Send us Fan Mail

What if the “safe” path in medicine is actually keeping you from practicing the way you want?

After nearly 20 years treating eating disorders, Dr. Lauren Hartman left the traditional healthcare system to build Aspen Grove Adolescent & Young Adult Medicine, a direct-care practice in Berkeley, California.

We talk about leaving security behind, betting on yourself, charging for your value, and designing a practice around time, autonomy, and the care patients actually need.

Dr. Hartman is a double board-certified pediatrician and adolescent medicine specialist, serves on the Eating Disorder Committee for SAHM, and is the author of Freeing Children and Young Adults from Shame, Scales and Stigma, published by Routledge in March 2026.

Connect with her:

• Website: Aspen Grove
• Instagram: @laurenhartmanmd
• Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/lauren-hartman-b4bab9a0
• Book: Freeing Children and Young Adults from Shame, Scales, and Stigma

Support the show

--> Direct Care Guide Download here

--> Build Your Signature Offer Before You Opt Out PDF here

---

Join the Direct Care Society, a private WhatsApp community here. Ads free!

• EMR I'm currently using in my Direct Care practice Simple Practice
• Find me on LinkedIn https://linkedin.com/in/teadpm
• More resources teadpm.com

Send us Fan Mail

What happens when a physician decides she’s done practicing medicine like a robot?

In this episode, I talk with Dr. Cheruba Prabakar about leaving employed medicine, building a direct specialty care practice, creating memberships, offering concierge-level surgical care, and hiring another physician.

We also talk about her journey to becoming The Fibroid Doc and the book she created to help women better understand fibroids and their treatment options.

A conversation about building a medical practice—and a career—that works for you.

Connect with her:

• Personal Website: The Fibroid Doc
• Practice Website: Lamorinda Gynecology and Surgery
• Instagram: @thefibroiddoc
• YouTube: @TheFibroidDoc

Support the show

--> Direct Care Guide Download here

--> Build Your Signature Offer Before You Opt Out PDF here

---

Join the Direct Care Society, a private WhatsApp community here. Ads free!

• EMR I'm currently using in my Direct Care practice Simple Practice
• Find me on LinkedIn https://linkedin.com/in/teadpm
• More resources teadpm.com

Send us Fan Mail

In this episode, I’m celebrating eight years in private practice—and sharing the real story of how I built the practice I actually have today.

When I opened my doors in 2018, I definitely did not have it all figured out. I started with an insurance-based model, struggled financially, navigated the pandemic, dropped Medicare, and eventually opted out of all insurance. Along the way, my practice, and my life changed in ways I never planned for.

I’m also sharing some of the unexpected challenges I faced in 2026, including major personal changes and uncertainty about my office space. And yes, there was a taco truck involved.

This is the final episode in my three-part series on building a profitable direct specialty care practice. My biggest takeaway? You don’t need to have everything figured out before you start. You just need to take the next step, stay flexible, and keep moving forward.

Support the show

--> Direct Care Guide Download here

--> Build Your Signature Offer Before You Opt Out PDF here

---

Join the Direct Care Society, a private WhatsApp community here. Ads free!

• EMR I'm currently using in my Direct Care practice Simple Practice
• Find me on LinkedIn https://linkedin.com/in/teadpm
• More resources teadpm.com

Send us Fan Mail

Once you leave insurance, you have to create your own patient acquisition funnel. But where should you actually spend your time and money—word of mouth, referrals, Google, paid ads, or social media?

In Part 2 of this series, I’m breaking down what I believe is the best way to bring new patients into a direct care practice. I’ll talk about building relationships, asking for referrals, connecting with local businesses, using social media to build trust, and when paid ads actually make sense.

Because sometimes, you don’t need more marketing. You need to find the leak in your funnel and fix it.

Support the show

--> Direct Care Guide Download here

--> Build Your Signature Offer Before You Opt Out PDF here

---

Join the Direct Care Society, a private WhatsApp community here. Ads free!

• EMR I'm currently using in my Direct Care practice Simple Practice
• Find me on LinkedIn https://linkedin.com/in/teadpm
• More resources teadpm.com

Send us Fan Mail

If you're ready to leave insurance or start your own direct care practice, don't make the mistake of selling visits. Sell the transformation. In this episode, I break down why every successful direct care practice needs one signature offer—the thing you're known for and the outcome your patients actually want.

I'll show you why packages create more commitment, more predictable revenue, and a simpler business than charging per visit. You'll also learn the three-part framework I use to build offers that patients understand, trust, and gladly invest in. Start with one offer. Refine it over time. Simplicity is what helps your practice grow.

Support the show

--> Direct Care Guide Download here

--> Build Your Signature Offer Before You Opt Out PDF here

---

Join the Direct Care Society, a private WhatsApp community here. Ads free!

• EMR I'm currently using in my Direct Care practice Simple Practice
• Find me on LinkedIn https://linkedin.com/in/teadpm
• More resources teadpm.com

Send us Fan Mail

What if one podcast episode changed the course of your career?

In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Maria Bernal Riera, a triple board-certified physician in Internal Medicine, Endocrinology, and Obesity Medicine, and founder of Apex Endocrinology Health—a 100% cash-pay telemedicine practice providing endocrinology and obesity care to patients across Florida, New York, Minnesota, and Wisconsin.

Dr. Bernal shares how discovering the My DPC Story podcast through a Facebook group inspired her to pursue direct specialty care immediately after fellowship. She discusses building a virtual practice from the ground up, combining expert endocrinology care with dedicated health coaching, and creating a business designed to grow beyond herself.

Together, they explore the realities of physician entrepreneurship, including developing a CEO mindset, creating a financial runway with locums work, marketing a cash-pay practice, and navigating the complexities of multi-state telemedicine. Dr. Bernal also explains why she founded the DPC Telemedicine Group on Facebook and launched The Cash-Pay MD newsletter—to provide the same sense of community and support that helped her build Apex Endocrinology Health.

Whether you're considering direct specialty care, telemedicine, or simply looking for a more fulfilling way to practice medicine, this episode is filled with practical insights and encouragement for physicians ready to build a practice on their own terms.

Connect with Dr. Maria Bernal:

📧 Email: drbernal@apexendohealth.com
🌐 Website: Apex Endocrinology Health
📸 Instagram: @drbernalendocrinology
📘 Facebook: Apex Endocrinology Health LLC
👥 Facebook Group: DPC Telemedicine Group
📰 Newsletter: The Cash-Pay MD

Support the show

--> Direct Care Guide Download here

--> Build Your Signature Offer Before You Opt Out PDF here

---

Join the Direct Care Society, a private WhatsApp community here. Ads free!

• EMR I'm currently using in my Direct Care practice Simple Practice
• Find me on LinkedIn https://linkedin.com/in/teadpm
• More resources teadpm.com

Send us Fan Mail

Thinking about leaving your employed position and starting your own practice? Before you worry about office space, staff, or financing, there's one skill you need to master first: learning how to confidently communicate the value of your services.

In this episode, I share why selling isn't about being pushy—it's about guiding patients toward the care they need. You'll learn how package-based care creates better patient outcomes, builds a more sustainable practice, and gives you greater freedom from insurance. If you're ready to build a practice on your own terms, this episode is the perfect place to start.

Support the show

--> Direct Care Guide Download here

--> Build Your Signature Offer Before You Opt Out PDF here

---

Join the Direct Care Society, a private WhatsApp community here. Ads free!

• EMR I'm currently using in my Direct Care practice Simple Practice
• Find me on LinkedIn https://linkedin.com/in/teadpm
• More resources teadpm.com

Send us Fan Mail

What if the biggest barrier to practicing great medicine isn't your specialty—it's the system you're practicing in?

In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Brynn Everist, a board-certified allergist, immunologist, and founder of Prairie Allergy, to talk about what happened when she stepped away from insurance and built a practice around the way she actually wanted to care for patients. We discuss why education takes time, how Direct Care creates space for innovation, and why some of the most effective treatment options never gain traction inside the traditional healthcare model.

We also dive into entrepreneurship, building a product from scratch, and what it really feels like to leave the well-worn path of medicine to create something better. If you've ever wondered whether there's another way to practice, this conversation might be exactly what you need to hear.

Connect with her:

Website: Prairie Allergy
Instagram: @allergy_bee_md and @amusedrops
LinkedIn: @brynneverist
Amuse Drops: https://amusedrops.com/

Support the show

--> Direct Care Guide Download here

--> Build Your Signature Offer Before You Opt Out PDF here

---

Join the Direct Care Society, a private WhatsApp community here. Ads free!

• EMR I'm currently using in my Direct Care practice Simple Practice
• Find me on LinkedIn https://linkedin.com/in/teadpm
• More resources teadpm.com