Direct primary care, or DPC, is a new, patient-centered healthcare delivery model. DPC providers focus on building healthy patient-doctor relationships by being available when patients need them, spending as much time as necessary on appointments, and creating proactive treatment plans that get to the root of a patient’s health concerns. The DPC model includes a flat monthly fee that grants patients direct access to their doctor via office visits, cell phone, email, and telehealth visits. In addition, DPC members can access discounts on other medical services, including imaging, pathology, and labs, all without requiring insurance.

While you will need to pay an upfront fee to access DPC membership, you will also enjoy significant savings over time. For example, you will never pay a copay when you see your DPC provider, and you will receive discounts on imaging tests, lab work, and many generic medications. Additionally, we can help you with urgent care needs for a much lower overall cost than traditional urgent care providers. Then there are intangible benefits, such as direct access to your doctor, appointments on your schedule, and convenient telehealth and texting options. Over the course of a year, families can save hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars by signing up for a DPC membership compared with staying in the traditional medical system.

Yes, you can still have health insurance and become a DPC member. In fact, White Olive encourages patients to consider getting a traditional insurance plan with a high deductible to cover any health care costs that are not associated with primary care services and that we are unable to provide for you, such as emergency care, specialist care, or hospitalizations. When paired with a health savings account, a low-cost, high-deductible health insurance plan can ensure you are covered for catastrophic events.

In this model, patients pay a monthly fee to their primary care physician or practice, eliminating the need for traditional insurance involvement for primary care services.

Here are some key aspects and benefits of DPC practice:

1. Enhanced Access: DPC practices typically offer more convenient and accessible care. Patients have greater access to their primary care physician, access to same-day or next-day appointments, and the ability to communicate with their doctor via electronic means (email, telemedicine, etc.). This accessibility promotes continuity of care and timely management of health concerns.

2. Personalized and Comprehensive Care: DPC physicians typically have a smaller patient panel compared to traditional practices, allowing them to spend more time with each patient. This personalized approach enables comprehensive and patient-centered care, as physicians can focus on preventive measures, health education, and building long-term relationships.

3. Cost Transparency and Affordability: DPC practices aim to provide transparent and predictable pricing. Patients pay a fixed fee, which covers most primary care services, such as routine check-ups, preventive screenings, minor procedures, and some basic medications. This simplicity and cost transparency can lead to reduced healthcare expenses, especially for individuals or families without insurance or with high deductible plans.

4. Reduced Administrative Burden: By eliminating the complexities associated with insurance billing and reimbursement, DPC practices reduce administrative burdens on physicians. This allows doctors to allocate more time and resources to direct patient care rather than paperwork, improving the overall efficiency of the practice.

5. Focus on Preventive Care and Wellness: DPC physicians emphasize preventive care, health maintenance, and wellness promotion. They have the freedom to spend more time educating patients about healthy lifestyles, disease prevention, and early detection. This proactive approach can help identify and address health concerns at an early stage, potentially reducing the need for expensive specialist care or hospitalizations.

6. Improved Doctor-Patient Relationship: The DPC model fosters a stronger doctor-patient relationship, as patients have more frequent and meaningful interactions with their primary care physician. With fewer patients to manage, physicians can dedicate ample time to listen, understand, and address patients' concerns thoroughly. This leads to better communication, trust, and a deeper understanding of individual healthcare needs.

It's important to note that DPC practices primarily focus on primary care and may not cover specialty care or hospitalizations. Patients typically combine DPC with a catastrophic health insurance plan to ensure coverage for more extensive medical needs.

A concierge practice generally charges a high cost yearly subscription fee. Additionally, they will collect copays at each visit and bill your insurance for any services provided. DPC provides the personalized service normally associated with concierge medicine, but at a much lower cost. DPC practices do not collect copays at visits and do not bill your insurance for any services provided.

In the Elite Prevention plan, Cardiac Risk Assessment with labs and imaging is included. This includes yearly EKGs, echocardiograms, carotid ultrasounds. Additionally, CT coronary calcium scan and/or CT angiograms will be included every 2 years as needed for risk stratification and assessment.

Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine (DOs) use the philosophy of getting to the “root” of a problem rather than applying a Band-Aid approach to ease symptoms without actually helping the patient get better. In addition to being trained on how the body’s many systems interrelate, they consider all aspects of a patient’s health history and lifestyle when creating a treatment plan that will help the patient live a long, healthy life.

YES! Modern healthcare is all about empowering innovation and personalizing our wellness approach. Not every patient is up for an office visit. Whether preference or convenience, Dr. Shukhman is happy to set up telehealth appointments with all of his patients so you can feel comfortable and proactive in your wellness strategy.

Yes! We want to provide great care an service to both members and non-members. All A La Carte Services have member and non-member pricing. White Olive DPC strives to provide great value for everyone but being a member offers additional discounts and benefits.

Dr. Shukhman will accept Medicare through his Medicare membership. Please call to find out more information.

(Your medicare can be used for primary care visits, lab work, medications, pharmacies and hospital visits)

Medi-Cal patients can join our DPC practice but we will not bill Medi-Cal.

Tricare patients can join our DPC practice but we will not bill Tricare.

Waiting in long urgent care lines to see a physician is one of the most frustrating patient experiences. We'll get you in to see Dr. Shukhman in a fraction of the time you'd spend at a walk-in clinic or ER. Our team is trained in treating urgent and acute ailments, seasonal cold and flu testing, and more. Best of all, we know your health history. You'll never find yourself explaining your condition to the third or fourth on call doctor of the night. At White Olive DPC, we get straight to the heart of treatment and get you feeling better faster.

Dr. Shukhman will help coordinate care with the hospitalist physician at the local hospital of your choice.

One of the additional benefits of a membership with White Olive DPC is that we have been able to negotiate excellent cash-pay prices on labs and imaging. No hidden fees!

You may also choose to use your insurance instead for labs and imaging. Whether this is better than cash pay depends on the service needed and the insurance you have.

White Olive DPC is nestled in the heart of San Fernando Valley. Dr. Shukhman is the premiere direct primary care provider in Los Angeles County. We proudly serve our members in Los Angeles, Woodland Hills, Encino, Tarzana, Calabasas, Thousand Oaks, and surrounding areas. A zip code doesn't define accessible healthcare. We'll help our patients in any way we can, with same-day and next-day appointments.

If you have specific questions regarding house calls, reach out to our care team directly for more information.

Our goal at White Olive is to create a personable, compassionate community that puts the "care" back into healthcare. That's why we're committed to providing affordable healthcare. No insurance is required to become a member at our wellness facility. We understand the headache of the middleman in healthcare. That's why we've embraced a unique alternative to insurance through a transformative membership model. However, we do recommend patients have some kind of insurance or cost sharing plan for specialty care and emergent issues.

No! Our membership pricing is based on a transparent, upfront flat fee. However, if you plan to utilize your insurance for imaging, laboratory studies or medications, some prior authorizations may be required. We will assist in this process. Reminder! DPC promotes lower cost cash priced services that do not require any prior authorization for these services.

We don't discriminate based on preexisting health conditions. Dr. Shukhman is trained to manage complex medical conditions. We know that wellness isn't always a linear journey and our team is here to support you every step of the way with accessible healthcare built around serving our community.