How to Launch a Telehealth Direct Primary Care Practice While Still Working in the ER: What Dr. Christina Long Learned in Year One - Part 2

And the other thing is it's hard to stay competitive because the online market for obesity medicine medications has exploded, and these companies are offering people the medication for like $100 a month.

And I don't know how, I don't know where they're getting it-

Mm-hmm

... from that they can charge that little.

Mm-hmm.

Mm-hmm.

Um, so like what I do is I just charge an annual fee upfront one time for the year that covers my physician fees for the entire year, and then I typically don't mark up the medications.

They can get a really competitive rate so that it makes it more attractive to them.

But I also tell them like-

Mm-hmm

...

I'm not trying to be the cheapest.

Like, I want you to be interested in having 24/7 access to a concierge doctor who's very knowledgeable in this area.

You know, like I, I don't wanna be someone you come to 'cause you can just get it cheaper than the med spa down the street.

Like that's not what I'm-

Mm-hmm

... trying to do here.

So most people respect that and understand it.

But I've had to start marking them up a little bit, but I mean like by $25, not by $300.

Right.

But that's where a lot of my patients come from.

They're like, "Well, now I'm getting charged $500 a month for my tirzepatide." And I'm like, "I will never charge you that much."

Yeah.

"Come my way."

It's, it's so crazy how much some of the, you know, med spas and, I don't know, other weight loss clinics are charging for the compounded, and people are still going in and getting their shots and, and it's just they go in, get their shot, and like that's it.