We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Cassandra Jenkins a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Cassandra, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.

As a child of a small business owner, I feel I had the entrepreneur spirit. As a nurse since I was 20 years old I have always worked within the healthcare system. After having an ill child and trying to balance working and being a mom of a child with needs my way of thinking started to change. I went back to school and became a nurse practitioner. Working for insurance and a managed care institution also over time changed my way of thinking.

My work started to revolve around a budget, not the patient. The healthcare system I worked for called it “value based care”. At first that sounded good but as I sat in budget meetings weekly I saw quickly this value was to a billion dollar corporation, not the patient.

When my daughter had to have another major surgery I went out on FMLA. When I was to come back she was still having many complications. I asked the corporation to work with me so I can be available. They would not, even after 10 years of failthful service to them. So I started looking at options. Going out on my own and starting my own practice where the patient is first and there is an actual relationship between patient and provider was what my dream was.

I found a small 1948 1000sq foot home that needed alot of work. Over the next year we worked on remodeling the little house. I started to see patients in a 10×10 room at my fathers roofing company office down the road. Once the buidling was ready, I moved in and started to see 1-3 patinets a week. Fast forward and we are now seeing approximately 75-100 per week. In one year we have shown our community what Direct Patient Care looks like.

Direct Patient Care is patient-centered. You pay for a subscription-based model, and you get to see your provider as needed. You have access after hours and on weekends. Your provider is working for you, not the insurance company. When you need a medication, a diagnostic study, or to see a specialist, there is no conversation about insurance first. We will work with your insurance when needed, but you will know the costs of whatever you need, either cash-based or with insurance if you have it. This model is based on people, not profit.

My husband and I have put our hearts, souls, and finances into my clinic. My entire family has been behind me, believing in me and my dream. I have a nurse administrator who is not just an employee but a partner and is invested in our success, also. I also have a community of friends who are my extended family and my biggest cheerleaders.

I have not done a lot of marketing as of yet. I have been so blessed with word of mouth.

The clinic offers Direct Patient Primary Care, Hormone replacement therapy, IV therapy, and aesthetics. The risks have been big, but the reward has been huge. The patients will hear a person on the other end of the phone, will see their provider the same day, or get what they need taken care of the same day. They will see the same provider and not be surprised by a different person each visit. The patient is not made to address only one problem at a time. We look at the whole patient as a person, not as a problem. There is no algorithm showing that a lab says a number, so you prescribe a medication. Together, we come up with a plan that the patient is happy with, not what the insurance expects.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I am a DNP (Doctor of Nursing Practice) and a Board-Certified Family Nurse Practitioner. I own and operate a Direct Patient Care Primary care practice. We offer DPC, IV therapy, Hormone replacement, and aesthetics.

What sets us apart is that you will always get a person on the other side of the phone. You will always see your provider or speak with them. You will not be surprised by a new provider every visit. Also, you are in charge of your healthcare journey, not the insurance company. A person can have the care they want without insurance dictating what they are allowed to have or do.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

A lesson that had to be unlearned is what I was taught. Not all the things that were taught in school apply to every patient. One size does NOT fit all. I had to look at the new research that is out and understand that things change. A plan for a medical problem that fit patients 50 years ago does not necessarily fit now. Medicine has evolved.

I feel that has been a challenge when working with some providers who feel, “Well, it has worked all these years, why change it now?” I know people get into a groove and do not want to learn new things. But with healthcare, you have to continue to learn daily.

How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start?

Funding my practice was a group effort. I have the most generous parents in the world. When I found the building that is now the clinic, I showed my father. The house was a 1948 home that had been abandoned for years. To purchase, you would have to pay cash. My parents put up the money to buy the house and the renovations. The agreement was to get into the clinic and then get a mortgage on it to pay them back. They have been so patient with this process which has taken two years to finally get the financing. My husband and I also cashed in our 401K’s to assist with the financial burden. I also worked part-time as a 1099 provider for Weight Watchers to assist with bills. After being in the building one year, we are finally in a position to pay back and be self-sufficient.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.trinitywellnessfl.com
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