Direct Pediatric Care (DPC) is the delivery of medicine the way it used to be, and the way we believe should be. It’s the type of medical care where the doctors and patients work as a team to care for patients and families. Did you know that 90 cents of every healthcare dollar spent on conventional, insurance-driven care in the US does not go to physicians delivering medical care? Those dollars actually go to the insurance companies and all the administration burden required to run those offices. Under the DPC model, patients instead pay monthly membership dues directly to the pediatrician’s office, and this membership covers all traditional office-based costs. Pediatricians can again focus on patients—not insurance companies.

How does this help patients? Imagine cutting edge medicine for your children — but time to actually allow your doctor to get to know your children and your family. Time to ask all your questions. Home visits? After hours visits? Reaching your pediatrician on their personal cell phone at night to save a trip to the ER? Yes, it’s all possible, and all included.

Patients of a DPC practice enjoy an unprecedented level of direct access to their pediatrician, families develop a deeper, collaborative relationship with their doctor, have time to get their medical questions answered, and have predictable and transparent medical costs without copays. As a Zest Pediatrics ® patient, your doctor will know you, your child, and your family. We partner with families to create the healthiest, best lives for their children.

When your pediatrician is paid directly by you, the doctor becomes your healthcare partner and no longer works for the insurance company. That’s right – we do not participate in medical insurance. This means all the insurance associated regulatory burdens, reams of paperwork, co-pays, and confusing medical bills disappear. You get unlimited access to your pediatrician for your monthly subscription.

Without insurance requirements, the DPC model greatly decreases our practice overhead. Each doctor can reduce the number of patients cared for by at least 80% (from 2,500 to 200-400 per year). This means at Zest Pediatrics® we can offer enhanced services, direct access to your doctor (in-person, email, texts, video, and phone), extended visit times (up to an hour or more as needed), in-home visits, and highly personalized and comprehensive care coordination. Your Zest doctor is literally at your fingertips.

Direct Care practices (adult and pediatric) have existed for over 10 years with estimates of over 2,100 current practices. The results: DPC practices have extremely high patient satisfaction scores, decrease overall health care costs, and achieve the highest in quality evaluations. Does this model have a future? Amazon (among many others) seems to think so. They recently spent $3.9 billion to purchase an adult focused Direct Care type practice network.

Subscription-based medical services are increasing just like they are in many other aspects of your life (music, entertainment, gym membership, etc.). Subscription services offer convenience, unparalleled access, and transparent pricing for everything you need.

Monthly subscription rates include all the following provided by an American Board of Pediatrics certified doctor:

• Home visits for newborns (living within 10 miles of the office) – yes, you do not need to bring your newborn into the office (we understand those challenges!)

• All well visits (check-ups). We actually like to see kids more frequently than the typical once a year well visit that is covered by insurance. Kids change a lot in one year!

• Unlimited sick visits (in-person or virtual)

• In-office testing for strep throat, urine, anemia, and more

• Provision of common medications - yes, no need to drag your sick child to the pharmacy for common medications (minimal additional charge may apply)

• All routine vaccinations provided through our partner Vaxcare (we administer the vaccines and Vaxcare bills your insurance)

• School/camp/sports physical forms

• Management of minor trauma, injuries, and lacerations including splinting, glue, and wound management (some supply charges may apply)

• Developmental and behavioral screenings

• Counseling and guidance (nutrition, development, sleep, toileting, behavior, parenting, and more)

• Management of chronic conditions such as eczema, asthma, ADHD, depression, anxiety, and more

• Care coordination for diagnostic testing, specialty care, emergency care and hospital care

The DPC model assures the pediatrician is your partner in caring for your child (the doctor is not accountable to an insurance company or health system). It assures you have unparalleled access to your doctor. Together you and your doctor can decide whether an office visit is needed or if a text conversation, phone call, or video visit makes more sense. Additionally, the smaller number of patients cared for by the pediatrician assures the doctor is not rushed. They have time for you. You can often receive a same day, and certainly a next day, appointment as needed. And possibly most importantly, you will mainly, if not exclusively, see your doctor who knows you, your child, and your family. Zest Pediatrics® is truly like having a pediatrician in the family.

In the DPC model, health insurance is used just like your other types of insurances – for unforeseen situations that may occur. Every child needs a pediatrician – it is not an unforeseen need. And the price is right. The average membership costs about $5 per day. That’s right – about the same as you pay for a Starbucks coffee or a glass of wine. And for your membership you get services not found in a traditional pediatric office (review table below). Zest Pediatrics® provides a medical experience unlike anything you’ve had before.

Just because you have health insurance does not mean you are receiving the highest quality pediatric care. Our goal is to do what is best for our patients – not what’s best for the insurance company, not what’s best for a big hospital or health system. What is best for our patients. Look at the list of services you receive all for one flat monthly membership (see FAQ on included services) without copays or charges for services not covered by your insurance (and you have certainly experienced that).

Just imagine it: Unparalleled access to your doctor providing you piece of mind and added comfort in knowing unforeseen medical issues are covered too.

We are your partner in all aspects of child health and development. We do not work for insurance companies and their abundant regulations that limit are abilities to advocate for your child. The Direct Pediatric Care (DPC) model, by design, does not participate in medical insurance. This, in fact, is the secret sauce assuring the success of DPC practices across the country. Removing insurance requirements allows us to provide a far higher level of care compared to other practices.

Your membership fee should not be considered insurance. It is recommended you still have health insurance. We will use your insurance information to send to our vaccine partner, Vaxcare, to cover the price of vaccinations. While most plans are included, if Vaxcare does not accept your insurance plan we will collaborate with you to determine an alternative solution. We will send your insurance information to the laboratory or radiology department to cover your child’s diagnostic testing, if needed. And lastly, you will need health insurance in case your child needs to see a specialist, receive emergency care, or is hospitalized. In the DPC model insurance is truly used as a safety net as are many other types of insurances you may carry.

You certainly may pay your monthly membership with your HSA or FSA. However, every HSA and FSA plan has different rules, so we suggest you contact your plan to confirm this.

Anything not listed as included in the membership (see FAQ on included services) is not included. Medical insurance will be needed for medications not dispensed from our office, payment for vaccines from our partner Vaxcare, diagnostic testing not performed in the office (lab and imaging tests), visits with any doctor or clinic not part of Zest Pediatrics®, emergency room visits, and hospitalizations. In other words, if it is not something your doctor can physically do for you in the office, your standard insurance will apply.

The membership model is actually more affordable for many families! The savings becomes clear when you consider the lower cost of a high deductible health plan, the avoided office visits for minor medical problems like some rashes and pink eye, the all-inclusive office testing for strep, flu, and COVID, and the likelihood that you will avoid at least one urgent care or ER visit every few years. In a traditional practice, all these visits would add up to several thousand dollars a year.

If you feel the DPC model is right for you but that you cannot afford the membership, speak with us. Since we do not take insurance, we do have a limited number of reduced rate memberships available.

Absolutely! We understand how hard it is to get a newborn ready, dressed, and in the car for the newborn visits. We offer in-house appointments for babies up to 4 months of age who live within 10 miles of the office. We even bring the baby vaccinations to your home! Other home-based visits may occur if your doctor feels it is right for your child’s needs.

Of course! There are so many issues and conditions that can be managed without bringing your child to the office. We will help you via email, text, send us a picture, and virtual video visits. And then there is always the old-fashioned telephone call. We do it all, as you and the doctor see best for your child. After all, we provide unparalleled access to your pediatrician.

At Zest Pediatrics®, we practice evidence-based medicine. This means we evaluate the scientific literature and the recommendations of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) to decide what is best for our patients. Vaccines prevent children from significant illness and death. They also protect family members and friends. If parents or patients do not agree with our interpretation of the scientific literature about vaccines, we believe you would not be a good fit for Zest Pediatrics®. We encourage our patients to receive all routine pediatric vaccines as recommended by the AAP.

However, as needed, we are eager to support each family in finding an alternative vaccine schedule with which you are comfortable. Please realize, we will aim to have your child vaccinated as close to the recommended schedule as possible.

Vaccine resources that may be useful to you include:

www.immunize.org

Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Vaccine Education Center

Certainly. We understand that when you have a sick child, the last thing most parents want to do is make another stop at the pharmacy. We stock commonly used pediatric medicines in the office. We estimate that we can supply half of all acute care prescriptions from our office. No need to wait for the pharmacy. And our fee is often much cheaper than a pharmacy which has all sorts of associated costs built into their price. We do not stock long term medications or controlled substances such as ADHD medications.

We are here for you. First, since we are not employed by any one hospital system, we are unbiased: we will help you find the best and most appropriate care for your child considering both their condition and your health insurance. The complexity of pediatric hospital care has caused this to become a pediatric specialty requiring additional training and as such we believe that children are better cared for by the doctors who spend all their time in the hospital setting. Nonetheless, your doctor will be with you through every step of your child’s hospitalization while the hospitalist oversees care. We will be in touch with the doctors managing your child’s care, help you to interpret and understand what is occurring, and assure the best possible care is provided.

Of course. Unparalleled direct access to your doctor is our promise. But remember, pediatricians are people too! Your doctor may sometimes be unavailable due to vacation or family obligations. In these circumstances, another Zest pediatrician will always be available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year by accessing the same contact information as your regular doctor.

Absolutely! Giving a gift of unlimited pediatric access is a wonderful idea. What a terrific baby gift. Simply email the office to arrange. We offer three types of gifts: The 4th Trimester package that includes the enrollment fee and three months of care; the New Patient Package that includes the enrollment fee and six months of care; and a Gift Certificate that is for the amount of your choosing to be applied to a patient’s membership subscription.

No problem. The process is just like when in town. Simply email, text, or call and we will arrange a plan that works best for you and your child. Even more, as the network of Zest Pediatric offices continue to grow, your child may even be able to be seen by another Zest Pediatrician wherever you are!

Absolutely. Have you ever scheduled an appointment months in advance, only to sit in the waiting room for an hour, followed by an unsatisfying 10–15-minute visit with your pediatrician? Or called the doctor’s office in the morning with a question only to receive a call back at the end of the day and find out you still need an appointment? These scenarios are common. Because of the DPC model, Zest Pediatrics® is different. This is pediatric care designed for your family.

For one flat monthly subscription you have unlimited access to your doctor (in person or virtually). You will not be brought into the office just so an insurance claim can be generated to pay for a doctor’s time. You will not be rushed during your appointments. Your doctor will have the time to truly get to know you, your child, and your family. We will help you realize your dreams for your children. We will assist you in becoming the best parent possible and to have healthy, happy, and thriving children

It’s simple. Just fill out a request for a doctor to contact you by clicking the Contact button. Your doctor will contact you (email/text/call as you wish) and arrange for a complimentary meet and greet appointment. A Zest Pediatrics® office is not a typical pediatric office. Come and experience the way pediatrics should be. Meet your doctor and decide if Zest Pediatrics is right for your family.

Like most things with Zest Pediatrics®, enrollment in one of our practices is very simple. All you need to do is complete the enrollment form online and one of our Zest Pediatricians will contact you to answer your questions and then schedule a time to come to the office to meet in person. If you decide that Zest Pediatrics® makes sense for your family, there are a few more forms to complete and that’s that! Most patients can be set up with their new Zest Pediatrician within a matter of days! After your child is enrolled, we will set up an intake appointment so that we can make sure that we learn everything there is to know about your child and family to ensure that we are able to take the best care of your family.

Zest Pediatricians are here when you need us! Our offices don’t have specific office hours because kids don’t get sick between the hours of 9am-5pm! Certainly, we will try to keep most visits during regular day hours, but at Zest Pediatrics®, our primarily focus is taking care of your family. If your pediatrician decides that your child needs a sick visit in the evening or on the weekend, that’s what we do!