“Oh no, not another UTI?!” Sue exclaimed, as Kim handed her the brown paper bag with a cup in it.
“Yes, unfortunately,” Kim said. “Let me know what it shows. I’ve got errands to run, but you can contact me when you check it.”
A few minutes later we dipped the urine. Yes, it looked like an infection. Sue sent it to the lab for a urinalysis and culture.
Meanwhile I sent Kim a note through Spruce, our secure texting system, letting her know the results. She could pick up the nitrofurantoin antibiotic at our office if she wanted. And since she had so many UTIs, I wanted to order some imaging and have her see urology again. She readily agreed.
Kim returned that afternoon to pick up the antibiotic for a few dollars. And she paid for the urinalysis and culture — $10.03 total. She told us about a friend who had a urine checked at the hospital. It had cost more than $100!
She expressed again how happy she was that she had joined Pine Creek Family Medicine’s DPC (Direct Primary Care) practice, where she paid a monthly fee in exchange for unlimited office visits and communication. The access to inexpensive lab tests, alone, was well worth the monthly fee. But having easy access was priceless.