Direct Primary Care (DPC) clinics are a model of healthcare becoming more popular due to accessibility. Unlike standard primary care clinics, which require a copay along with the cost of health insurance, DPC clinics charge a standard rate for services. Dr. Emily Zerba, a doctor of osteopathic medicine, opened her own DPC clinic in Carbondale in 2023, largely due to her personal frustrations with the healthcare system.
“I could never go back to working in the system. I couldn’t sleep at night,” Zerba told The Sopris Sun. “I knew people weren’t getting the care they wanted.”
Thrive Osteopathy is pretty much a one-woman show, with Zerba being the only physician on site. Despite that, the DPC format can give patients an extended amount of time with their provider, and factors in a holistic approach to their health.
“My take is I do what I think is in the best interest of my patients, and I give them the best care that I can,” she said. “If I can make that work with prices and fees, [and] where they are right now, then I’m gonna do that.”
Currently the rates for membership are $55 a month for children under 18, $105 a month for adults (18-64) and $155 a month for adults over 65.
There are “no co-pays, and no limit on visits,” according to the business’ website. “This includes physicals, pediatric care, wellness education, chronic disease management, simple procedures and more.”
Patient Feedback
This past year, a local business purchased memberships to Zerba’s clinic for its employees. Oneal Bogan, owner of Mountain Paws Veterinary Center in Carbondale, wrote in an email that since opening her business in 2023 it has been a challenge to find affordable and meaningful healthcare options for her employees.
“I wanted to provide accessible healthcare for my employees that they would actually want to use. Thrive Osteopathy was the perfect solution,” Bogan wrote. “It is affordable for me as an employer and my staff is able to see Dr. Zerba as often as they need. They love going to her and feel like their health care matters. And they aren’t lost in the shuffle of approved providers and difficult schedules.”
Another patient, Lacey Snyder, wrote in an email about how seeing Zerba in the DPC format has benefitted her.
“[I appreciate] the DPC format and [Dr. Zerba for] making high quality health [care] accessible and affordable in our valley,” Snyder wrote. “If you don’t have traditional health insurance or have a high deductible plan, you can get the care you need without paying everything out of pocket.” Snyder wrote.
Snyder also shared that she had more success dealing with a thyroid condition under Dr. Zerba’s care. As a 37-year-old and lifetime Roaring Fork Valley local, she acknowledged that other healthcare practitioners are doing the best they can for patients — but that DPC just makes more sense to her.
“I know we have so many amazing providers and each one of them is trying their absolute best to provide each of their patients with the very best care they can within the format they are in,” she stated. “The DPC format just gives the providers more quality time and more freedom to meet each of their patient’s unique needs.”
Thrive Carbondale currently has a waitlist, but Zerba said new patients shouldn’t feel discouraged since she plans to open up more spots in the new year. Another accessibility aspect of Thrive she intends to roll out is for fellow-patients to sponsor the membership fees for others who may not be able to afford it.
“A larger part of what I was trying to build is a community of like minded people who just want to continue to have good healthcare … A thrive-hive” if you will, Zerba said. “I have a lot of people who, I think, might want to contribute to the community, so we’ll see.”
Zerba’s passion to provide quality health care is felt by her patients. She said being able to follow up and have open communication with her patients enables her to practice the way she believes all health care should be done.
“I think the biggest thing is health care doesn’t have to feel cold. It doesn’t have to be so robotic and so insensitive,” she concluded.
For more on Thrive Osteopathy and Direct Primary Care, visit www.thrivecarbondale.com