I’m Healthy, Why do I Need a Primary Care Doctor?

 As humans, many of us tend to ignore small issues until they become big ones. Check engine light on in the car? Well, it still runs and isn’t making noise, so it must be ok….until it’s not. 

We can do the same thing with our health. Sometimes we put off going to the doctor until our health concerns are a big deal, either affecting our quality of life or even becoming life-threatening. 

Did you know that most chronic conditions can be prevented? Conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease can be prevented or controlled more easily by early detection.

How can you literally save your own life? By going ahead and scheduling that annual exam with your doctor EVERY year.

People who are young can benefit themselves by getting into the habit of going to the doctor yearly. Learning the best way to care for your health early can keep you feeling young longer.

 By the time you are forty, it becomes even more important as cancer risks go up and screenings can be the difference between many more years of quality life or only months to live.  

At forty, your doctor should begin to draw routine blood work to monitor markers for diabetes and high cholesterol. The majority of people who have these things caught early and make the necessary lifestyle changes never have to take prescription medications. 

Taking care of yourself will save you in the long run financially as well. Serious health issues require many trips to doctors, specialists, medications, and hospital stays. This translates not only into medical bills, but missed work as well.

Do yourself (and your family) a favor and make a habit out of taking care of your health!

Can You Get Ahead Of Allergy Symptoms?

For millions of people, the arrival of spring is bittersweet. Who doesn’t love pleasant weather and beautiful scenery as the land wakes up from its months-long slumber? But if you suffer from seasonal allergies, the beauty comes with a price: stuffy, runny noses, itchy eyes, and fatigue just to name a few of the more common symptoms. I’m here to tell you there is hope! There are many interventions you can use to lessen your symptoms, and even abolish them altogether!

Immunotherapy

Our office offers members a way to become free of severe allergies permanently. This is how it works: you come in for a blood test to determine your specific allergens. A compounding pharmacy creates a custom microscopic dose of your allergens to be given under the tongue (no shots!). Every 90 days, your allergens are increased incrementally over two to three years until your body no longer has an inappropriate reaction. This is the most cost up front, but also the most permanent option.

Allergy Shot

Allergy shots are injections given by your doctor every three months or as needed. Our members only pay for the injections, their visits are covered by their membership.

Prescription Medications

If you prefer, nasal sprays and oral medication are easy options, provided you are good at remembering to take them. Since we offer medications wholesale, even over-the-counter options are often less expensive for our members than buying them at a store or pharmacy.

Probiotics

In a 2015 meta-analysis, it was indicated that taking probiotics could improve allergy symptoms. Considering the overall health benefits of probiotics, this is just one more reason to add it to your daily supplement routine.

You don’t have to suffer through miserable symptoms. There are many avenues to help reduce or eliminate the effects of the season so that you can make the most of what many consider the best season of the year.

Start the Year off Right!

It seems like towards the end of the year, starting in October, tasty temptations begin to be more in-your-face. The weather turns colder, and warm, creamy comfort foods are a way to beat the cold-weather blues. The holidays bring a plethora of sweet treats, and it can be hard to say no to them despite your best intentions. By the beginning of the new year, it is easy to become down on yourself about your food choices over the last few months. Indulging in the special flavors of the season doesn’t have to wreck you.

The new year is a great time to resolve to make healthy choices and implement small changes that can have a big impact on your health. If you make small, healthy changes that turn into habits, when the holidays come around again you can enjoy your favorite specialty foods without the guilt that can accompany them! For many people January and February are the slowest months of the year, making them the perfect time to focus on your health. Here are some easy tips to get you started:

Eat nutrient-dense foods

One of the most simple ways to impact your health in a positive way is to choose nutrient-dense foods. Lean meats, whole grains, nuts, legumes, vegetables, and fruits provide everything you need to get the nutrients your body requires and will help you eat the proper amount for your energy needs. Sufficient amounts of protein, fat, and fiber from whole foods naturally keep you full and reduce cravings.

Move your body

Exercise doesn’t have to be hours at the gym. To begin, it can be as small as a few laps around your living room or up and down your driveway or street. Making exercise a priority often quickly goes from a have-to task to something you look forward to and miss when it doesn’t happen. Regular exercise improves your mood, sleep quality, physique, and overall feeling of wellbeing. Taking it outside when you can will boost the benefits, as being in nature has been proven to have stress-reducing effects.

Resistance training is essential, since healthy muscle tissue improves every other aspect of your health. There are tons of free workout videos online, or you can pay a small fee to have access to a progressive program designed to systematically strengthen your entire body. Finding ways to incorporate active things you loved to do when you were younger can give you a boost in having a desire to get moving. 

When we feel motivated to change, it seems like overhauling your life all at once is the best option. While that can work for some people, most of us are more successful if we change small things a few at a time, until they become part of who we are. Set yourself up for success by choosing a few whole foods each day, drinking more water and finding an activity that you love. This year can be the year that you make lasting changes to improve your life!

What are the Benefits of Membership-Based Healthcare?

Most healthy people don’t see the doctor until they are feeling unwell, and that may be as little as one time per year. So what is the point of paying a monthly membership if you only see the doctor once a year? 

Preventative care

Even if you are as healthy as a horse, you still need to see your doctor annually. Visiting your doctor once a year allows them to get a baseline on your health. This allows them to catch any red flags that need attention early. Early detection has been proven to improve outcomes with everything from preventing diabetes to treating cancer. A study published in 2019 by JAMA Internal Medicine found that people with a primary care physician were significantly more likely to have routine care, fill prescriptions, and get important screenings. 

After-hours access

Accidents and dangerous illnesses do not keep office hours. Paying a monthly membership gives you access to your doctor for emergencies even on nights, weekends, and holidays at no extra charge. A single emergency room visit can cost you thousands of dollars, and that will pay for years worth of membership fees. 

Lower long-term care costs

Staying on top of your health can reap big benefits financially in the long run. Illnesses and diseases that are caught early can typically be managed or treated with significantly less medical intervention. 

Lower cost for medications

Most membership-based practices offer significantly lower cost prescription medications and lab services. The prescription discount is often even less than the copay of medications covered by insurance. 

Fair pricing

 Clinics base their membership fee on the expectation that they will see you an average of three times per year. Chronic or uncontrolled health issues can mean more visits at first, but the goal for doctors should be better health for their patients, which naturally results in less visits over time. Once you are healthy, the best way to stay healthy is to have a great relationship with your doctor, visiting them annually and only when you really need to.

Membership-based clinics are worth the money you pay every month, even if you don’t see the doctor often. In fact, you might need to see the doctor even less!

What You Need to Know About Burn Care

Aloe vera, vinegar, mustard…do any of these things sound familiar as a remedy for burns? As it turns out, none of these things are the best treatment for any level of burn. Burn related visits to the ER are common, especially so around the fourth of July. How do you know if you need to see a doctor, and what do you do if you or someone you know gets burned?

There are five classes of burns, but the only two you should treat at home are superficial and partial thickness burns. 

Superficial burns, such as sunburns, have not broken the skin, feel dry, and can be painful. 

Partial thickness burns are red and/or blistered, painful, and can be swollen. 

Any burns covering over ten percent of the body or that are white or swiss-cheesy looking need to go directly to a larger ER for treatment.

 Any skin that is broken may need to be seen by a doctor as the burn site may require surgical cleaning. If in doubt, err on the side of caution and call your doctor.

So what are the dos and don'ts of caring for a burn?

DO

• Run cool or room temperature water over the burn for no more than five minutes, or wet gauze or a clean towel to hold over the burn for up to 30 minutes

• Gently wash with mild soap and tap water

• Take an over the counter pain reliever on a schedule to prevent discomfort, or as needed

DON’T  

• Put ice on a burn

• Put cream or salve on the burn unless directed otherwise by a doctor

• Wash with harsh cleaner such as alcohol or peroxide

• Apply spray or gel lidocaine products

With proper care the majority of burns will heal on their own in 3-21 days. As with any wound, watch for signs of infection. Have a safe and happy holiday!

Why Should I Sign Up for Membership if I Already Have Health Insurance?

Traditionally, insurance has been used to cover catastrophic events that would create a heavy financial burden on individuals, families, or businesses. Health insurance companies now provide primary care coverage for routine healthcare needs, but is it the best option to utilize insurance in that way? 

Insurance companies have restrictions on which doctors, medications, and services they will cover, thus taking the freedom of choice away from patients and providers. Zion Asher Family Physicians is a Direct Primary Care (DPC) provider, which means we are not tied to any insurance companies.

Insurance plans require you to use in-network providers. You may or may not have a doctor available to you in your area depending on if the clinic your insurance contracts with is accepting new patients. Every year your insurance may or may not renew their contracts with your provider, creating the possibility of having to leave a provider you like to find a new in-network provider. Choosing Zion Asher Family Physicians means that you get to choose and keep your primary care physician, no matter who your insurance company contracts with. 

In clinics that accept insurance, the number of patients a doctor typically sees is around 2,000. This drastically reduces the amount of time that you get to spend with your doctor, averaging 12-15 minutes each visit. That’s if you even get to see your doctor instead of their nurse practitioner. DPC physicians typically have 500-600 patients, which significantly increases the amount of time you can spend with your actual doctor. Visits are usually scheduled to last 30-60 minutes, which provides enough time for doctors to gain a greater understanding of your healthcare goals and needs. Then when you have an acute illness, often all it takes is a phone call for the doctor to know what you need.

Here at Zion Asher Family Physicians, we offer labs and medications at highly affordable rates without having to ask insurance companies for permission to run tests or prescribe certain medications. Labs and many medications can be offered to our members at a lower cost than our members had been paying even while utilizing their insurance. In the event that a member needs to see a specialist, our physicians will write a referral and that specialist can bill your insurance for their services.

Having a catastrophic insurance policy or health sharing ministry in addition to a DPC membership is highly encouraged, because you never know what tomorrow will bring. But 90 percent of a person's healthcare happens at the primary care level. Many chronic illnesses can be avoided by taking care of yourself and having a doctor you trust who is easily accessible. A membership with Zion Asher Family Physicians is an excellent way to ensure that you are getting the highest quality of care available.

How to Have a Great Relationship With Your Doctor

There are things that you can do to help develop a great relationship with your doctor. Thinking about your healthcare concerns and goals before your appointment can help you and your doctor work together to come up with a plan that meets your needs. Below are some tips to help make the most of your visit. 

Take some time before your appointment to write down any concerns that you have as well as health goals. It can be helpful to prioritize your concerns so that your most important questions are addressed first. 

Don’t forget to write down any medications or supplements that you take, including dosages, since those could have an effect on your health care decisions going forward. Be sure to tell your physician when any medications you are on are about to run out. Some medications can cause issues if you run out of them and don’t take them for a few days.

If your list of concerns is long or there are specific tests that you plan to ask for, it can be helpful to let the doctor know ahead of time. Certain lab tests are fasting tests, which means that you should forgo certain foods or beverages for a period of time before going in to have your blood drawn.  If you have a lot of concerns it can be helpful to email the doctor your list. That also gives them an opportunity to preview your concerns and be thinking about your needs ahead of time.

Be honest with your physician about your healthcare history. It can be difficult to bring up embarrassing things from your past, but the only thing your doctor cares about is helping you to be healthy in the present and future. 

If you have a lot of concerns or complicated needs it may be helpful to consider bringing a trusted companion along, especially if you get overwhelmed easily. Another set of ears can help you remember important information after the visit.

Don’t be afraid to ask questions, and make sure that you understand your care plan. If you think of something after your visit, don’t hesitate to call your doctor and get clarification. 

Lastly, be sure to follow your care plan. It is important to take your medications on time and follow your doctor’s other recommendations. If you would like to try an alternative plan, don’t be afraid to ask.

Visiting your doctor is only one small part of your healthcare. Doing these things will help you to be in control of your health and allow your doctor to serve you in the best way possible. 

Be SMART about your New Year's Goals!

Its that time of year again! With the new year just around the corner many of us are brainstorming new goals for the new year. And...many of us will become discouraged or distracted from these goals when we are not SMART about setting our goals. My mom always asks, "How do you eat an elephant?......One bite at a time!"
This motto is the foundation for setting goals that don't sputter out before we even get started. When setting goals this year, remember to make S.M.A.R.T. goals. (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-based). Small steps in the beginning can lead to big changes in the long run!

Goals are also great for your mental health. Setting and achieving goals give you a sense of purpose, accomplishment, and self confidence.

Some examples of SMART goals could be:

1: Going for a walk for 30 minutes 2x week (if you are working on fitness, cardiovascular health, mental health, etc)

2: Replacing a starch side with a vegetable side with each dinner during the week days

3: Having quality family time for 1 hour each week by playing a board game, family outing, or activity.

What goals are you setting for yourself this next year?

What can Zion Asher Family Physicians do for my business?

In the current system, businesses that are required to provide health insurance are struggling to stay profitable due to rising insurance premiums. With the combination of direct primary care and a self-funded insurance plan, businesses can save enormous amounts of money. The way the combination works is remarkably efficient and seamless. With the employees getting the majority of their healthcare needs taken care of without filing an insurance claim, this leaves a large amount of the claim pool, from the self-funded plan, leftover at the end of the year. A percentage of the money goes back to the business to use as it chooses. Businesses using this model with Atlas MD in Wichita have gotten between 25-50% of their claim pool back; this on top of saving money on a monthly basis. Even better, we provide business discounts when 2 or more employees sign up. We can help your business save money that it needs to develop a new product or a hire a much needed employee. All the while, your employees you will be receiving top-notch care which will help decrease sick days. With our increased accessibility they will not have to waste half to a full day at the doctor; we can get them in with virtually no wait time. However, if they are not able to get away from work we can see them via video conference or phone call.

What if I need to see a specialist?

Physicians, under insurance models, have continually increasing patient quotas each day they have to meet. There are only so many hours during the working day that physicians are able to see patients. As a result, they have to cut back on the complex specialty needs of their patients. This causes the Primary Care doctor to refer the patient to a specialist. At Zion Asher Family Physicians, you can see your doctor the same day, next day, or call/text your doctor! Direct Primary Care creates accessibility to the doctor that is unheard of in the insurance-run practices. This helps you avoid unnecessary trips to specialists. That said, for needs that do require a specialist, we have several options for you! First, we have a unique electronic referral network that can get certain specialists to opine for very affordable rates without having to go to their their office. If this in-between option is not enough and a full referral is needed you can use existing insurance or cash for specialists. We have some excellent online resources to help you find specialist clinics who give discounts on cash payment.

Why does Zion Asher Family Physicians not accept insurance?

The short answer: insurance complicates everything. Insurance was originally intended for catastrophic incidents, kind of like car insurance. You don't get car insurance to pay for your oil change or new brakes. You get car insurance to cover you and your car if you are in a car accident or have hail damage. That's how health insurance SHOULD work. It should be for the big things. Primary care is the same way. When insurance starts to cover the day-to-day health concerns it begins to get very expensive.

By not accepting it we are able to provide more affordable, accessible and higher quality care all at a lower price. We are able to be there for you when you need us because we are not covered in red tape.

Welcome, Tara!

My name is Tara Scheets, and I am happy to be joining Drs.Wostrel and Hannah at Zion Asher Family Physicians. I will be doing many different things around the clinic, including administrative work and assisting with patient needs.

My husband and I have three children and have lived in the area for nine years. We have a

small farm where I like to experiment with homestead related things such as beekeeping and

soap-making. Our family loves all things outdoors, but cold days call for a comfortable chair and

a book! We love the Lord and the purpose of our lives is to know God and make Him known. I

am looking forward to getting to know you and I would love to chat with you the next time you

come into the clinic.

Rural Health Care Shortage

Recently, Dr. Lyman Wostrel had an editorial printed in several local papers. We have posted a picture of the article.

One of the goals of Zion Asher Family Physicians is to educate the public on how healthcare has gotten to where it is at. It’s complicated, yet simple. We hear the deep frustration over health care - yet see very few actually addressing root issues.

Have a read! We hope to go deeper into subjects like these in the future.

Apple Butter Makin' Days

So. It is very busy outside our newly opened clinic with ‘Apple Butter Makin’ Days’ going on. We are open, however, so that people can meet us and learn about Direct Primary Care. You are welcome to stop by and speak with us and ask your questions

Our promotion during ‘Apple Butter Makin’ Days’ is either $50 off the enrollment fee or, a large box of Pampers diapers for each of your children of diaper age if you sign up from Oct 11th - 13th. Click ‘Sign-Up’ on our website!

Another exciting development is that we have several of our medical wholesaler agreements in place allowing us to purchase your medications at wholesale and pass that savings on to you! But even better! If you have babies or toddlers, pay attention. We have secured wholesale hospital prices on Pampers diapers. We will pass that on to you, just covering our cost. Sign your family up! You will pay for your membership just in the price of diapers alone!

We Are Open!

After much preparation/work we are happy to announce that Zion Asher Family Physicians is open! If you don’t mind stepping over a box or two, you can pop your head in at the clinic to ask us questions and familiarize yourself with Direct Primary Care.

Our website is fully functional, including the signup page; so if you have been waiting, go for it! After signing up, we will contact you to have you come in for your initial visit.

We understand that for many people, Direct Primary Care is a new thing. As such don’t be afraid to send us an email, call, or stop to ask the questions you might have. Our number is 417-730-1989. Our emails are drlymanwostrel@zionasher.com and drlaurenwostrel@zionasher.com Our clinic is located right across from the Post Office in Mount Vernon; if you see us sitting in the front office, come on in!

We are excited to offer a better, patient centered, experience at the doctors office. We are sure you will love it!