again. But they all work for a healthcare giant that strictly limits their ability to really give good care. I am still trying to figure out why they are especially horrified that I want to do primary care… a search on “What is so bad about family medicine?” brought me to my old favorite blog, KevinMD, where I had read your work from time to time.
Coming to your blog still hasn’t given me any insight into what isn’t to love about family practice… just reinforced my bias that there is no other work I could do that would so richly reward the challenges it poses, at least in terms of the kinds of rewards that matter to me. Guess I am just saying, thanks for putting this out there. It helps to hear that I am not the only one who feels that the practice of medicine can be a human art again.
The tension you feel is between cynicism and optimism. I take a full-hearted optimistic approach to medicine. I suggest that others not ask jaded docs for advice. It’s important to have string role models who love their careers. These are the people that can guide you to happiness in medicine. There are many physicians out there who are leading the way. Medicine is supposed to be fun, meaningful, and fulfilling. Family medicine is the absolute best specialty in my opinion. There is nothing I would rather do with my life. <3
I tried two time to reach the doctor through email but the recaptcha is very annoying! The first one got through but did not get an answer yet after a month!Any help?