Homegrown Pediatrics
Homegrown Pediatrics
The way medicine was meant to be.
In the 1950s, approximately 50% of a doctor’s meetings with patients were in-person house calls. The family doctor who treated all children in the household - from infancy to young adulthood - was a familiar, if not standard practice. “Developing a relationship with your patient is so important,” noted Dr. Kate Johnson. “In the past, the ‘old fashioned way’ of providing care, allowed time for that. There’s actually a whole slew of doctors who are trending in that direction again, and I’m excited to be part of that.”
That’s right: Dr. Kate Johnson, whose new practice, HomeGrown Pediatrics, opened at 5 Park Square in Ellicottville earlier this year, makes house calls, answers texts from her patients, and spends lots of time getting to know them - however long that takes. “I just spent an hour and a half with a teen because I could,” she remarked. “I really got to know him because there was no rush. I did a home visit today for an infant. I see all my babies until they’re six months old in their home. It’s absolutely lovely.”
How does she do it? Dr. Kate explained, “The typical practice is dictated by insurance. It’s not uncommon for doctors to see 45 to 50 patients a day. The patients wait for 30 minutes or more to be seen for 10. I see families that want to come here; we don’t charge insurance companies. Parents pay a monthly fee for care for their child, similar to a gym membership.”
A full membership, which starts at $50 a month, includes well visits, acute care, and access to Dr. Kate. Importantly, a family with three children pays no more than $100 per month. Even more surprising? “I see quite a few teens, all the way up to age 26,” she said. “Patients over 20 years old pay $40 a month.” While many parents of young children text Dr. Kate after hours with simple questions, like recommended pain reliever dosage, “I do a lot of texting with my teen and young adult patients. They feel like they can actually ask the questions that maybe they don’t feel comfortable asking in office.”
By cutting out the “middle man” - that is insurance - Dr. Kate is able to provide more care to her patients and save them money, as insurance co-pays, especially for multiple children, are often more expensive than her monthly membership rate. “I don’t have to bill or code or wait for any insurance company to pay me,” she explained. “My patients are getting better care and more of my time and attention. They never wait to be seen, and I don’t turn away sick patients who come in for care. If a patient needed to contact me outside of the hours of 8:30am to 5:00pm in the insurance world, I would have said ‘Sorry, I can’t help you because the insurance company won’t allow it.’ But I’m not bound by those policies.” Dr. Kate is also one of few doctors in the area who is certified to do medical ear piercing, a service she offers to anyone, not just her member patients.
Since Dr. Kate opened her doors in February, she has signed a new family ever week. A Cattaraugus native, she explained, “Because my husband and I are from this area, I know who our clientele is. I work a lot with bigger families, and I know how difficult it is to have to drive to Orchard Park or even further to receive care.” Although most HomeGrown Pediatrics patients are local families who pay for monthly memberships, Dr. Kate does provide acute care visits for out-of-town visitors, like skiers, who are in the Ellicottville area for a short period of time.
It’s true that some people, including Dr. Kate’s mother, are skeptical about the benefits and even the financial sustainability of a practice like hers - that is, until they experience it, themselves! “She tried it, herself (at another practice), and absolutely fell in love with it!” said Dr. Kate. She added, “I’m a smaller practice because it’s just me, but it’s still very sustainable.” She noted that other doctors who have made a similar shift to a cash-pay/membership system have been running successful practices for nearly 10 years and are just as financially stable with 350 patients as they were at 2,500 patients in the insurance world.
It’s a world Dr. Kate knows well, as she completed her residency at Women and Children’s Hospital of Buffalo, including a year as Chief Resident, after graduating from medical school in 2008. She also trained at the Pediatric and Adolescent Urgent Care of WNY, where she continues to work a few times a month. While she values the training she received at traditional medical practices, she feels that HomeGrown Pediatrics now gives her the flexibility and the freedom to really know her patients. “This is where we’re headed in medicine,” she emphasized. “This is where we need to be.”
What is the best way to learn more about HomeGrown Pediatrics? “Come to the clinic!” said Dr. Kate. “Until you come and visit, you don’t get the full experience. I offer free meet-and-greets, and people can ask as many questions as they want.” To schedule a visit and to learn more about the practice, visit homegrownpeds.com or call or text the office number at 716-257-4397.