What is Tryon Direct primary care?
Tryon Direct is an employer-focused direct primary care healthcare delivery model with 65+ dedicated primary physicians (PCPs) at 9 greater Charlotte area locations. Our methodology removes bureaucracy and allows employers to partner directly with physicians. The philosophy that drives us is built on 4 pillars: Quality, Cost, Experience and Utilization, and Transparency.
Advantages of Tryon Direct
- 15–25% net savings compared to other employer-sponsored health plans
- PCPs spend more time with patients, which reduces total referrals by 78.5%
- We practice preventative care rather than reactive care, identifying chronic conditions early to avoid future high-cost claims
- Our Healthcare Navigator is the patient’s personal advocate for all necessary referrals, ensuring the patient is referred to high-quality/low-cost facilities and helping them navigate the confusing healthcare system
- 24/7 nurse access that eliminates unnecessary urgent care visits
- An affordable monthly fee with 2.5:1 ROI
Our specialties →
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Easy implementation and ongoing access to health data
Since we’re not an insurance product, we sit alongside your current health plan without causing any disruption. Our consistent, hands-on approach removes all implementation burdens from the employer, employee and broker. We operate separately from your health plan while simultaneously driving significant plan savings.
With Tryon Direct, there are no more barriers to data – you’ll finally have access to ALL of your employee population health data with custom reporting at more frequent intervals. This data can give you the insight you need to make critical future health plan decisions.
Effective employee engagement and increased satisfaction
Our high-touch educational outreach program effectively engages employees from many perspectives, resulting in 80% utilization among employees. Using nurses, navigators and client managers, our proprietary engagement approach tailors communications to each employee’s specific needs.
Tryon Direct patients receive a concierge-style healthcare experience for a fraction of what it usually costs. As a result, 77% of our patients report an increase in satisfaction with their doctor and with their company’s health plan after joining Tryon Direct.
“Before joining Tryon Direct, I couldn’t even imagine being thanked by our employees for our company’s benefits. Now it’s a common occurrence.”
– HR Executive of Tryon Direct client
Recent studies
Several recent studies have recognized the value of direct primary care for both employers and patients.
Syngenta
Many employers recognize the connection between employee health and work performance. Over a three-year study by SAS Institute Inc., employees who used an onsite healthcare clinic (HCC) for primary care had less external outpatient encounters per year and lower claim costs, with spending of $482 less than those who had outside primary care physicians ($263 of the difference was attributed to decreased pharmaceutical expenses for HCC users).
Absenteeism was reduced by 3.3 days per year. Syngenta saw productivity gains through an aversion of 3,028 work hours over one year, amounting to $50–$300 of savings per employee, depending on salary.
Pricewaterhouse Coopers
PWC’s Health Research Institute states that 2020 will likely be a turning point for healthcare. Healthcare costs rose 6% in 2020 and are expected to continue to rise until 2027, along with retail drug spending increases of 3–6% per year. Chronic diseases continue to plague the population, creating a growing concern for employers as per capita spending is 8 times more for an individual with complex chronic illnesses than a health individual, making up 85% of employer healthcare spending. At this current rate, dissatisfaction is rising.
Employers are looking for ways to creatively change the system so employees aren’t asked to bear more and more of the cost every year. Employers are focused on providing high quality, lower cost, coordinated care for their employees through means such as direct contracting with physicians to provide quick access to urgent care, preventative care and chronic condition management services.
Iora Health
A study by Iora Health confirmed that primary care physicians are able to address 60% of patient’s problems typically covered by specialties, including dermatology, neurology, rheumatology and others.
Waste was dramatically reduced allowing primary care physicians to practice to their full extent. In just 7 years, Iora Health was able to reduce hospitalizations for its members by 40% and cut total healthcare spending by 15–20%. Iora’s patient retention rate was 98%, physician Net Promoter Scores were in the 90s and employee attrition was as low as 2.5%. With growing success, Iora has been able to increase the number of patients by over 50% each year.
DigitalGlobe
For too many employers, the cost of claims keeps rising along with employee risk factors.
DigitalGlobe conducted a seven-month DPC case study with Nextera Healthcare and achieved a diverted cost savings of $221,442 and a 25.4% reduction in claims costs. Patient risk factors based on demographics, claims and other factors decreased by 4.7%. With increased access to primary care, members had more efficient appointments, felt that their time was valued and found improved accountability with their doctors.
Milliman
Commissioned by the Society of Actuaries, Milliman published a study, “Direct Primary Care: Evaluating a New Model of Delivery and Financing,” in May of 2020. The data set for this study was derived from a midsize employer that offered a DPC option and a traditional benefit plan option, with 912 and 1,074 members enrolled respectively over the course of a two-year period of interest. The study substantiates that enrollment in Direct Primary Care (DPC) models is associated with a more efficient use of health care services outside primary care.
- DPC members had 19.9% lower claim costs on an unadjusted basis and 12.6% lower claim costs on a risk-adjusted basis during the two-year period.
- Inpatient: -12.8%
- Outpatient: ER -49.8%, Surgery -11.4%, Other -28.1%
- Physician: Specialist -20.7%, ER -32.2%, Inpatient (non-maternity) -29.5%
- Prescription Drugs: -15%
- DPC members experienced approximately 40% fewer ER visits that those in traditional plans.
- DPC members experienced a 53.6% reduction in ER claims cost.
- DPC members experienced 25.5% lower hospital admissions.
