Welcome And Meet Dr. Emily Chan

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my name is Dr. Emily Chan. Um, my practice is partnered with MDVIP, but it's just my name. Um, and I serve all patients of all ages because I'm a family medicine doctor, so from newborns all the way up to elderly. Wonderful. I can't wait to learn more. So Dr. Chan, your passion for family medicine began long before you opened your own practice. What first inspired you to pursue this path, and what continues to make caring for patients so meaningful for you today? So I'm the daughter of a physician, so medicine has always been something that I grew up with, and I knew from a very young age that I wanted to be a doctor, specifically family medicine, so that I could see everybody and care for the whole family. That's really important to me. I love that. That's amazing. And family medicine allows you to really care for everyone from, like you said, you know, young children to older adults. What do you enjoy most about serving patients across so many stages of life? I feel so privileged that I get to be such an intimate part of people's lives, and I get to see them through all the different stages. I've seen families through births of children, to graduations, to marriages, to moving houses, moving jobs,

Why Family Medicine Feels Personal

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uh, retirement. So I get to be a part of everybody's lives for a long time, and that's a really special place to be. Very full circle, I feel. Very much so. All the life stages. I think that's so beautiful. Yeah, and it creates a lot of variety too. No two days are the same, no two patients are the same. And it is really fun when I get to see two, three generations of families because I get that real insight of their family dynamics, um, their family health history too, and what they like to do. So I'm able to tailor my practice and tailor medicine to the people specifically. That's so wonderful. I was gonna say, you probably made a lot of good friends along the way. Yes. Yes, I have. Very lucky that my patients have been wonderful throughout all these years. Absolutely. And before opening your own practice, you spent years working within a traditional healthcare system. What were some of the challenges you began noticing that ultimately led to you seeking a different path? So I think healthcare in the United States is evolving, and not always in the best way, which I think the general population agrees with. So I was seeing things like, um, them wanting to me to see more patients, spend less time. So there was a lot of red tape around that, and it was going away from what the core of medicine is, which is treating the patients individually and giving them your time, giving your attention. So I'm really fortunate to be able to open my own practice and practice medicine- On my own terms, so I get to spend more time with them. How amazing. You really, like you said, you get that quality time to really listen, to diagnose, and just assess their whole situation, their lifestyle, their habits, all kinds of things. Yeah. Well, people don't realize that when you treat someone, it's not just their disease. There are so many factors that are involved, their family life, their home life, their socioeconomic status. I mean, there's lots of things that affect health, and it would be amiss not to take those into consideration.

What Broke In Traditional Care

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For sure. And kind of going into that more, what attracted you to the membership-based MDVIP model, and how did it align with the kind of physician you always wanted to be? Um, so MDVIP really does focus a lot on preventative care, so I'm able to exec- to offer an executive style physical to... That normal insurance won't cover, um, these tests that I'm running, and I'm able to catch diseases earlier. So what a gem to be able to offer patients insight on their health before there's a problem. Or if there is a problem, we can catch it earlier and come up with a plan together. Um, with the membership model, it affords me more time, um, per patient when they come into my office, so really allowing them to talk to me and I get to listen to them. It's great for everyone around us, yes. Yes. Patients love it. I love it. It's a win-win across the board. For sure. Absolutely. People are saying it's like what healthcare used to be. Yeah. And to kind of dig into that just aspect of time again, I mean, one of the biggest benefits of your practice is the ability to spend more meaningful time with patients. How does having longer appointments change the quality of care and the relationships that you are able to build? Well, I'm definitely able to get to know my patients more, and also they get to know me, so they get to feel more comfortable with me. And when you have that trust and comfort with your doctor, you're more willing to open up about your problems. And we're not limited to only one or two problems, and then you have to leave and schedule another appointment. We can actually address everything that you want in a visit. So people feel like they are seen and they're heard, which in today's healthcare landscape is not always the case. Yeah. I was gonna say, you know, many people, a lot of times today, they feel rushed or maybe unheard during medical appointments. Um, so being able to listen, provide that, you know, relationship building too to get to know each other, um, it's, it's such a personalized care system, and I just love it. Yes, we really do focus on individual care, personalized care, and truthfully, it's just better all around for everybody. Yeah. And since opening your practice, what has it meant to hear patients tell you things like, "I'm so glad you're here," and, "Thank you for staying in our community"? Oh, that's the best.

Preventive Focus Of MDVIP Model

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I mean, the reason that I stayed in my area is because of the community. When I first moved there years and years ago, uh, I was an outsider to the community, and the community just welcomed me with open arms, so I feel so privileged and so lucky to be able to be in that place that when I was leaving my traditional office, I was lucky enough to stay in the same town and still serve the same population. Yeah, absolutely. I know as myself, when I have a good doctor, I don't wanna let go of them- if I have to move, so Yeah. It's so amazing that you're able to just stay and, and be able, like you said, to see those generations grow up, too. Yeah. Well, in the Shenandoah Valley, it's a very rural area, especially compared to here in northern Virginia, so there's not a lot of doctors. Or there's just not enough for the amount of people. So to be able to offer care for full spectrum in the rural community is something that's really special to me. Yeah. To be able to have a doctor that you know and trust, that is just so amazing. Mm-hmm. And it's fun. I'm even part of the community myself, so not only do I work there, but I live there, take my daughter around, so it's a... Everyone's integrated. I love that you bring up the idea of community. Mm-hmm. Um, being an active just participant in the community- Mm-hmm getting to know everyone, I, I think that there's just nothing better than that, especially your doctor being involved in that, too, you know? Yeah. Well, I mean, there's a lot of people that are just isolated. There's a lot of loneliness in the country, so I think going back to community, going back to relationship building is something that is worth putting in the energy and effort for. And I love it. My family loves it, the patients, so we're all very happy. Yeah, especially in the rural, rural communities like you mentioned. Yeah. And as healthcare continues to evolve, what trends or changes are you seeing that patients should be aware of, and where do you see opportunities for a more personalized approach to care? Ooh. Um, unfortunately, I don't see the ways keep going all that great with insurance companies and, um, big healthcare groups dominating markets. Um, I think I want patients to know that your doctors really do care about you, and all of us doctors are trying to do our best in a broken system. Um, I would encourage patients to advocate for themselves, to speak up, and if they don't feel like they're being seen or heard, to say something. Um, and also tell your doctors what the problem

More Time Builds Real Trust

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is. If you can't afford a medication, tell me so that I can find a better solution for you. Really the idea of transparency. Yes. Yes. Absolutely. I, I couldn't agree more. Be open and honest with your doctor, and they will find a way. Yes, we wanna help. That is literally why we got into this profession. Yeah. We wanna help patients, and I can help you only if you give me information to help you. Absolutely. Mm-hmm. I just wanna say, too, I feel you are such a people person, and that is the best quality, trait, whatever you wanna call it, that you can have- Aw as a doctor. Thank you. So... Thank you. Yes, I'm definitely a people person, always have been. Yep. I love interacting with people all day, every day. Yep. That's awesome. And when patients first learn about your practice, what are some things that surprise them most about the level of access, time, or just personalized care that they receive? Well, they're, first of all, floored by the amount of access and kind of transparency that you said. Um, previously, when I was working in a traditional practice, I was booked three-plus months out. So now the fact that I'm able to offer same-day, next-day appointments, or even being able to offer getting new patients in very quickly, like within a matter of days, is something that they've never seen before. Um, also, they get access to me after hours, so if they have an emergency outside of business hours, they're able to reach me, and we're able to come up with a plan together. Being able to have that accessibility- Mm-hmm I think you are just really breaking through those barriers- Mm-hmm within just the world of healthcare. So- Yeah. I mean- Congratulations. That's so... I just- Thank you I think it's so awesome. I would say people are shocked when they call my office and I actually answer the phone. They go, "It's you? It's really you?" I say, "Yeah, I do answer the phone." That was me yesterday when I- Yeah gave you a call. I was like, "Oh, my gosh." Yeah. "Hey, Dr. Chan." Yeah, it's me. And one thing that really stands out is that you offer complimentary meet and greet appointments, so people can learn more before making a decision. Why was creating that opportunity so important to you? Oh, well, it's definitely like building that relationship with people because what I'm offering with this membership-based practice is new, um, in the Shenandoah Valley. People don't know what it is, and it's really hard to convey that just, you know, over an email or sometimes even a phone call or the website. So having people come in is just such a wonderful way for them to see my office, see the executive physical

Rural Community And Connection

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room, show them what the membership is getting, and they get to sit down in my office. They get to talk to me, and we get to figure out if I'm the right doctor for them before they make the commitment. Of course. I think that that's su- such an amazing opportunity- Mm-hmm to be able to r- provide, and it's also very unique- It is as well. So I hope to see more of that- Thank you as, as the years evolve. Thank you. I appreciate that. And you're introducing a healthcare model that's still, you know, like you said, relatively new in your region. What has it been like being an early adopter and helping people understand just a different approach to primary care? Um, I think that just offering people choices has been really empowering. I've had patients that are so happy that I'm there to just give them another way of practicing medicine and give them a different way of receiving healthcare too. So people have been very positive about it, and they think that it's gonna work out well. Yeah. It's just new, so have to overcome a lot of barriers whenever you're entering a new market with a new service. Yeah, absolutely. It's very admirable, and you're kind of like a role model too I think for aspiring people in just the medical field. Aw. Thank you. I appreciate that. Well, I do wanna be able to inspire other doctors or other people in any kind of healthcare profession that they can do it. They can go against, um, you know, big corporate and they can do it on their own. So love to be able to help people and mentor them along the way too. Of course. I was just gonna say, you know, beyond serving patients, you've expressed a willingness to, like you said, mentor and support other physicians who may be considering a similar path. Mm-hmm. Why is it so important to share both the successes and the challenges of building an independent practice? Oh, well, I mean, you're not taught this at all during medical school. You're not taught this at all during residency. So when you go through training and you are kind of pigeonholed in a, in a way, and you're saying, like, you

Patient Self-Advocacy And Transparency

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h- you're trained to do it a certain way, I just wanna show people that there is another way to practice medicine. And I can-- you can be happy in outpatient world, and you can be your own boss, and you can deal with insurance companies- manage patients. So just showing people that another way is possible because I was not shown that in my years of training. Yeah. And now you get to take that own personal experience- Mm-hmm and you're able to reflect on it- Yeah and share that knowledge with others. Yeah. And I mean, like in today's society with a lot of social media, people are always just in the highlight reel and only wanting to share their successes, but I wanna really share the challenges too and speak candidly about it. I think there's a lot of, um, lack of transparency in this industry, so wanna tell people, like, you know, "My hands are tied because of this insurance," or, "I couldn't do this because of other factors." So just wanna be open and honest with people. And when you're honest with your patients, when you're honest with the community, they're a lot more receptive, and they're understanding. Absolutely. I am a firm believer in what you put into the world always comes back to you in a tenfold so Oh, absolutely having that authenticity, there's nothing better. And for anyone interested in learning more about your practice, scheduling a meet and greet, or just connecting with you, where can they find you and how can they get started? So the best way to learn about my practice is to give us a call. Um, the office number is 540-459-1990, and we'll be able to explain the membership over the phone and also get you scheduled for a meet and greet. So when you come into the office, that's the best way. Other ways to find us would be online through the website at mdvip.com/EmilyChanMD. You can also find us on social media, like Facebook and Instagram. Perfect. Lots of ways to reach out. Yes. Very convenient.

Access Meet And Greets And Next Steps

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Yes. Phone is definitely the best way. Okay, sounds good. And as we wrap up today, is there anything you'd like to add that I haven't touched on today? Um, I feel like we have covered a lot. I just wanna reiterate how excited I am to offer this opportunity to practice medicine in a different way in my rural community, and I really hope that people see this and they are empowered to make choices in their healthcare that fit them the best. Absolutely. I'm so excited to just follow along on your journey- Thank you and see how far you go. And I also thank you so much, Dr. Chan, for just joining me on the podcast today and sharing your knowledge, passion, and inspiring story with us. Thank you so much for having me. Of course. I wish you the very best- Thank you in all that comes your way in the future. I appreciate it. Thank you so much.