preventive care medicine :: Article CreatorAvon Lake Doctor Says Her Direct Primary Care Practice Two Eleven Health Like Having A Doctor In The Family
There's a new concept in health care in the form of a comprehensive primary care service provider in Avon Lake.
After a recent grand opening and ribbon-cutting, Two Eleven Health, 684 Avon Belden Road, provides convenient care that prioritizes proactive health and well-being in a membership model, similar to joining a gym.
Direct primary care is a health care model that prioritizes the patient-physician relationship.
Unlike traditional insurance-based practices, direct primary care offers a more personalized approach focused on unique health needs.
By eliminating the complexities of insurance, direct primary care practices can offer longer appointment times, reduced patient loads and a deeper understanding of your health concerns.
And the owner of this new concept, is a lifelong Avon Lake woman, who went from a degree in accounting to becoming a doctor.
Dr. Anna I. Reph is the owner of Two Eleven Health.
The concept of Two Eleven Health came from Reph's desire to offer accessible, personalized care without the restrictions often seen in today's traditional health care model, which she says is fraught with administrative and insurance hurdles, along with unnecessary costs.
Building strong relationships
Direct primary care emphasizes preventive care and patient education.
By building strong relationships with patients, Reph says that DPC providers can identify potential health issues early on and offer personalized guidance.
This proactive approach empowers patients to take control of their health and well-being, she says.
"I initially learned about direct primary care during residency," Reph said. "You hear about things, but really, you're just learning medicine and taking care of people, so I kind of brushed it off and then didn't think too much about it.
"As I got more into my third year at residency, I was in the clinic more and getting more experience from the outpatient perspective and I really saw how even in residency you get more time with patients, but it's still not enough.
"I could see where other physicians that have been in practice, they're burnt out. The system is demanding more of them, and there's no extra time in the day, but there's a whole lot of extra things that they have to do now.
"It's struggling with insurance companies and things like that. I just saw that really good people and really smart people couldn't practice like they wanted because they were constrained by all of the insurance and administrative burden.
"I'm a mom and I want to be able to spend time with my children. I want to practice medicine, not constantly doing paperwork."
Reph, a 2005 Avon Lake High School graduate, completed medical school at the Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine, and completed a family medicine residency with University Hospitals.
Reph initially earned a master of business administration from the University of Dayton and worked as a certified public accountant in the beginning of her career, though she said that path ultimately wasn't for her and she wanted to go into the medical field, following in her father's footsteps.
Patient-centered care
Reph said Two Eleven Health brings a unique perspective to her role as a family physician.
"My diverse career experiences led me to establish Two Eleven Health, where I can focus on true patient-centered care," Reph said. "With the direct primary care model, I created a practice in my hometown of Avon Lake that allows patients to feel as if they have a 'doctor in the family,' with direct access to me anytime, unhurried visits and a simple cost structure.
Two Eleven Health provides unlimited visits, same day and sick visits, chronic disease management, annual physicals, and many office procedures covered under a monthly membership ranging from $110 to $140 per month without additional costs.
Members may or may not carry any type of health insurance, but may find that the membership model provides cost savings after considering out-of-pocket expenses incurred with billing insurance, with several added benefits.
Avon Lake officials said they are excited to welcome Two Eleven Health as a new business in its central corridor and delighted that Reph is locating this business in her hometown.
"The ties between Avon Lake's small businesses and its residents is a signature element of this local economy," said Ted Esborn, community development director for the city of Avon Lake.
Reph said she believes more practices will adopt this type of business model.
This new concept actually was how doctors largely practiced decades ago, she said.
"I think this is the wave of the future, and it's odd because it's kind of just going back to the way it used to be forever," she said. "We're practicing old-school medicine, but in the modern approach.
"People do miss having that personal connection to their doctor where they spend time. I want people to come and stay in contact with me.
"We're not moving enough. We're probably not eating as healthy as we should, or maybe we're overworked or overstressed.
"I can't just know that in a few minutes. Let's talk about your lifestyle and exercise. I don't want to just prescribe pills. I want to be here for your wellness, not just your sickness."
And yes, Reph even makes house calls, however, she laughs that she doesn't have a black physician's bag.
OneCare Vermont Announces New Waiver Projects To Improve Quality Of Care
Vermont Business Magazine After a successful first round of funding, OneCare Vermont has introduced eleven new waivers, building on the six projects funded earlier this year. Following the receipt of additional strong applications, OneCare decided to extend funding to these eleven new initiatives. In total, OneCare allocated $343,000 in 2024 to support delivery system projects designed to advance quality improvement goals. These waivers are focused on enhancing access to mental health care, reducing hospital readmissions, increasing preventive care, and improving overall healthcare accessibility for Vermonters.
OneCare, as an accountable care organization participating in Vermont's All-Payer Model, has been provided waivers to make it easier for the health care providers who work with OneCare to deliver high quality care to Vermonters.
These waivers provide flexibility and freedom from some of the stringent regulatory requirements typically imposed on health care providers, allowing them to create and implement innovative programs aimed at enhancing both the quality and accessibility of care.
This year alone over 1,000 patients have benefited from existing waivers and this additional funding will allow OneCare participants to further increase the number of Vermonters receiving more personalized, patient-centered care.
"We are proud to have been able to increase our funding pool from the initial round at the start of this year. These waivers present an important strategy in creating efficiency and efficacy in our health care delivery system and in providing the funding to remove barriers to the quality of care patients deserve," commented Dr. Carrie Wulfman, OneCare Chief Medical Officer. "From offering lifestyle medicine and nutrition services for preventive care to enhancing follow-up care after hospital visits, these initiatives help ensure Vermonters receive timely and appropriate care tailored to their needs."
The eleven waiver projects will allow for the following initiatives:
Addison County Home Health and Hospice (HHH), Porter Hospital, and Helen Porter Skilled Nursing Home: Addison County HHH's wound care nurse will visit Porter or Helen Porter to follow patients who are admitted from home health with specialized wound care needs. The nurse will also help provide education and support to other caregivers. Brattleboro Memorial Hospital/Rescue Inc.: The hospital and ambulance company will implement a community paramedic program that will follow COPD patients after discharge to provide check ins and potentially in-home care to avoid emergency department or inpatient visits. Chittenden County Practice: The practice will contract with a child psychiatrist to provide weekly consultation, expertise, and support for its integrative care team. Richmond Family Medicine: The practice will engage a nutritionist to provide patients with nutrition services including lifestyle change classes where neuroscience meets nutrition science, workshops, and handouts. Evergreen Family Health: The practice will purchase and deploy a retinal screening machine at one of their practices to screen diabetic and other at-risk patients. Rutland Regional Medical Center: Rutland will provide patients with services and/or equipment to facilitate discharge from inpatient or emergency department care. This includes transportation, paying for medications at nursing homes, and home equipment. Southwestern Vermont Medical Center (SVMC): Once a child screens positive for developmental delay, SVMC will provide services such as rides to appointments, and equipment (e.G. Adaptive car seats) for the family to meet the child's care plan. Thomas Chittenden Health Center: The practice will provide continuous glucose monitors (CGM) to its patients who are diabetic but do not qualify for CGM insurance coverage. The University of Vermont Medical Center (UVMMC): UVMMC will purchase and provide adaptive equipment and mobility devices to patients to facilitate discharges from inpatient or emergency department to home or step-down care. The University of Vermont Health Network (UVMHN): UVMHN and Region 3 EMS will implement a pilot of paying EMS for non-emergent care provided in the field. After making a telehealth supported determination that a patient is non-emergent and does not need transport, EMS may treat the patient as permitted and will be paid for that treatment. UVMHN will pay EMS District 3 ambulance crews a set fee for responding and treating in place patients who are non-emergent and can safely be treated without transport to the emergency department. The UVMHN Population Health Services Organization (PHSO) will use the funding to purchase validated blood pressure cuffs they will give to patients as part of a comprehensive hypertension management program. OneCare Vermont brings together over 5,000 health care providers throughout the state of Vermont to improve the quality of Vermont's healthcare system. Waivers are available to OneCare's provider partners throughout 2025.
Source: 11.26.2024. Colchester, Vt – OneCare Vermont
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