DPC for Women: Dr. Marcy Meyer’s Mission to Transform Menopause Care
- Maryal Concepcion
- Jun 1
- 7 min read
DPC Doctor
Direct Primary Care (DPC) doctors often find themselves at the vanguard of transforming healthcare delivery in America—reshaping not only how care is delivered, but also the philosophies and personal narratives that underpin their practices. On the My DPC Story Podcast, Dr. Marcy Meyer shared her deeply personal and professional journey from military medicine to founding Destiny Direct Primary Care, a Washington-based DPC with a special focus on menopause care. Her story is one of resilience, reinvention, and strategic decision-making—offering invaluable insights for those on their own DPC journey.
If you’re a DPC physician or are exploring the model with an eye on your own unique future, Dr. Meyer’s experience provides both practical guidance and food for reflective thought. Let’s dive into her path and extract lessons that might help you shape your own practice with intentionality and authenticity.
From Military Discipline to DPC Freedom: Embracing Change
Dr. Marcy Meyer’s route to independent practice didn’t follow a straight line. She began as a nontraditional medical student—a single mom, military veteran, and Army scholarship recipient—which alleviated financial pressures and shaped her thinking about work-life balance. Following a shift from psychiatry residency due to her struggles with ADHD and the overwhelming
documentation requirements, she served as a flight surgeon. Here, she managed her own patient panel, had time for each individual visit, and never had to navigate authorizations or insurance roadblocks—a taste of clinical freedom that set a standard for what she wanted in civilian practice.
Yet, upon leaving the military, Dr. Meyer discovered that her experience—deeply embedded with autonomy—made entering traditional primary care unpalatable. Burdened by an inflexible system, bureaucratic gatekeeping, and burnout, she found herself drawn to the DPC model, which promised a return to patient-first medicine and personal connection.
Key Reflection:DPC offers a return to the roots of primary care—relationship, autonomy, and impact. For transitioning physicians, especially those from structured or rigid backgrounds, DPC demands both embracing freedom and owning the operational risks and responsibilities. Examine what freedoms or constraints you want or don’t want in your own life and practice.
Building a Practice with Purpose and Practicality
Launching Net Health DPC
Opening her first iteration of DPC, “Net Health DPC” (North End Tacoma Health), Dr. Meyer focused on accessible, relationship-centered medicine but with practicality in mind. She deliberately targeted financially stable patients who could afford to step outside the world of insurance, knowing education and value demonstration were key to long-term growth. Her “elevator pitches” and consistent advocacy for the DPC model slowly generated word-of-mouth traction.
Strategic Branding & Relocation: The Destiny Direct Transformation
When Dr. Meyer outgrew her original space and moved to University Place, she took the opportunity to rebrand. Recognizing the importance of community identity, she renamed her practice “Destiny Direct Primary Care,” alluding to Tacoma’s nickname, “The City of Destiny.” The move—and rebrand—was nearly seamless for existing patients, thanks to consistent communication and the trust she’d cultivated.
Staffing and Vision for Wellness
From day one, Dr. Meyer dreamed of running a wellness center, not just a medical office. To operationalize her approach to metabolic health and group programs, she hired a part-time medical assistant (MA) who was both a phlebotomist and a program cheerleader. This early investment paid off by increasing efficiency and enriching patient experience, even as the practice grew.
Key Reflections:
Patient Targeting: Be pragmatic in your initial outreach—focus on those most likely to see the value (and can afford it), but be ready for your demographics to shift as your reputation grows.
Branding & Location: Align your brand with your community’s identity, and don’t be afraid to reimagine it as your practice evolves.
Operational Structure: Early staffing, even at a modest scale, can be strategic if aligned with your vision—consider your long-term workflow, not just your immediate needs.
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Carving a Niche: Pivoting to Menopause-Focused Direct Care
Personal and Professional Awakening
Dr. Meyer’s own experiences with perimenopause, alongside watching her mother’s health decline—osteoporosis, dementia, musculoskeletal and visual impairment—sparked her deeper pursuit of menopause medicine. Initially, her understanding of menopause was as limited as most physicians’: a taboo topic, lacking robust medical education. However, discovering menopause experts on TikTok, attending educational conferences, and connecting with practitioners like Mary Claire Haver and Rachel Rubin gave her the clinical and motivational fuel to step into a niche dramatically underserved in traditional care.
The DPC Difference in Menopause Care
Dr. Meyer’s extended appointment times allow her to delve deeply into histories, uncover symptoms that might otherwise be dismissed, and individualize hormone replacement and lifestyle interventions. Her affordable, comprehensive lab panels—a result of DPC GPO (group purchasing organization) resources—empower her to clear up confusion and set patients on clearer care paths.
Moreover, she intentionally spends the first visits diving into medical, reproductive, menstrual, and family history. This allows her to demystify symptoms, challenge myths (such as the belief that only older women experience menopause or that anyone with a family history of cancer cannot receive hormone therapy), and offer evidence-based options rarely supported in time-constrained, insurance-driven care.
Key Reflections:
Find and Serve a Niche: Don’t be afraid to carve a focused clinical niche—even in DPC. With the right education and passion, you can fill crucial gaps and drive both professional satisfaction and practice differentiation.
Move Toward Root Causes: Extended DPC visits allow you to uncover patterns and contribute to true preventive care, especially in domains neglected by conventional systems.
Patient Education: Address myths head-on; today’s patients are looking for advocates who will listen, believe, and treat them as partners in care.
Growing the Practice: Collaboration, Incubation, and Community Building
Dr. Meyer’s vision has always stretched beyond her own panel—she’s aimed to create a collaborative health space. After moving to a larger clinic, she took the rare step of inviting another DPC physician to “incubate” her practice under the same roof. This strategic move not only helps the new entrant but also cultivates a collaborative, multidisciplinary environment, enriching care delivery for the entire community and ensuring referral options for patients outside Dr. Meyer’s scope.
Such symbiotic arrangements can yield tremendous benefits: shared costs, mutual mentorship, expanded services (her co-physician offers osteopathic manipulation and plans for pediatric urgent care), and a more robust local DPC ecosystem.
Key Reflections:
Space as Incubator: If you have extra space, consider renting to fellow DPC clinicians or complementary providers. It reduces overhead, builds community, and can increase your practice’s appeal.
Collaboration Over Competition: DPC is best seen as a movement, not a zero-sum game. Stronger together doesn’t just apply to patient care, but to professional resilience and innovation.
Lessons and Strategies for DPC Practitioners
Handle Transitions Transparently
When shifting practice focus—such as Dr. Meyer’s narrowing to menopause care—direct, compassionate communication is crucial. She reassured existing patients of her commitment to their care while transparently stating the practice’s new patient acceptance policy. Such openness cultivates enduring trust and smooth transitions.
Marketing: The Power of Authenticity and Community Events
Dr. Meyer’s unique personality—the “purple haired doc”—has become a part of her brand, making her both memorable and relatable. She leverages social media and community events (like screenings of “The M Factor” documentary) to educate and connect, often catalyzing word-of-mouth expansion.
Resource Sharing and Professional Development
Dr. Meyer built her menopause expertise through self-directed study, North American Menopause Society (NAMS) certification, targeted online courses, and peer collaboration. She now recommends resources like menopause.org, educational podcast episodes, and specific practitioner training (e.g., Heather Hirsch and Rachel Rubin courses) to others.
Key Reflections:
Own Your Story: Personal quirks, passions, and experiences can (and arguably should) be woven into your practice identity. Patients crave authenticity, and it differentiates you in an increasingly impersonal medical world.
Keep Learning: Direct care allows you to specialize and go deep on topics that matter to you and your patient population. Continuous education is both essential and rewarding.
Invest in Community Education: Hosting events, Q&As, and screenings—paired with accessible educational resources—expands your reach and visibility within the community.
Looking Forward: Vision, Growth, and Autonomy
Dr. Meyer acknowledges her evolving vision—balancing dreams of a holistic wellness center with practical considerations about energy, capital, and eventual retirement plans. Her openness about not having it all figured out is instructive: DPC offers pathways for both expansion and graceful, planned exits.
Her biggest takeaway: The freedom and autonomy DPC provides is unparalleled. You can change your practice, adjust your offerings, and pivot your focus based on your interests, your life stage, and your community’s needs.
Dr. Marcy Meyer’s journey in DPC isn’t just a story of career reinvention—it’s a testament to aligning your practice with your values, passions, and life circumstances. Her willingness to embrace uncertainty, iterate on her vision, educate her community, and collaborate with peers serves as an inspiring roadmap for reflective DPC physicians everywhere.
If you’re on your own DPC journey, consider these takeaways:
Embrace autonomy, but ground it in genuine connection and purpose.
Specializing can be a strength—identify and fill underserved niches.
Share your personality (and your story) with your patients and community.
Invest in ongoing education and community engagement.
Stay flexible; your DPC story can (and will) evolve as you do.
In Dr. Meyer’s words—DPC “fixes much of what’s wrong in our healthcare system…between the doctor and the patient, and that’s a beautiful thing.” As you reflect on your own story, let her example inspire you to make your DPC practice not just a business, but an authentic extension of who you are and the change you wish to see.
Want more on DPC journeys, menopause care, and practice transformation? Explore additional podcasts, join the DPC community online, and keep learning. Your story, like Dr. Meyer’s, is still being written.
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