The greatest ideas often come to us by sheer coincidence. After ten years in the insurance-based healthcare system, Monica McKitterick was trying to figure out where to take her career. She was moving to Texas and wasn’t sure what the best path for her would be. But that’s when she came across a Facebook ad for direct patient care.
“I looked into the concept and realized I could take better care of patients while having more control over my time. I was sold,” says McKitterick. “It took a bit of convincing to get my husband on board, but now we are three-and-a-half years in with nearly 1,100 patients and we couldn’t imagine life any other way.”
McKitterick’s membership-based primary care office, Impact Family Wellness, allows patients to regain ownership of their healthcare. Patients are able to work one-on-one with their providers without the restrictions and regulations put in place by insurance companies. This direct line of communication is critical to creating an actual relationship with a provider, taking the fear and struggle out of healthcare.
“My initial plan when starting Impact Family Wellness was to be a solo provider with my 400 to 500 patients, and that was going to be the extent of the practice,” says McKitterick. “After a year in the business, I realized our services were needed in our community and there were other providers like me looking to take better care of their patients. Joanna joined me in 2020, and Jessica and Kristin joined in 2022. I’m hoping to add another nurse practitioner in early 2023.”
Typical insurance-based providers have anywhere from 2,500 to 3,000 patients on their panel. This makes it impossible for them to know all of their patients on a personal basis. The four women currently behind Impact Family Wellness limit their patient loads to ensure that they have the time and resources to give them the care they deserve. Although Impact Family Wellness doesn’t accept insurance, personalized treatments can still save you thousands of dollars.
“We have one body and if we can’t afford the time or money needed to keep it working well, then we have nothing,” says McKitterick. “By removing the roadblocks to healthcare, our members are much more likely to get their healthcare needs the attention they deserve, rather than letting symptoms worsen until there is no longer a fix.”
With a mission to provide care for the community in a judgement-free manner, the Impact Family Wellness team is actively repairing the broken parts of our country’s healthcare system. They do this, in particular, with their small business partners, keeping employees happy and healthy while promoting the businesses. No matter who the patients are, though, McKitterick feels that her most rewarding experiences have come from helping someone realize that healthcare doesn’t have to be intimidating or confusing.
“I had a patient in the first few months of practice who was a young female with issues that just kept being ignored by multiple providers. After chatting with her, we did an MRI and found she had terrible endometriosis,” says McKitterick. “I spoke directly with an OB/GYN who agreed surgical intervention was necessary, and after years of suffering, the patient was finally able to live a normal life. Sometimes it just takes some time to listen and a little compassion to truly change a patient’s life.”
Outside of working hours, McKitterick continues to share this compassion through CASA of Williamson County. This national volunteer movement has been around since 1977 and became its own non-profit organization in 2009. Volunteers advocate for children in the foster system that have been neglected or abused. CASA of Williamson County gives these children a powerful voice, whether it be at school or in court.
“I have always had a special place in my heart for foster children and am always looking for a way to help,” says McKitterick. “I volunteered at a CASA event and realized that I could help by joining the board of directors to ensure this amazing organization has the resources needed to provide this necessary service. I was previously the VP and currently serve as the treasurer. My main focus is on helping with fundraising and ensuring our community knows of this organization and the ways to help.”
Each December, Impact Family Wellness offers a Santa experience with professional photos. All donations go directly to CASA of Williamson County. Because when their team says that they deeply care for our community and want to make their office a great place to be, they mean it.
If you are interested in better understanding your health and wellness goals, head to 12171 W Parmer Ln Suite 102 for a chat with Monica, Joanna, Jessica, and Kristin. impactfamilywellness.com