A Growing Light
A Growing Light
When Dr. Danielle Miller opened Luz Medicine in October 2020, she was the first female physician in Lancaster County to operate a direct primary care practice. In the three years since the practice’s opening, Dr. Miller has seen an uptick in direct primary care, many of which have also been led by female physicians.
"The landscape is really blossoming," Dr. Miller shared. "Lancaster County is the perfect place for high-quality medical care at a direct primary care office."
With an unfolding pandemic, 2020 could have been the worst time to open a medical practice—but Dr. Miller saw unexpected results. Her practice quickly became busy, as patients searched for an alternative solution for their health concerns.
From Dr. Miller's point of view, patients are tired of receiving poor medical care caused by factors like high wait times, administrative lag, and steep fees for patients. Above all, Dr. Miller believes it's a lack of honest communication and empathy that is causing people to search for new solutions.
"Patients are done with not being listened to," Dr. Miller said. "Patients are savvy. They know what they want. They know what they need."
Miller moved to Lancaster in 2008 to complete her medical training at Lancaster General Health, one of the best training programs for family doctors in the nation. When deciding where she would settle to build her career, Lancaster felt like an obvious choice. In addition to the high caliber of medical training she received here, Dr. Miller also met her husband and felt that Lancaster would be the perfect place to merge her professional aspirations with her desire to raise a family.
"Other large cities that I've lived in do not value family medicine and primary care in the same way. Professionally, it suited to stay, and personally it suited to stay," Dr. Miller said.
What began as a solo-run practice offering direct primary care and fertility wellness services has now expanded to a team of four medical professionals who are passionate about their patients and the direct primary care model. By prioritizing a patient's wellness over the bottom line, Luz Medicine is making high-quality medical care more accessible for Lancaster residents.
Amber Leed, a nurse practitioner, recently joined Luz Medicine. In her previous role, Leed recalls seeing anywhere from 18 to 25 patients a day. As someone who is fueled by the connections she can cultivate with her patients, she struggled to give each patient the time she felt they deserved.
"It wasn't uncommon to be 40 minutes behind because I love getting to know my patients and actually building relationships," Leed said.
While the daily caseload at Luz varies, it is significantly less than at a typical primary care facility. Miller and Leed see between five to 12 patients a day, building in the flexibility to give each patient time to talk through their questions and concerns.
"Direct primary care, and Luz specifically, is kind of getting back to the basics of good medicine," Leed said. "[We are] very intentional with each specific person. That way, they don't feel like a number, but it's somebody that you actually invest your time in, and you really care about and build relationships with."
While standard insurance plans do not cover Luz's services, the practice is designed to keep costs as low as possible. Patients pay a monthly membership fee — much like a gym membership or cell phone plan — giving them access to resources not typically included within insurance policies. Most notably, patients can independently schedule appointments and receive same or next-day visits with their medical provider. Patients also have the ability to ask questions without coming in for an appointment — all of which can happen an unlimited number of times each month, giving the patient autonomy when it comes to their health care.
"There's just a lot of convenience and accessibility. Our patients can rely on us, and they can get care when and how they need it," Miller said. "I actually think that is just a game changer for the patient. Their confidence and comfort [increases] with our being available to them."
In Spanish, the word luz means light. With a holistic, intentional, and transparent approach to medical care, Luz Medicine establishes a direct primary care model that instills a sense of peace and vibrancy in its patients, effectively living up to its name.
Learn more about Luz Medicine at luzmedicine.com.
By Kylie Stoltzfus
