CARIBOU, Maine — Phoenix Direct Care of Caribou held their ribbon cutting ceremony and grand opening Saturday, March 3.
The new healthcare clinic, located in the downtown mall, is the only Direct Primary Care (DPC) clinic north of Bangor.
Vanessa McDougall, owner and family nurse practitioner, is AANP certified with over 20 years of experience in healthcare, seven years as a nurse practitioner, treating patients of all ages.
McDougall described the clinic as “making healthcare personal again and building relationships with patients.”
The DPC model, she said, is based on membership fees rather than traditional insurance billing. Membership allows access to McDougall as often as needed without additional fees, and there are no co-pays or co-insurance.
McDougall said even though she doesn’t bill insurance companies, 90 percent of her members maintain a catastrophic insurance plan for emergencies. Removing insurance from primary care, she said, allows her to spend more time focusing on her patients’ needs.
McDougall focuses on prevention and maintaining a healthy lifestyle, but also helps patients with chronic disease management and coordinates care close to home when possible. Phoenix also offers lab testing and prescriptions, along with a texting and phone app.
“Phoenix Direct Care prides itself on same-day or next-day appointments,” she added.
Office hours are Monday, Wednesday and Friday 7:30am to 4:30 pm and Tuesday and Thursday by appointment.
