The DPC Pre-Launch Checklist

You're almost there! Whether you're starting a large clinic with multiple staff members, or just seeing patients / members out of your home, here's a quick 'pre-launch' checklist to ensure that you're on the way to taking care of people with fewer obstacles during your first week or so.

Basic Communication

• [ ] Phone number for patients to call (texting optional) - ideally not your personal cell phone
• [ ] Business email address for basic communication (not for patient care - for business communication - should be from a custom domain, not a 'gmail' account)
• [ ] Who will answer the phone? Respond to texts? Respond to emails?
• [ ] Is voicemail set up so people know they're reaching you? (Hi, you've reached Dr. XX with XX Clinic...)

Member Forms

Question: are they filled out online prior to the visit, or during their first visit?

• [ ] State-required Direct Primary Care language (varies by state) - usually in the membership / patient agreement
• [ ] SMS / email communication waiver for Patient Health Information (if you're using regular text or email for PHI)
• [ ] Basic member information (demographics, communication info, etc.)
• [ ] HIPAA agreement
• [ ] Emergency contact information

Technology

• [ ] Electronic Medical Record - how are you recording patient / member interactions? Basic note-taking is fine, just plan for backing up files.
• [ ] Billing - membership
• [ ] Billing - point-of-care (how will they pay you for incidentals like labs, medications, or other things above and beyond membership?)
• [ ] Scheduling system (if not using an EMR, how are you scheduling members?)

Medical Supplies (you don't need much to start!)

• [ ] Stethoscope
• [ ] Blood pressure monitor / cuff
• [ ] Otoscope
• [ ] Ophthalmoscope
• [ ] Laceration kit (sutures, lidocaine, hemostat, etc.)
• [ ] Gloves
• [ ] Disinfectant (alcohol, bleach wipes, etc.)

Member Care

• [ ] How are you going to record the visit in the exam room? Paper? Computer? AI scribe?
• [ ] How is visit info being entered into the EMR?
• [ ] Do you have contacts for specialists - labs, imaging, etc.?
• [ ] If things need to happen that don't go in the patient chart, how are those recorded / delegated?

The power of a walk-through

You don't have to have everything lined out perfectly to see your first member. You'll learn as you go, and people are generally forgiving - especially during your first week or two of opening.

Prior to opening, gather a couple family members and do a couple mock walk-throughs. And don't prep them! Even before they arrive, ask them to call and schedule an appointment so you (or your team) gets practice booking appointments.

Then, have them walk through the clinic as if they are a real patient.

Literally practice everything - greeting as they walk into the clinic, have them fill out the necessary paperwork, take them back as if they were a patient (hint - for a true "DPC" experience, have the physician greet them in the waiting room and take them back, and don't go straight to the scale - just go to the exam room!), record the encounter as you normally would, and have them leave and exit as a normal patient would - including scheduling follow-ups or anything else that might be needed.

Do this a couple of times with a couple different people - and don't prep them, just ask if they'll take 15 minutes to do a mock walk-through. You won't catch everything - but you'll get some practice before seeing your first patient.