The Evolution of Primary Care With Dr. Zach Logan
For Dr. Zach Logan, the goal is simple: Keep patients healthy. But as every physician knows, that job has been easier said than done, especially over the past 18 months. As a family medicine physician at Weatherstone Family Wellness (WFW), a part of the Highpoint Health System, Dr. Logan and his colleagues balance preventive care such as cancer screenings with COVID-19 treatment and vaccinations for their patients in Portland, TN.
In a recent interview on the miniVHAN podcast Dr. Logan discusses the evolution of primary care, which is foundational to overall care delivery..
“I’ve seen a shift from the focus on the quantity of care to quality,” he says. “We always want to make sure patients are healthy, but now the point of emphasis is on seeing fewer patients and keeping them healthier. [In the future] I think we’re going to see more value-based care that focuses on the health of the patient.”
While value-based care does result in better outcomes, it can put stress on providers to adapt to frequent changes and a fast-paced work environment. Dr Logan notes that a team-based approach is vital.
“If you don’t have providers and administration all on board, it’s not going to be successful,” he says. “That’s been a big point of emphasis [at WFW], and it has been a steep learning curve for me personally. I was fortunate to get into our clinic because a previous provider here was already engaging in value-based care.”
Providing Regional Care
As a practitioner in rural Tennessee, Dr. Logan has observed that traveling even a short distance is not always possible for his patients. That’s why working to improve access and provide quality care in their community has become a top priority for WFW.
One strategy for improving access is to provide more services in Portland, where many of WFW’s patients live. WFW provides sick visits, preventive care, important health screenings such as breast exams and cancer screenings, and care for chronic conditions, including diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
Dr. Logan also works as the Sumner County Regional Medical Director for VHAN, representing the interests of his region on VHAN’s Physician Leadership Council (PLC), a forum for clinical best practice sharing and development of clinical execution strategies for both adult and pediatric patient populations.
Dr. Logan believes that sharing ideas and best practices both within VHAN and the High Point Health System can improve care at practices and health systems across the region.
“My goals are keeping patients healthy, meeting them where they are, finding solutions and reducing costs across the board. I share those same goals with High Point leadership and with VHAN,” Dr. Logan says. “Teamwork and collaboration are important to meeting those goals. I love that we can discuss quality and things like cancer screening at our quarterly meetings and determine what we can do better.”
To learn more about Dr. Logan and WFW’s evolution in providing value-based care, listen to the miniVHAN podcast interview here.