A chronic autoimmune disorder, Sjogren’s syndrome affects the glands that produce saliva and tears, causing dryness of the mouth and eyes. In addition to affecting joints, skin, lungs, kidneys, nerves, and blood vessels, Sjogren’s syndrome can also cause fatigue, pain, inflammation, infection, and complications.
Managing Sjogren's syndrome can be challenging, since it requires regular monitoring, medication, lifestyle changes, and symptom management. In addition to long waiting times, high deductibles, copays, and coinsurance, limited provider choices, and a lack of coordination among specialists, many patients with sjogren's syndrome experience barriers to accessing affordable and quality health care.
This is where Direct Primary Care (DPC) can make a difference. As a health care delivery model, DPC eliminates the middleman of insurance companies and lets patients pay their primary care provider a flat monthly fee for unlimited access to comprehensive and personalized health care.
DPC can offer many benefits for patients with sjogren’s syndrome, such as:
Having a smaller patient panel and longer appointment times means your doctor can spend more time with you, gaining a deeper understanding of your medical history, symptoms, goals, and preferences. Also, they can provide you with more support, education, and counseling.
The DPC providers are available to you by phone, text, email, or video chat, whenever you need them. The same-day or next-day appointments can also be scheduled without any hassle or extra charge, after hours, on weekends, or during holidays.
DPC providers provide transparent pricing and no copays, deductibles, or coinsurance, and their services and tests are priced upfront. They can also help you save money on medications, labs, imaging, and referrals, by negotiating lower rates with their partners or offering them at cost.
It is possible for DPC providers to tailor your care plan to meet your specific needs and preferences, including your mental, emotional, and social well-being, as well as your physical health. Additionally, they can coordinate your care with other specialists and providers, as well as advocate on your behalf.
As a patient with sjogren’s syndrome, you can expect your DPC provider to offer you the following services and more:
Monitor your vital signs, blood tests, and other signs of your condition regularly, and adjust your treatment and medication accordingly. Additionally, they will test for infections, dental problems, eye problems, thyroid problems, liver problems, kidney problems, lung problems, nerve problems, or lymphoma as potential complications or comorbidities.
A DPC provider will prescribe you the appropriate medication for your condition, whether it is immunosuppressants, anti-inflammatory drugs, corticosteroids, antimalarials, or biologics. As well as monitoring your response and side effects, they will help you find the best price and delivery option.
Your DPC provider will teach you how to manage your symptoms and prevent complications, such as using artificial tears, saliva substitutes, mouth rinses, humidifiers, eye drops, or eye drops. You will also receive advice on how to improve your diet, exercise, sleep, stress, and hygiene, as well as support groups and resources.
If you suffer from pain, inflammation, dryness, or discomfort, your DPC provider can offer you acupuncture, massage, chiropractic, physical therapy, or herbal remedies. You will also be referred to other specialists, such as dentists, ophthalmologists, rheumatologists, or dermatologists, if necessary.
With DPC, you can find a provider who knows you as a person, not just a patient, and who can help you live well with your condition.
As Hippocrates, the father of medicine said,
“It is more important to know what sort of person has a disease than to know what sort of disease a person has.”
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