FOR PHYSICIANS READY TO CHOOSE
Your Patient Selection Framework
We help you decide WHO to invite first — so your practice starts strong instead of reactive.
Your first 100 patients determine everything: practice culture, staff morale, revenue stability, and your own daily energy.
Most DPC practices fill their panels by availability or marketing volume.
Then wonder why burnout quietly returns.
The Four Pillars Framework changes that.
It gives you a clear, professional method for evaluating patient fit before enrollment:
1. Relational Orientation
Do they seek partnership over transactions?
2. Communication Expectations
Can you sustainably serve their communication patterns?
3. Values Alignment
Do they understand and value what DPC offers?
4. Referral Potential
Will they bring more patients like themselves?
Four Pillars Founding Patient Fit Assessment
A practical tool for evaluating founding panel fit
Purpose: This assessment helps you determine if a patient is right for your founding panel right now.
Remember: You are not scoring patients. You are assessing founding fit. This is about timing and sequencing, not worth or judgment.
Principle: This is professional judgment, not personal preference.
Relational Orientation
Do they seek partnership over transactions?
Do they express interest in a long-term relationship with a physician?
Are they open to guidance and explanation?
Do they ask questions that suggest partnership (not just transactional efficiency)?
Do they respect boundaries once explained?
Communication Expectations
Can I sustainably serve their communication patterns?
Are their communication needs reasonable and sustainable?
Do they demonstrate comfort with asynchronous communication when appropriate?
Can they distinguish between urgent and non-urgent needs?
Do they respect the practice’s communication boundaries?
Values Alignment
Do they value what DPC offers?
Do they understand and value the DPC model?
Are they willing to invest in relationship-based care?
Do they appreciate access, time, and continuity over insurance coverage?
Are they comfortable with the membership investment?
Referral Potential
Will they bring more like themselves?
Are they the type of patient who naturally refers others?
Do they have a network of people similar to themselves?
Are they likely to speak positively about their experience?
Would their referrals likely be well-aligned patients?
Score Breakdown
Remember: This is sequencing, not exclusion. A score of 6-7 indicates a strong patient for later stages of your practice. A score below 5 suggests waiting until systems and cadence are more mature.