primary care physician :: Article CreatorFrom Overworked To Optimized: Technology And The Future Of Primary Care
Dr. Trisha Swift is the CEO of Mula, an integrative health practice specializing in whole-health care, rejuvenation & executive well-being.
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The primary care model faces burnout, rising costs and administrative burdens, straining an overworked physician workforce. Meanwhile, AI, remote monitoring and digital health tools are reshaping care with a focus on prevention, personalization and accessibility.
Rather than replacing physicians, technology can help redefine their roles, enabling a more patient-centered, transdisciplinary approach that prioritizes prevention, well-being and longevity.
Technology As A Force Multiplier In Primary Care
Healthcare technology is revolutionizing care delivery. Many organizations now realize that tools such as advanced analytics and workflow automation are essential for business differentiation and financial health. The widespread integration of technology in healthcare is being driven by several key innovations:
AI And Machine Learning
AI-powered diagnostics and predictive analytics are enhancing clinical decision making and, at times, making clinical decisions. AI-assisted tools now analyze vast datasets, identifying early disease markers that might otherwise be missed.
Studies show that AI can match or exceed human accuracy in detecting conditions like diabetic retinopathy, certain cancers and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risks by using biomarkers to enable predictions of up to 96% accuracy. All this highlights AI's potential in early detection and risk assessment of emerging conditions.
Telemedicine And Remote Monitoring
The Covid-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of telehealth, and its benefits remain clear—reducing in-person visits while maintaining continuity of care, a win-win for the patient and overburdened healthcare system. Wearable devices, such as continuous glucose monitors and smartwatches with ECG capabilities, allow patients to track their health in real time, enabling earlier interventions when the issues are less acute.
Wearables And Digital Health Apps
Consumer-driven health tracking is expanding rapidly, with apps monitoring sleep, stress and metabolism to help patients take proactive steps toward well-being. AI-driven programs integrate biometric data to personalize stress management strategies.
A study on nurses in high-stress environments implemented an AI-assisted intervention, including mindfulness meditation, acceptance commitment therapy, storytelling, reflective writing and laughter therapy. The AI component tailored these interventions to individual biometric data, significantly reducing stress and burnout. If this approach works for nurses, could it also benefit other clinicians in high-pressure environments?
EHR And Interoperability
The current healthcare ecosystem is plagued by fragmented data systems. Improved interoperability—where electronic health records (EHRs) can seamlessly share information across providers—enhances coordinated care and reduces redundant testing.
However, achieving full interoperability remains a challenge due to regulatory and technical barriers. The inefficiencies and increased workload associated with non-interoperable EHRs have been found to limit the capacity of primary care providers, thereby reducing patient access to timely and effective care.
Transdisciplinary Care: The New-ish Collaborative Model
A key transformation in primary care is shifting from physician-centered models to transdisciplinary teams, where experts collaborate beyond traditional roles to deliver holistic care. Unlike multidisciplinary teams, where each professional operates in silos, transdisciplinary teams merge expertise to provide holistic, patient-focused care.
In this model:
• Physicians focus on complex case management, ensuring specialized care for chronic and rare conditions.
• AI-assisted clinicians—nurse practitioners, physician assistants and dietitians—leverage AI-driven insights to support lifestyle interventions and chronic disease management.
• Tech specialists and data analysts optimize patient outcomes through health analytics and inform tech strategies.
This approach allows each provider to operate at the top of their expertise, enhancing efficiency and care quality.
Addressing Challenges In Tech-Driven Care
Despite the promise of these advancements, significant challenges remain:
Interoperability And Data Integration
Many EHR systems remain proprietary, making seamless data exchange difficult and political. Without universal standards, healthcare providers struggle to access comprehensive patient histories, leading to fragmented care. The universe of health and wellness data that exists outside of the EHR is often overlooked but could offer deep and longitudinal insights into a person's health and habits. One in six consumers uses wearable devices to track health metrics such as heart health, sleep and activity.
Health Equity Concerns
While digital tools can broaden access to healthcare, they can also worsen existing disparities if not designed with inclusivity in mind. For example, rural and low-income populations may have limited internet access or lack familiarity with digital health technologies, hindering their ability to benefit from these tools. When combined with the literacy and disposable income disparities often seen in low-income communities, this creates a risk of leaving some of the most vulnerable populations even further behind.
The Cost Of Care And Administrative Burdens
Technology should reduce clinician workload, yet many digital systems add complexity. Doctors frequently report that they are spending too much time on EHR documentation, which takes away from their time with patients.
While some of the excessive time spent on documentation may be attributed to physicians' low adoption of tools and automation, this is not the only cause. The truth is physicians are spending an increasing amount of time documenting content in the EHR.
Technology-driven strategies are vital for the future of primary care. Without digital transformation and AI investment, both caregiver well-being and business sustainability will likely suffer. Healthcare tech leaders should prioritize user-friendly, efficient systems that enhance workflows by exploring innovative solutions beyond traditional vendors for greater design control and data exchange.
The Next Era Of Primary Care
The future of primary care is not a battle between technology and medicine—it is an evolution that requires collaboration. For this transformation to succeed:
• Healthcare organizations must invest in AI and interoperability solutions that reduce administrative burden and enhance clinical efficiency.
• Physicians must embrace redefined roles leading digital health initiatives and applying their expertise where it is most impactful.
• Policymakers must prioritize regulatory frameworks that support innovation while ensuring equity and security.
• Patients must be empowered as active participants in their health through better education, transparency and access to personalized digital tools.
By leveraging technology alongside transdisciplinary collaboration, primary care can move from a reactive, disease-centered and overburdened model to a proactive, prevention-driven holistic system driving health and wellness. The next generation of healthcare is already here, and those who adapt will define its future.
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New Local Practice Among Growing Trend Of Independent Doctors Who Don't Bill Insurance
"It offers people a different model where it kind of goes back in time a little bit where it's like your hometown doctor, you know them, they know you," said Dr. Thao Tran, a family medicine physician and owner of Radiant Health Direct Primary Care.
Tran, who immigrated to the U.S. With her family when she was two years old, was a valedictorian of Northridge High School, going on to study at Wright State University and the Boonshoft School of Medicine. Tran is the first generation in her family to go to college, she said.
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Tran completed her residency in family medicine at the Medical University of South Carolina before returning to her hometown in Vandalia.
"My goal had always been to return home to provide to the local community that supported me," Tran said.
Most medical needs can be cared for by your family doctor, Tran said, which is what she envisions for her practice.
Most primary care physicians have a patient load of about 2,000 people, but Tran is capping her patient load at 500 in order to give her patients more attention and access to her, she said. Tran can provide patients with longer appointments to help address more health care needs.
Credit: Bryant Billing
Credit: Bryant Billing
"Because we have a smaller panel size, I can pretty much offer same-day or next business day appointments to everyone in my panel who is sick," Tran said.
A patient panel size is the number of patients a doctor typically sees over a year to 18 months, according to the National Institutes of Health.
"Hopefully that limits the need to use urgent cares and emergency rooms for non-emergent, non-urgent things because of increased access," Tran said. Patients can also communicate directly with Tran, such as through texting.
Tran had a patient who was able to get a same-day appointment for a sore throat.
Another patient who was having heart palpitations texted Tran, and within a minute, the patient had an appointment time, she said.
"It allows that level of intimate care," Tran said.
Not billing insurance also allows Radiant Health Direct Primary Care to reduce overhead costs by 40%, according to Tran.
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In addition to medical care, discounted prescriptions and lab tests, Radiant Health Direct Primary Care offers plans for individuals, couples, families and businesses. The plans also include free group fitness classes where Tran exercises with her patients twice a week.
"A lot of our medicines are two to three dollars for a 90-day supply," Tran said, which is helpful for patients without insurance.
They are also able to beat insurance prices for some medications, such as one of her patients who was paying $83 a month for her seizure medication using insurance. By paying with cash through Radiant Health, the total cost to the patient was $83 for the year, Tran said.
Another patient was paying $1,000 per month for her medications, but Radiant Health was able to reduce that to almost zero dollars by finding her the right coupon for her medications, Tran said.
"By not using insurance, it allows me to care for patients the way that the should be cared for," Tran said. "...There's no middlemen, it's just me and my patient."
Tran recommends patients still have some type of insurance coverage. The care model for her practice works well for patients who have high deductible plans or who are part of a health share cooperative.
For more information about Tran's practice, visit radianthealthdpc.Com.
Revolutionizing Primary Care Through AI: How Leander Maerkisch Is Doing It
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Imagine overcoming healthcare's bureaucratic labyrinth of bills, waiting periods, and anxiety — all with a single text message.
This is the aim of Leander Maerkisch, a Forbes 30 Under 30 entrepreneur who previously raised $14 million for his radiology AI startup Floy. Now, he's working to transform how millions access primary healthcare, saying, "By leveraging messaging platforms people already use daily, we're creating healthcare experiences that meet patients exactly where they are — no new apps to download, no complex portals to navigate, no endless phone queues."
Leander Maerkisch's Journey: From Floy to Starlife Leander Maerkisch / Leander Maerkisch
Maerkisch's passion for healthcare was ignited by personal tragedy. In 2019, his mother suffered from undiagnosed osteoporosis, walking around for three weeks with a broken ankle before receiving proper care.
"I remember thinking, 'This shouldn't happen to anyone.' With better diagnostics, her suffering could have been prevented entirely. That moment showed me healthcare isn't just about having brilliant doctors — it's about removing every barrier between patients and the care they need."
This frustration led him to found Floy, a startup that leveraged AI to extract comprehensive health insights from routine radiologic examinations. By analyzing existing medical scans for conditions that might go unnoticed, Floy pioneered what Maerkisch calls "opportunistic screening," making potentially life-saving diagnoses without requiring extra time from overworked radiologists.
Coming from Germany's universal healthcare system, Maerkisch brings a valuable outsider perspective. "What many people now accept as normal — surprise billing, insurance battles, endless paperwork — I see as fixable problems rather than inevitable burdens." This fundamental shift in perspective became Starlife's catalyst. Where others saw insurmountable complexity, Maerkisch recognized an opportunity to reimagine the entire patient journey.
Starlife's AI-Driven Model
Starlife harnesses artificial intelligence to reinvent the entire healthcare experience through practical, everyday solutions. Patients can text simple requests like "Find me a Spanish-speaking dermatologist within my insurance network," "Schedule my annual physical," or "My allergies are acting up again; what should I do?" and the platform will book appointments, arrange for prescriptions, or consult specialists. This AI-powered convenience does not come at the cost of patient privacy — all information is handled according to strict HIPAA standards, with licensed healthcare professionals reviewing all AI-generated assessments.
"What truly excites me is how we're democratizing concierge medicine," Maerkisch explains. "Services once only available to wealthy individuals are now accessible to everyone. Imagine texting about recurring headaches at any hour and having a care team coordinate everything from diagnostic tests to specialist consultations without you managing any of the logistics."
This on-demand approach also has the benefit of creating a continuous care relationship through ongoing conversations, contextual check-ins about lifestyle and environment, and optional integration with wearable devices. This provides a comprehensive understanding of health patterns between formal visits, whereas traditional healthcare is akin to taking snapshots of your health months apart.
As a result, Starlife is enabling meaningful, long-term healthcare relationships that were once maintained by family doctors who treated multiple generations. "Our system maintains a thoughtful understanding of your health journey, preferences, and concerns," Maerkisch notes. "Each interaction enriches the experience, like having a physician who truly knows you and your story."
Democratizing Healthcare with Transparent Pricing
Starlife's transparent approach directly addresses one of healthcare's most frustrating experiences: surprise bills.
It aims to democratize healthcare and bring relief to a troubled industry by adopting transparent, upfront pricing. "We're partnering with patients to drive down costs," Maerkisch explains. "A blood test shouldn't cost $15 in one facility and $500 in another with no explanation. With Starlife, our members will know exactly what they're paying before any service. And with more people joining us, we negotiate better rates through higher volume, passing those savings directly to patients."
The platform particularly benefits America's 47 million immigrants who face language barriers and unfamiliar insurance systems. "As an immigrant myself, I've experienced how isolating it can be to discuss health concerns in a second language," Maerkisch shares. "Our platform enables patients to communicate in their native tongue — it's about feeling truly understood at your most vulnerable moments."
Looking Ahead with Starlife
With Starlife, Leander Maerkisch is taking an active role in building a future-minded health system — one that prevents disease rather than merely treating it. In doing so, he's changing the way the industry thinks about affordability, accessibility, and patient care.
He's also proving that AI has a place in the future of healthcare and that it can solve many of the challenges facing healthcare. It's an approach he calls "AI-first medicine," where technology enhances human medical expertise rather than replacing it.
"I believe healthcare is a human right, not a luxury," Maerkisch states. "By making world-class care more accessible and affordable, we're working toward a future where everyone can access the care they deserve."
Starlife is offering a glimpse into a future where quality healthcare is only a text message away. For more information, visit Starlife's website.
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