Interview with Dr. Ati Hakimi – 404

In this week’s episode, Dr. Ati Hakimi shares how her awesome Direct Primary Care practice became her escape from corporate medicine burnout, without leaving clinical practice.

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After working in a system where only 3 out of 200 physicians could meet corporate metrics, she built a thriving membership-based practice that cuts out insurance middlemen, offers affordable services, and restores the physician-patient relationship. Her journey provides a practical blueprint for regaining autonomy, reducing overhead, and achieving fulfillment and financial sustainability.

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Liberation Medicine

Dr. Ati Hakimi shares her journey from traditional practice models to establishing a Direct Primary Care (DPC) practice that aligns more closely with her vision of patient care. With impressive credentials including a geriatrics fellowship at Rush University and an executive MBA from UC Irvine, Dr. Hakimi sought a practice model that allows more autonomy in patient care decisions and relief from nonsensical performance monitoring systems.

After researching alternatives and shadowing an established DPC physician, she discovered this membership-based approach in which patients pay a flat monthly fee for comprehensive access to their physician without the involvement of insurance intermediaries.

Alternative Economics with an Awesome Direct Primary Care Practice

Dr. Hakimi describes how the DPC model creates different financial structures that benefit patients and physicians through direct contracting relationships. Her practice has established agreements with local clinical laboratories and imaging centers for significantly reduced costs, and direct ordering of medications from manufacturers that provide three-month supplies of common prescriptions for only $10.

Nobody in primary care should be working for anyone but ourselves. – Dr. Ati Hakimi

With approximately 150 members in her practice, Dr. Hakimi operates with minimal overhead expenses and no staff. This enables her to maintain relationships where she knows each patient by name while focusing on preventive care rather than reactive medicine. This approach, she notes, accommodates diverse patient demographics “from CEOs to Uber drivers,” demonstrating its accessibility across different economic backgrounds.

Summary

Dr. Hakimi’s experience with Direct Primary Care demonstrates that it is possible to provide medical care that focuses on direct physician-patient relationships without insurance interference. 

Dr. Hakimi welcomes direct contact and offers mentorship for physicians interested in learning more about this practice model. She can be found on LinkedIn and through her practice website at VegasDPC.com. Her practice, Vegas Direct Primary Care, also maintains a presence on Instagram. Additionally, Dr. Hakimi recommends the Facebook group DPC Docs as a supportive community resource for physicians exploring this model, along with the professional organization DPC Alliance for those seeking more structured guidance.

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Disclaimers:

Many of the links that I refer you to, and that you’ll find in the show notes, are affiliate links. That means that I receive a payment from the seller if you purchase the affiliate item using my link. Doing so has no effect on the price you are charged. And I only promote products and services that I believe are of high quality and will be useful to you, that I have personally used or am very familiar with.

The opinions expressed here are mine and my guest’s. While the information provided on the podcast is true and accurate to the best of my knowledge, there is no express or implied guarantee that using the methods discussed here will lead to success in your career, life, or business.

The information presented on this blog and related podcast is for entertainment and/or informational purposes only. It should not be construed as medical, legal, tax, or emotional advice. If you take action on the information provided on the blog or podcast, it is at your own risk. Always consult an attorney, accountant, career counselor, or other professional before making any major decisions about your career.