Going A Little Outlaw: How Dr. Katie Burden-Greer Built Her DPC On The Creek Nation Indian Reservation
- Maryal Concepcion
- May 4
- 4 min read
DPC Doctor
Drawing on the experiences shared by Dr. Katie Burden-Greer on the "My DPC Story" podcast, we delve here into how DPC serves as a viable, fulfilling business model for physicians who seek autonomy and a deeper connection with their patients.
A Path Beyond Traditional Healthcare
Dr. Katie Burden-Greer's journey begins in rural Oklahoma, where she identified significant gaps in the healthcare system. Initially motivated by personal experiences and the need for improved patient care, Dr. Burden-Greer embarked on establishing her DPC practice, Outlaw Medical. Her decision was spurred by the limitations encountered within traditional healthcare systems, where administrative constraints often overshadow patient-focused care.
Having worked within the Indian Health Services (IHS) and hospital settings, Dr. Burden-Greer witnessed firsthand how systemic issues, such as short appointment slots and administrative pressure, hindered her ability to provide thorough care. For her, the move to DPC represented an opportunity to reclaim the essence of medicine by dedicating time to patient needs and fostering long-term health partnerships.
Personalized Care at the Core
Access, affordability, and quality relationship-based care are ingrained in the DPC model, allowing physicians like Dr. Burden-Greer to offer comprehensive services tailored to individual patient needs. At Outlaw Medical, patients benefit from personalized attention, whether it involves timely responses to urgent needs or ongoing management of chronic conditions.
A poignant example shared during the podcast illustrated Dr. Burden-Greer's dedication to timely intervention: responding to a patient's acute pain by meeting them at the clinic outside typical office hours. This type of flexibility and immediate care underscores the DPC commitment to access and personalized attention.
From Aspiration to Reality: Building a DPC Practice
Starting a DPC practice requires courage and strategic planning. Dr. Burden-Greer's initial goal was to reach 80 patients within the first year, yet her practice exceeded expectations with 142 patients by the 14-month mark. Her success is a testament to the demand for more intimate, patient-centered healthcare options, even in areas traditionally served by IHS.
Dr. Burden-Greer's practice, located in rural Oklahoma, faces the unique challenges of serving a community with substantial Native American populations, where she acknowledges the increased prevalence of diabetes and autoimmune diseases. Here, the ability to spend adequate time with patients has proven invaluable, allowing her to diagnose and manage conditions that might otherwise be overlooked in a hurried traditional system..
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Overcoming Barriers and Extending Impact
Within the broader healthcare landscape, DPC offers an answer to the inefficiencies of fee-for-service models. Dr. Burden-Greer's work exemplifies how DPC can effectively serve communities by bypassing red tape to deliver patient-centered care. Moreover, she highlights the importance of being adaptable and willing to devise unconventional solutions, such as engaging in shared coverage agreements with other DPC practitioners to ensure continuity of care during personal time off.
The success of Dr. Burden-Greer's practice also lies in her strategic pricing model, which accommodates a diverse patient demographic, including over 20% of her panel being Native and having access to Indian Health Services. By offering affordable membership fees, Outlaw Medical demonstrates how DPC can be both a sustainable business model and a means to address community healthcare needs.
Cultivating a Thriving DPC Environment
For physicians considering the transition to DPC, Dr. Burden-Greer's experience underscores the value of mentorship and community. Engaging with established DPC practitioners, exploring different healthcare settings, and embracing continuous learning are essential steps toward building a successful DPC practice.
Furthermore, her story illustrates the rewarding nature of this model—not only in fostering deep patient relationships but also in achieving professional satisfaction and better work-life balance. As Dr. Burden-Greer notes, DPC enables physicians to fashion a practice that aligns with their values and vision for patient care.
Learning and Growth in the DPC Journey
The fulfillment found in DPC stems from the ability to reconnect with the foundational elements of caring for patients. For Dr. Burden-Greer, the transition from hospital medicine to DPC represented a return to her passion for primary care relationships, allowing her to leverage her previous leadership skills in an autonomous, rewarding environment.
Closing her discussion, Dr. Burden-Greer highlights the potential for growth within DPC, suggesting that future expansion might involve collaboration with other DPC providers or integrating specialized services that complement the core offerings of her practice.
The narrative shared by Dr. Katie Burden-Greer is an inspirational testament to the power of perseverance, innovation, and dedication in transforming healthcare delivery through the DPC model. For physicians exploring this path, her journey serves as a compelling blueprint for building a practice that champions quality, accessibility, and patient-centered care.
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