LIFE & COMMUNITY HEART AND SOUL
HEALTHCARE MADE SIMPLE
PHOTOS COURTESY EDMONDS HEALTH CLINIC
Local physician brings her vision of accessible healthcare to Edmonds. By Dan Aznoff.
EDMONDS PHYSICIAN Dr. Ella Bostanjian wants to be the Goldilocks of medical care. Large medical centers can be too impersonal, while doctors who provide boutique concierge service can be too expensive. Dr. Bostanjian hopes her clinic in downtown Edmonds is “just right.” The Edmonds Health Clinic moved to its new location on 4th Avenue North in February to implement the doctor’s concept of providing direct primary care that is personal, accessible and affordable. The original clinic opened its doors in Edmonds in 2011. Practice Manager Betty Alajajian said the direct primary care model gives patients greater access to “a doctor who will be available 24/7 to answer questions and serve as an advocate for a higher level of care.”
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Direct primary care, she said, is an alternative payment model for primary care that can help alleviate the high cost of insurance and deductibles that are common for patients with standard healthcare. Direct primary care empowers the patient-physician relationship by enabling direct access with time reserved during each day for patients who need to schedule same day appointments or walk into the clinic without one. “Limiting the number of patients at the clinic gives ‘Dr. Ella’ the ability to spend 30 to 60 minutes with each patient,” said Alajajian. “The doctor believes patient care is more than simply treating symptoms. The extra time gives her the ability to explore the possible emotional and environmental causes of the patient’s concern.” Dr. Bostanjian enjoys the ability to know each patient as an individual. She utilizes the extra time to understand a patient’s
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