Bringing Primary Care Back to Basics in Montrose
Initially published on 05/04/26 in the Montrose Mirror.
Dr Katherine Stephens, MD, DABFM, MBChB, MRCGP (2012), DRCOG, is a dual board-certified family physician in the UK and US and founder of Cimarron Family Practice in Montrose, a Direct Primary Care clinic currently accepting new patients.
Have you ever found yourself shouting ‘speak to a human!’ while navigating an automated phone system? Or managed to wash all of the dishes while on hold with your insurance company — productive, but frustrating? What if your doctor’s office did things differently? One alternative is Direct Primary Care.
Direct Primary Care (DPC) is a membership-based model where patients pay a monthly fee to be part of a practice, a bit like joining a gym. Insurance is removed from the equation, which means that (at Cimarron Family Practice) appointments are free, with no co-pays and no limits on how often you can see your doctor.
Because clinics are funded through memberships, they don’t need to cram in high volumes of appointments each day and can keep a much smaller patient panel. In turn, patients aren’t competing with large numbers of others for access to their provider and should be able to book same or next-working-day, hour long, unrushed appointments.
In fact, the accessibility of DPC is probably why patients in these practices have 30 – 50% lower ER usage(1). When you can get timely advice or be seen quickly, problems are more likely to be managed early, before they escalate into emergencies.
For me, this model of care is also personal. I grew up in Hong Kong before moving to the UK, where I trained and worked as a family physician for many years. But this area has always felt like home—my dad was born in the Montrose hospital and grew up in Olathe (my grandparents had a farm on South River Road), and I spent summers up in Cimarron from a young age.
DPC feels like a natural fit for this community. It gives me the time to help patients understand how everyday lifestyle choices affect their health. Compared to other places I’ve worked, I’ve found people in Montrose are often very willing and able to make changes—when they’re given clear, understandable explanations. That’s difficult to achieve in a brief 15-minute appointment. With more time, patients can build a deeper understanding of their health, and that understanding can drive lasting, meaningful change.
This is why I’ve launched Cimarron Family Practice this month. My goal is to provide friendly, high-quality, accessible care for the local community, while also maintaining a healthy work-life balance and spending quality time with my family. By keeping my patient panel small, I believe it’s possible to do both well.
Many members keep their own insurance, which they can use for services outside of the practice, such as specialist care or medications. DPC is also a helpful option for small to medium businesses that are unable to provide traditional insurance to their employees. I offer discounted membership rates for employers, giving employees direct access to a doctor, along with significantly reduced pricing for lab tests.
At its heart, Direct Primary Care is about returning to something simple: giving patients the time, access, and continuity they need, and allowing doctors to focus on caring for people rather than packing in volume. It’s a different approach—but for many, it’s one that just makes sense.