Frequently asked questions

Direct Patient Care is a subscription model of medicine, no different than any other subscription service like Netflix or Amazon Prime or a gym. Essentially, patients pay a monthly fee, which in turn covers all their visits (routine or acute) and allows them to receive a much higher level of personalized care and convenience. 

Insurance is not billed by the physician and there is never a copay!

Membership does not replace health insurance when it comes to things like medications, diagnostic tests, and hospitalization. These are typically still covered just as if they were ordered by an in-network physician, however it’s a good idea to first check with your insurance because each plan is different.

If you are planning on joining our Big Bend Family Medicine family, then yes! No worries though, there is no need for existing patients to schedule an establishing visit. We will transfer over your records and if any issues arise, they can be handled by a simple phone call.

When you are ready to join, you can go ahead and enroll now by using the enrollment form on this website or by simply giving us a quick phone call during business hours!

The first day of the new practice will be January 27th, 2025!

We sincerely hope not! It’s our hope that you will consider joining us on this new adventure as we seek to bring back personal care to medicine. That said, if you cannot make the move with us at this time, rest assured that we will continue to care for you like usual up until the transition date. As soon as that is determined, this will be updated to be as specific as possible.

Memberships are automatically billed monthly to your method of payment. There is an initial six-month commitment when first enrolling and then the membership is automatically renewed each month unless cancelled. Please click on the ‘Pricing’ tab for more information on the specific membership options.

FSA: Yes, you can use a Flexible Spending Account to pay for membership fees. An FSA is a special account where you put money into to pay for certain out-of-pocket health care costs. You don't pay taxes on this money.

HSA: Membership fees membership fees are not considered a qualified medical cost for Health Savings Accounts.

We strive to accommodate a fairly large territory for house call visits. For short turnaround times (same day or next day) Dr. Turner can see patients in Gadsden, Leon, Wakulla, and Jefferson counties.

For patients who are open to more of a preplanned scheduling, Dr. Turner also makes house calls to Jackson, Calhoun, Franklin, Madison, and Taylor counties.

As part of all membership plans, Dr. Turner visits patients admitted to Tallahassee Memorial Hospital, HCA Capital Hospital, and Select Hospital. Additionally, if a patient has a house call plan, he can visit any hospital in the counties he serves.

Dr. Turner has privileges at TMH but can visit any hospital. The hospitalists at TMH typically manage care, but he can have a higher level of direct involvement there if needed.

Yes. In fact, oftentimes simple illnesses and routine visits like med checks and blood pressure checks can be handled with a simple text message or phone visit. If a patient is out of town on vacation, Dr. Turner has the ability to send medication anywhere in the country.

Our nurse practitioner Joselyn typically covers for Dr. Turner whenever he is on vacation or is sick. Additionally, our nurse can also answer simple medical questions and refill medications.

In general Dr. Turner supports vaccination, however his specific advice varies by vaccination and more importantly, by individual. He also respects a patient’s/parent’s right to choose the best course of action for themself and their family.

Dr. Turner accepts patient text messages and phone calls seven days a week. He tries to return all text messages within an hour or two, although this can vary some given what he is doing and the time of day. Text messages after 10pm are generally responded to the following morning.

He also accepts patient phone messages and returns these daily up until 730pm. Please be sure to leave your name!

Yes!

It’s hard to say. It is very important to Dr. Turner to have a practice that provides his patients the personal care that they deserve. Therefore, patient numbers are carefully balanced to maintain easy availability.