Today we’d like to introduce you to Matthew Rensberry, MD.
Hi Dr. Rensberry, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I am a Family Medicine physician who attended Ohio State for medical school and did my residency with the US Army in Ft Hood, TX. While in the Army, I spent time stationed in Texas and Georgia, and also deployed to Iraq as a Brigade Surgeon. After my military time, I came to central Florida as the medical director for the Family Medicine Residency Program in Winter Park for 5 years.
While there, I learned about direct primary care (DPC), and came to believe that it is a better way to receive care as a patient, more rewarding to provide care as a doctor, and a way to lower costs to the overall healthcare system. In 2018, I resigned my position and opened Anchor Direct Primary Care using the DPC business model.
As a DPC doctor, my patients are able to call, text, or email me at any time or day. They also can come in for appointments as often as needed for no additional charge beyond the affordable monthly membership fee.
Providing medical care in a DPC model is very rewarding. I have more time with each patient during our appointments, which allows me to get to know them better, understand how their medical conditions affect their lives at home and work, and gives space to develop personalized plans to address their medical needs.
Since opening 3 years ago, Anchor DPC continues to grow and expand. We provide primary care for several local employers, and we have some exciting new expansions, rolling out shortly, that will add additional offerings for our patients and community.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Personally, it was a bit of a leap of faith to leave a well-paid employed position and assume the risk of opening a small business on a newer business model unfamiliar to many possible patients.
I think many of the challenges I experienced so far are common to many new small businesses. Finding the right location, negotiating contracts and agreements with different partners, and testing out different marketing strategies have all been great learning events. Our practice has grown faster than my overly conservative projections predicted, but these types of practices grow slowly due to the nature of the business model. In traditional medical practices, insurance companies help funnel patients to the practice, while DPC practices depend heavily on word of mouth, online marketing, and physician reputation.
A large challenge is educating potential patients who are unfamiliar with the DPC model. Often, the first question is, “Do you take my insurance.” The answer is we do not bill any insurance, so whether or not a person has insurance, we can see them. DPC is not insurance, and we recommend all our patients to have health insurance in case of the need for surgery, inpatient hospitalization, or a referral to a specialist. Helping potential patients see the value and cost savings in having a doctor they can reach out to at any time – when they get sick, twist an ankle, have a new mole, or manage chronic diseases – is a common occurrence.
We’ve been impressed with Anchor Direct Primary Care, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I am board certified in both Family Medicine and Obesity Medicine. As a family medicine doctor, I love caring for all ages. I care for newborns to geriatric patients. I also enjoy managing the wide variety of medical concerns my patients have, such as anxiety and depression, high blood pressure, and diabetes.
It is rewarding to witness the medical conditions of my patients improve. I am fortunate in that my practice allows for me to spend extra time with my patients during appointments, resulting in a relaxed format to address all the needs my patients come in with.
Weight management appointments are also particularly rewarding as I facilitate people improving their overall health. I get to see people improve their daily function and achieve their goals.
I am proud of how Anchor DPC concentrates on the health of a person, not on the disease of a person. Our goal is to help each patient be as healthy as they can be, so they are happy to remain a customer. This is achieved through easy access and time with their doctor.
Contact Info:
- Email: dr.rensberry@anchor-dpc.com
- Website: https://anchor-dpc.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anchor_dpc/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MatthewRensberryMD/
Image Credits
Matthew Rensberry
