Healing with Heart
Luz Medicine’s Revolutionary Approach to Patient Care
By Harper Edwards
white coat syndrome
noun
a temporary elevation in a patient's blood pressure that occurs when measured in a medical setting (such as a physician's office) and that is usually due to anxiety on the part of the patient
When I first heard the term “white coat syndrome,” I felt seen. Finally, a name for the anxiety so many of us feel at the doctor’s office. All too often, at least in my previous experiences, I would leave a doctor’s office feeling even worse than I had before showing up.
When I first met Dr. Danielle Miller – physician and founder behind Luz Medicine, a direct primary care provider – I knew things would be different.
Some folks have heard of “concierge health care” – a phrase that often connotes a certain exclusivity. That is simply not the vibe at Luz Medicine.
Patients, all of whom pay a reasonable set monthly fee, have access to their medical team as often, or infrequently, as they need them, without insurance co-pays. Luz calls this model, “a new approach to old fashioned medicine” – reminiscent of the independent family doctors of our not-so-distant past.
And yet, theirs is also a visionary model in so many ways. It’s a model that dares to imagine exceptional care, without the involvement of insurance companies. It’s a model that believes that patient health is the priority – not making as much money as possible.
Our is a community filled with savvy patients, as well as a place that prides itself on our dedication to supporting local businesses. And so it makes perfect sense that this game-changing version of healthcare is thriving here in Lancaster.
Dr. Miller and her team of medical professionals have gone above and beyond, time and time again, for myself and my loved ones (many of whom are also Luz patients). In a moment of illness, the last thing you want to be worried about is trying, and sometimes failing, to schedule an appointment with a large health system. It can also be deeply challenging to attempt to cover your full health history in the few short minutes allotted for an appointment, as you might be seeing a new provider at each visit.
At Luz Medicine, Dr. Miller and her team care about their patients, really and truly. Now, I leave appointments feeling heard and understood. It shouldn’t – but it truly feels revolutionary.
–