“Ohana” means family, and according to Disney’s Lilo & Stitch, family means nobody gets left behind or forgotten.
That motto is at the heart of Ohana Medical Direct Primary Care, a primary care clinic in Centennial.
Husband-and-wife duo Dr. Josh Chow and Katherine Chow opened the practice in October to provide personal, attentive, and human care to people in and around Centennial.
“We opened an office in Centennial, where we live, so we could care for the people in our own community,” Katherine says.
Ohana Medical is a membership-based primary care practice built around relationships and accessibility. By operating outside of traditional insurance, the model allows for more time with patients, easier access to care, and a focus on long-term health rather than rushed visits.
Dr. Josh has worked as a direct primary care physician since he finished residency a little over six years ago. The practice he previously worked at was sold to a corporation. This was a tipping point in his career because working for a corporation and the changes taking place at the business were no longer consistent with his personal philosophy and emphasis on having a relationship with patients.
So, Dr. Josh and Katherine, who have been married for 12 years and have three children, set out to build Ohana Medical as a family-owned and -operated practice that puts people first.
“Part of the philosophy of Ohana [Medical] is that I treat my patients like I would treat my own family,” Dr. Josh says. “I don’t want my patients to feel like they aren’t heard or that their problems are left behind or forgotten or brushed off.”
The couple knew they would work well together, too, and balance each other’s strengths and weaknesses.
Katherine, who is the office manager, is great at communicating, networking, and multitasking. Whereas, family physician Dr. Josh is an introvert, a thoughtful doer, and a problem solver.
“I know Josh very well, and I often know what he’s thinking,” Katherine says. “Working together just makes sense.”
Accessibility and Insurance
As Dr. Josh and Katherine worked to open Ohana Medical, the two often discussed what an ideal direct primary care facility would look like. Topics they kept coming back to were availability, accessibility, and insurance.
They, like most families with little ones, were not immune to weekend emergency room or urgent care visits because their pediatrician wasn’t available.
“When the kids were smaller, and I had questions, I could never reach the pediatrician, and every time I called, it was an MA that would answer my question,” Katherine recalls. “But here, when you call, it’s either me or Josh. … He is basically on call 24/7.”
Operating as a direct primary care clinic with a limited number of patients allows Dr. Josh to help patients when they need him. It’s a service he’s happy to provide, too.
“When I’m able to help address the issue at those [unique] times, they’ll tell me that I was able to save them from an ER visit or an urgent care visit. … When I think about those moments, I don’t mind being on call,” he says, even if it’s in the middle of the night.
As a direct primary care practice, work for the Chows doesn’t always stop when the clinic doors close for the night. Patient questions and concerns often carry over into their home life, but the Chows say it isn’t a problem because their mindset has been and always will be to treat patients like family.
Even when patients aren’t calling, the Chows are thinking of ways to help them.
“It’s just like with family, you call them and ask, ‘How are you doing?’” Katherine says.
Before opening Ohana Medical, the couple also discussed medical insurance and how it “doesn’t seem to work well for anyone except the insurance company,” Dr. Josh shares.
“Doctor’s offices sometimes have difficulty getting reimbursed for visits,” he says. “Our patients who have insurance and who are using it at their visits at a traditional practice still have expensive copays and sometimes surprise bills.”
At Ohana Medical, patients don’t receive surprise bills. Instead, they pay a flat monthly fee for access to Dr. Josh when they need him.
Community Love
Ohana Medical isn’t just for individuals and families either. The practice also works with small businesses that want to offer direct primary care as an employee benefit rather than traditional health insurance.
“Many small businesses aren’t able to offer traditional health insurance because of how expensive it is, and business owners often struggle to find affordable coverage for themselves as well,” Katherine says.
So, Ohana Medical offers discounted rates for small businesses. Katherine says this is a way for Ohana Medical to support the local community and help small business owners.
The Chows plan to get more involved in the Centennial community, too. They hope to host a local run, sponsor sports teams, and work with small gyms to excite people about their health and wellness.
To learn more about Ohana Medical, visit https://www.ohanadpc.com.
“The philosophy of Ohana [Medical] is that I treat my patients like I would treat my own family.” — Dr. Josh Chow
“We opened an office in Centennial, where we live, so we could care for the people in our own community.” — Katherine Chow, co-owner and office manager at Ohana Medica