Evolve’s History
History of Why We Evolved
Evolve Direct Primary Care was founded in January 2013. It wasn’t for another year and a half until 2014 when Evolve finally opened its doors.
Evolve’s founder, Dr. Michael Freedman, had 15 years of experience as an Internal Medicine Specialist. He had trained at all the top institutions in the country and had extensive experience practicing outpatient clinical medicine, inpatient hospital medicine as well as over 10 years experience as a Practice Administrator for a large multi-specialty group.
Dr. Freedman also developed and ran one of the nations busiest free clinics, in downtown Annapolis, for many years, arranging for over 6,000 patient visits per year at ZERO cost to the patients.
Ironically, it was the observation of just how much easier, safer and faster the practice of primary and urgent care worked at the free clinic relative to his own private clinic. In fact, he felt the free clinic patients were often getting even better care because he had more time to devote to each patient. And the staff had more time and resources to spend helping patients get their appointments, finding them discounted medications and following up with them.
Dr. Freedman also developed and ran one of the nations busiest free clinics, in downtown Annapolis, for many years, arranging for over 6,000 patient visits per year at ZERO cost to the patients.
Ironically, it was the observation of just how much easier, safer and faster the practice of primary and urgent care worked at the free clinic relative to his own private clinic. In fact, he felt the free clinic patients were often getting even better care because he had more time to
devote to each patient. And the staff had more time and resources to spend helping patients get their appointments, finding them discounted medications and following up with them.
Dr. Freedman had been ranked a “Top Doc” for the previous 6 years, as voted on by his peers at Anne Arundel Medical Center, prior to leaving his previous practice in 2012.
Dr. Freedman Stops and Rethinks Primary Care
In 2012, Dr. Freedman took a sabbatical from practicing medicine the way he had done for 15 years and began to consider alternatives to what had become a cold, impersonal, insurance-driven conveyor belt style of primary and urgent care. Doctors are burnt out. Patients are frustrated with long waits, crowded waiting rooms and rushed visits. Only to be seen by burnt out, exhausted doctors, who spend the 6-10 minute visit with their heads buried in their laptops.
Dr. Freedman concluded that the only way to build a truly world-class, peak-performing primary or urgent care clinic would be to start from scratch. And no matter how many ways the design of this new clinic was dissected out, it became perfectly clear that insurance company mandates and pressure was just simply not compatible with providing high-end, patient-oriented and patient-friendly medical care.
Primary Care Is 85% of All the Medical Care We Need (for most of us)
When he began doing the research, he found that although 85% of all medical care the average person gets each year is primary care or urgent care, only a tiny percentage of a patient’s insurance premiums go toward this 85%.
Dr. Freedman realized that for as little as $49 per month, he could provide all the primary care and urgent care someone might need. Then they only would need castrophic insurance coverage if something terrible should happen–kind of what insurance is like for home, auto and everything else.
In other words, he’d cover all the routine day to day stuff but the patient would have a true insurance plan that just covered them in the rare event that something should happen. The patient would save a ton of money and Dr. Freedman could focus on what he loved to do the most–practice medicine, one on one, without the interference of any 3rd parties.
At the same time, unknown to many including Dr. Freedman, a small but growing movement was emerging called “Direct Primary Care,” which had, at it’s central core philosophy, many of the same beliefs Dr. Freedman had had.
With that philosophy, Evolve was founded as the first Direct Primary Care in Maryland.
Dr. Freedman and Evolve Direct Primary Care were honored as a Health Care Innovator by the Baltimore Business Journal in 2015.
Dr. Freeman and Evolve Direct Primary Care were honored as a Health Care Innovator by the Baltimore Business Journal in 2015.
Primary Care Is 85% of All the Medical Care We Need (for most of us)
When he began doing the research, he found that although 85% of all medical care the average person gets each year is primary care or urgent care, only a tiny percentage of a patient’s insurance premiums go toward this 85%.
Dr. Freedman realized that for as little as $49 per month, he could provide all the primary care and urgent care someone might need. Then they only would need castrophic insurance coverage if something terrible should happen–kind of what insurance is like for home, auto and everything else.
In other words, he’d cover all the routine day to day stuff but the patient would have a true insurance plan that just covered them in the rare event that something should happen. The patient would save a ton of money and Dr. Freedman could focus on what he loved to do the most–practice medicine, one on one, without the interference of any 3rd parties.
At the same time, unknown to many including Dr. Freedman, a small but growing movement was emerging called “Direct Primary Care,” which had, at it’s central core philosophy, many of the same beliefs Dr. Freedman had had.
With that philosophy, Evolve was founded as the first Direct Primary Care in Maryland.
Evolve’s Founding Principles
Evolve was founded with a focus on:
Providing the time necessary for providers and patients to effectively manage health problems.
Superior providers providing superior care.
Great communication is critical to good care.
Highly individualized and personalized care.
Easy access to providers and staff (technology allows for virtual visits, email, text, live phone support, same day appointments).
Wait times less than 30 minutes. In general, being much more respectful of people’s time.
Instead of paying for these expenses unexpectedly, members simply pay a monthly membership of $49. For our patients over 65, the rate is $59/month.
Direct Primary Care
This model of care is called Direct Primary Care and has been featured in numerous articles such as Time Magazine, the New York Times, Forbes and hundreds of other sources as consumers (patients) are taking control of their health care back from insurance companies and the government.
Dr. Freedman now sits on the national board for Direct Primary Care and is a nationally recognized leader in DPC. Click to see all off the DPC national leadership working with Dr. Freedman.
Frequently Asked Questions
How will this work with my insurance?
Your insurance will work the same for specialists, imaging labs, prescriptions, and hospital visits. You’ll use it as ‘insurance’ against the unexpected.
Are labs covered?
Labs for your annual physical are included. Additional labs can be sent through your insurance or take advantage of our discount up to 80%.
What if I want to cancel ?
After the first 6 months, you can cancel at any time via email or phone.
Additional Benefits
Save Money
Evolve can save you and your family:
Premium Savings: $480-720 per month
Primary Care: Up to 100% Covered
Urgent Care: Up to 95% Covered
Prescriptions: Up to 96% Less
Labs: Up to 85% Less
Radiology: Up to 60% Less
Better health care
35% fewer hospitalizations
65% fewer ER visits
66% fewer specialists
82% fewer surgeries
Radiology & Cardiology
Steep discounts on MRIs. CT scans. x-rays and heart testing.
Prescription
Evolve can lower the cost of your prescriptions up to hundreds of dollars each month.
