Local nurse practitioner opens insurance free private practice

    Deaun Carpenter, a family nurse practitioner, and her recently opened private practice, Myrtle Health, LLC, is part of a new movement in health care.
    Based out of rented office space at Koch Chiropractic right on Imperial main street, Carpenter’s practice follows a Direct Primary Care (DPC) model.
    A DPC model creates an alternative option to fee-for-service insurance billing, typically by charging patients a monthly, quarterly or annual fee that covers all or most primary care services.
    About 40 percent of a physician’s overhead costs are insurance-related, which often-times will push doctors to see more patients to help cover these costs.
    With a DPC model, there is no pressure to increase the number of patients seen in one day, then spend three to four hours doing paperwork.
    “Rather than having a 15 minute appointment, I can sit down and spend more time with my patients which will help prevent them having to come back for one or two more appointments,” said Carpenter.
    Carpenter charges $30 for a 30-60 minute long session. She offers non-emergent services such as acute infections, urinary tract infections, high blood pressure, stitches and more.
    She also makes house calls, can draw labs and will refer patients to a doctor if needed.  
    “I do house calls with a lot of new mothers, so they don’t have to bundle and pack everybody up and come all the way to the office,” said Carpenter.
    As a family nurse practitioner, Carpenter is a registered nurse and can diagnose illnesses, conduct exams and prescribe medication. Nurse Practitioners can also serve as a patient’s sole health care provider and run their own private practice.
    As far as legalities, Carpenter must be Board Certified in the state of Nebraska and licensed by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
    “My goal is to help people who don’t have insurance,” said Carpenter.
    According to Carpenter, 20 percent of the population in the local area is uninsured.
    “I wanted there to be a choice because not everyone has the luxury of health care,” said Carpenter.
    Although Carpenter’s practice has only been open since February, she is not new to the area. She worked as a nurse when Frenchman Valley Family Practice Clinic in Imperial was open. She has also worked in clinics and hospitals in Kearney and Atwood, Kan. as a registered nurse and surgical scrub tech.
    Carpenter, a wife for 30 years, mother of three and grandmother of eight, attended the University of Nebraska Medical Center for her schooling.

To view more please log in or subscribe to the digital edition. https://etypeservices.com/Imperial%20RepublicanID359/