Finding a Primary Care Physician following a Peter Attia approach (Medicine 3.0)

[rmbuehler68]

I've recent read the book "Outlive" by Peter Attia MD. Great primer on the science and art of longevity. Very helpful and informative book and regardless your age or retirement plans...I would highly recommend checking out a copy from your local library or buying a copy.

As part of reading the book, I am definitely thinking it's time to find a new Primary Care Physician. I would ideally like to find a doctor that takes an approach like Peter Attia that is proactive and preventive in their approach and open to solutions beyond just prescriptions and surgery. Welcome recommendations on how best to find a new Primary Care doctor in Dallas along these lines?

 

[imjustawarrior]

That would be wonderful. I have recently been watching his videos on YouTube. I really like some of his stuff.

I googled "how to become peter attia patient". Take a look at the AI response.

 

[Koolau]

I've recent read the book "Outlive" by Peter Attia MD. Great primer on the science and art of longevity. Very helpful and informative book and regardless your age or retirement plans...I would highly recommend checking out a copy from your local library or buying a copy.

As part of reading the book, I am definitely thinking it's time to find a new Primary Care Physician. I would ideally like to find a doctor that takes an approach like Peter Attia that is proactive and preventive in their approach and open to solutions beyond just prescriptions and surgery. Welcome recommendations on how best to find a new Primary Care doctor in Dallas along these lines?

Finding a good PCP seems to be as much luck as good planning. I really like my doctor but would have to say that he is less pro-active than I think he should be. IOW he seems to be a good diagnostician, but not so good at pushing me in healthier living. I guess that's up to me.

 

[jgrdarrash]

I doubt you're going to find someone in a "typical" medical practice where you get 20 minute appointments. Maybe concierge practitioner might be better?

 

[stedmakr]

After reading "Outlive" last year I approached my primary care physician about some of the tests recommended in the book. I am on Medicare. The doctor said Medicare won't pay for the tests unless I have symptoms or a condition that justifies the tests. He stated that many of the tests were unproven and or considered frivolous.

I am of the opinion his concept of medicine 3.0 is for the wealthy or very wealthy.

 

[gattara]

I have yet to read Peter‘s book, it is still on hold at the library, so I don’t know what he recommends, but… yesterday I was watching a YouTuber I regularly watch, and she happened to mention she recently used “Function Health” to get blood tests for everything under the sun. Recommendations based on lab results were personalized for her, suggesting that she take omega-3‘s, for example, and she feels much better. I will not pursue this, I’m not interested in this level of detail about my health, but I just wanted to pass it along since it came across my radar. It looks like the cost is several hundreds of dollars. I read some Reddit discussions about it.

 

[NeverBored]

Most doctors who follow a proactive and preventive approach are not part of a typical managed health care model. We paid out of pocket for an internist who did not take Medicare. She often spent 45 minutes at an appointment, and blood work, tests etc were billed and covered by Medicare. It was totally worth it for the level of care. She retired a year ago and my husband is now with a concierge doctor who does bill Medicare and supplement. She's great, although not as proactive as our former doctor. I will probably join her practice this year. I was pretty impressed when she gave me her cell phone number.

I also joined the Function Health program last summer and really like it. I read/listen to books and podcasts and like knowing the details. They have occasional sales bringing the cost under $400, which includes about 100 blood tests, with a six-month follow up of the most critical of those. The analysis and suggestions given were very good and I will do it again. I'm due for my follow-up tests this month and hopefully will see some improvement.

 

[RetiredHappy]

My concierge PCP does watch Peter Attia's videos and probably does way too much preventative and investigative stuff than I feel is necessary.

 

[sengsational]

I pre-ordered "Outlive" and read it years ago, when it was new. I've looked at a few chapters occasionally since, but not as hugely interested in the topic anymore.

I lucked into a doctor that has a more holistic approach. The way I found him was strange. It was 15 years ago and I had a serious condition (since resolved) for which the megapractice doctors had no reasonable solution, only a very drastic one. I read about a repurposed drug that people were trying, and of course the megapractice doctors weren't on board with it, so somehow or other I found a list of doctors that were prescribing the drug. I think I asked a few pharmacies if they had filled the drug, and who the prescriber was. I can't imagine that working at a chain pharmacy, and I'm not actually sure that's how I found the doctor, but somehow I got some names. I went to this one doctor and he listened to me and agreed there was little chance of harm, so we tried this off-label indication. It didn't help, but this doctor helped me through trying other things (mostly my ideas) and after years of suffering, I was well again!

In the intervening years, on ACA plans, I was stuck with the megapractice brainless types that are hamstrung by business procedures. But now on traditional Medicare I'm seeing that doc that I found 15 years ago. It's nice to have an open minded GP again.

As to the testing, you can get the tests through AnyLabTestNow, or LifeExtension, or many others. You need to research or otherwise know that Medicare won't pay without the "right" diagnosis code. If that's the case, then the test by LabCorp or Quest ordered by the doctor will probably be outlandishly priced compared to if you buy it directly. It's too bad we get such a raw deal when Medicare rejects something, but that's the way it is. If you've got a doctor who is really on your side, you will be able to work outside of Medicare when it won't work for tests, but still get your office visits covered.

 

[TripleLindy]

Welcome recommendations on how best to find a new Primary Care doctor in Dallas along these lines?

I know nothing about Dr. Attia or his approach, but I have a PCP who is very thorough, has great communication and seems quite open to alternative treatments, although I haven’t pushed any boundaries. He is part of the Baylor system and is based in Flower Mound - Dr. Raul Villalon.

 

[Chuckanut]

After reading "Outlive" last year I approached my primary care physician about some of the tests recommended in the book. I am on Medicare. The doctor said Medicare won't pay for the tests unless I have symptoms or a condition that justifies the tests. He stated that many of the tests were unproven and or considered frivolous.

I am of the opinion his concept of medicine 3.0 is for the wealthy or very wealthy.

From what I heard on 60 minutes you need at least 4 Grand to pay for Attia’s initial care process. Is it worth it? I don’t know.

I have followed him for years and changed things like my diet based on his beliefs and even more on the interviews with certain specialists. I also exercise more, which is a big thing for me since I don’t like to exercise and I especially don’t care to go to gyms. There is simply too much pro-exercise evidence to ignore.

 

[Time2]

Most doctors who follow a proactive and preventive approach are not part of a typical managed health care model. We paid out of pocket for an internist who did not take Medicare. She often spent 45 minutes at an appointment, and blood work, tests etc were billed and covered by Medicare. It was totally worth it for the level of care. She retired a year ago and my husband is now with a concierge doctor who does bill Medicare and supplement. She's great, although not as proactive as our former doctor. I will probably join her practice this year. I was pretty impressed when she gave me her cell phone number.

I also joined the Function Health program last summer and really like it. I read/listen to books and podcasts and like knowing the details. They have occasional sales bringing the cost under $400, which includes about 100 blood tests, with a six-month follow up of the most critical of those. The analysis and suggestions given were very good and I will do it again. I'm due for my follow-up tests this month and hopefully will see some improvement.

I'm interested in this Function Health program, I see it is $365 now. With over 100 tests, that's Less than $3.65 per test. I'm curious, you can get the blood draw at Quest, Does Quest do the testing or send it out? It would seem they would have to send it out to Function Health, to avoid the markup. Any idea how it works, any more info?

 

[imjustawarrior]

I've briefly looked at Function Health. It appears there are a lot of competitors that don't cost as much.

 

[sengsational]

I'm interested in this Function Health program, I see it is $365 now. With over 100 tests, that's Less than $3.65 per test. I'm curious, you can get the blood draw at Quest, Does Quest do the testing or send it out? It would seem they would have to send it out to Function Health, to avoid the markup. Any idea how it works, any more info?

Your math might be confusing. When you get tests CMP and CBC, you get back 36 values. Under Medicare, those two tests cost $19. So that's $0.53 "per test." Even if you buy those tests without Medicare pricing, say $50, it's $1.39 "per test." I tried to see how function health counts the 100 or 160 tests, but they don't disclose that, which triggers my spidy sense.

 

[braumeister]

Welcome recommendations on how best to find a new Primary Care doctor in Dallas along these lines?

No idea about Dallas, but I've had to search for a new doc a couple of times in the last ten years, and it is indeed difficult.

You can do a fair amount of research online, but that never tells you all you want to know.
However, I've found that most doctors who are accepting new patients are willing to let you schedule a free 10 minute appointment (meet and greet) so you can decide if you're comfortable enough with him or her and their approach. That has worked out really well for me.

 

[Buckeye]

I doubt you're going to find someone in a "typical" medical practice where you get 20 minute appointments. Maybe concierge practitioner might be better?

I was thinking the same thing. Unless the PCP is in a concierge practice, there's probably little time in the day to be thinking proactively or time allowed to have these conversations with patients.