Frequently Asked Questions

Please download the New Patient Forms and fill out prior to your visit.

Here is a link to the Elation app for you to download on your smartphone or tablet.

We use this secure app to communicate with your doctor, request medication refills, make appointments, and more!

Once setup, you can access your Passport account by clicking the “Current Members” button at the top of every page.

For the uninsured: Your primary healthcare needs are met within an affordable and predictable monthly fee.

For those with high deductible insurance: DPC is the perfect fit! Your outpatient services are comprehensive and you have access to labs, medications, and services; keeping out-of-pocket costs to a minimum.

​For those with complete insurance coverage: DPC offers the convenience of care and increased accessibility through the ability to text, email, call, or Skype/Facetime with your provider. You have the option of longer office visits with minimal wait times.

For the Medicare patient: DPC can provide a way to reduce drug costs and allows for more time with your provider. Home visits and phone calls can help those who are homebound. You may also find that you can reduce the cost of your supplemental or secondary insurance premiums by choosing a lower-cost plan.

No worries! Family Physicians can take care of your primary healthcare needs for an affordable and predictable monthly fee.

There is a one-time new patient registration fee of $75 due at the time of sign up.

The monthly membership covers excellent primary care by providing unlimited access to our services.

Feel free to visit us in our office, call us when you need us, text us, or email us.

You can schedule your annual wellness exam, receive basic office procedures, and optimize your health while under our care.

Members also have access to at-cost laboratory testing, at-cost imaging services, as well as whole-sale medications.

For those with high deductible insurance, DPC is the perfect fit! Your outpatient services are comprehensive and you have access to labs, medications, and services; keeping out-of-pocket costs to a minimum.

For those with complete insurance coverage, Direct Primary Care (DPC) offers convenience and increased accessibility through the ability to text, email, call, or Skype/Facetime with your provider. You will come to appreciate longer office visits (when needed) with minimal wait times.

Direct Primary Care (DPC) can provide a way to reduce your drug costs and allows for more time with your provider. Home visits and phone calls can help those who are homebound. You may also find that you can reduce the cost of your supplemental or secondary insurance premiums by choosing a lower-cost plan.

We recommend that you have health insurance, which would cover you in the case of a heart attack, stroke, or cancer care.

You may cancel at any time with no charge.

DPCMH is a care model that puts the patient at the center of medical decisions.

With this type of care, you and your doctor work together to determine the best course of action for you and your circumstances. The result is better coordination of care to get you and keep you healthy. We keep everyone involved in your care updated and assist in getting any specialty care or services you may need.

There is a national accreditation process that must be successfully achieved to enable a physician’s practice to call itself a “Direct Patient Centered Medical Home”.

A family physician is a doctor who has completed an additional three years of family medicine residency training after finishing medical school. To become board-certified, a family physician must pass a board exam like any other specialist.

Family physicians provide primary health care to patients of all ages, from newborns to seniors. One of the hallmarks of family practice is continuity of care. We tend to have long-term relationships with our patients, and have a focus on prevention of disease and helping patients maintain wellness.

A family nurse practitioner (FNP) is an advanced level nurse with a minimum of a Master’s Degree in Nursing, who has completed up to 700 hours in clinical work, and who must also maintain National Certification in order to practice.

FNPs work with patients of all ages and can diagnose and treat illnesses and injuries, monitor diseases, establish and maintain medical histories, conduct physical exams, perform diagnostic tests, and prescribe medications.

FNPs provide family care and focus on direct care, teaching, and preventative care. FNPs typically work in collaboration with Family Physicians.

A physician assistant is a health care professional licensed to practice medicine with physician supervision.

Physician Assistants are educated in the medical model designed to complement physician training, a master’s degree in medicine is required. The accredited training program was developed in conjunction with the American Medical Association and upon completion of training, physician assistants are eligible to sit for the national certification exam.

PA-Cs work with patients of all ages and can diagnose and treat illnesses and injuries, monitor diseases, establish and maintain medical histories, conduct physical exams, perform diagnostic tests, perform procedures, and prescribe medications. PA-Cs provide medical care and focus on direct care, teaching, and preventative care.

MD stands for Medical Doctor, and DO stands for Doctor of Osteopathy.

DOs and MDs are both fully trained physicians. Both have attended four years of medical school and are required to complete residency training in their area of specialization.

Medical doctors have been the mainstay of medical care for centuries, whereas osteopathic physicians have been in existence for just over 100 years.

Osteopathic physicians are trained to practice “holistic” medicine, viewing the whole body in the context of wellness and illness. In addition, DOs are trained in osteopathic manipulative therapy (OMT).

OMT involves several different types of spinal and soft tissue manipulation to help the body heal itself.

Elation Passport is our electronic Health Record system allowing you to review your patient charts.

Your provider will send you an invitation to set up your Passport Account via the e-mail address that is on record at Family Physicians of St. Joe.

Once you have set up your account, you can review your chart, receive communication from your provider, and send messages to your provider.

You can access your Passport account by clicking the “Current Members” button at the top of every page.

Spruce is a convenient way to communicate with your provider when you need to.

Your provider will send you a link to set up a Spruce account via text message on your phone. If you have a smartphone, you will need to download the free Spruce app to set up your account.

You may then use Spruce to send secure texts or photos to your provider, or call us when you have an urgent issue after hours.

If you do not have a smartphone, you can still send text messages or call your provider using the number that is sent to you, but please be aware that texts sent outside of the Spruce app may not be secure.