Dr. Kimberly Chapman of Priority Health Direct Primary Care wants to know how your grandchildren are doing.

Priority Health is the first clinic in Bentonville to practice direct primary care, an alternative approach to healthcare that doesn’t involve health insurance.

By booting insurance from the relationship, Chapman says she’s able to provide a better experience to patients while also saving them money.

“The joy of medicine is taking care of patients and getting to know them, it’s that relationship you develop, and in the traditional fee-for-service system there’s just too much to do,” Chapman said.

At Priority Health, patients pay a flat monthly fee for complete access to their medical provider. Membership fees are $45 per child and $85 per adult – or $225 for a family.

Chapman started Priority Health in January 2020 due to the frustrations that came with working in modern healthcare.

“I was just frustrated with the idea that in order to be profitable in the hospital system, I was going to have to see 25-30 people a day to pay my salary,” Chapman said. These patient visits would often last less than 10 minutes, making it difficult for Chapman to relate to her patients.

Since opening, Priority Health has grown to about 300 patients. Providers working in traditional health systems are often responsible for 4-7 times as many patients.

With a lower patient load, Chapman is able to offer same-day or next-day appointments. She makes herself available via phone and email and does house visits when necessary, too. 

Chapman is highly critical of the current healthcare insurance system.

“The current [insurance] system is really so bad,” Chapman said. “They’re the one who determines what you pay, and it’s all hidden [to patients].”

Many of the minor procedures patients receive at urgent care or the emergency room can be done at direct primary care clinics. However, Chapman still encourages her patients to have some level of healthcare insurance.

“Primary care is maintenance stuff, like dents [in a car door,]” Chapman said, comparing healthcare insurance to car insurance. “[Health insurance] is for the big things that are expensive, catastrophic and unplanned for.”

In addition to Priority Health, there are several other direct primary care practices in NWA: