Healthwise Wellness hosted an open house on Friday, showcasing to the community the clinic and its direct care model. The clinic's founder, Dr. Tochi Keeton, is a dual board-certified obstetrician-gynecologist and obesity medicine physician.
Keeton opened the clinic -- located at 4014 Old Warren Road in Pine Bluff -- in 2022, driven by her passion for providing personalized and individualized care to her patients. She believes that every patient deserves care that is tailored to their unique needs and circumstances. Keeton previously worked as an OB-GYN at Jefferson Regional Medical Center.
"Direct care is an innovative healthcare model that prioritizes your essential healthcare needs in ways that traditional healthcare does not," she said. "Direct care helps to restore the quality of the doctor-patient relationship by putting you first. This model allows direct contact with your physician via text, email, and video calls. Members also benefit from longer office visits with minimum wait times."
Keeton is an alumna of Prairie View A&M University since 2008. She received her medical degree and residency training at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston before moving to Pine Bluff, where she started practicing in 2016. As a specialist for women, she has experience in treating fibroids, menopausal symptoms, menstrual irregularities, sexual health, fertility management, and surgical management. Seeing a need in the community, she obtained additional training and board certification in obesity management.
The Direct Care Clinic, where Keeton practices, operates on a unique membership model, allowing patients unlimited visits without co-pays. This model, as explained by Keeton, facilitates a smaller patient panel, enabling better quality care, ample time for each patient, and increased patient accessibility.
"The clinic does not bill insurance, but patients can use their insurance for services outside the clinic," said Keeton, adding the membership prices at the clinic are often lower than patients' deductibles through their insurance.
Services offered at the clinic include gynecological care, aesthetic treatment and weight management.
"Patients in direct care clinics have direct access to the doctor and can visit me as often as needed," she said.
Keeton's practice prioritizes quality care for a limited number of patients in contrast to traditional practices that see many patients at once. She emphasizes the importance of a welcoming and personalized experience with patients greeted at the door and walked out after a visit, contributing to an empty waiting room.
"I can give each patient an hour-long visit and walk them out after the visit," she said.
The clinic has a small staff, including the doctor, a retired neighbor who works as a receptionist, a phlebotomist who draws blood, and a virtual assistant for telehealth services.
Keeton, an anatomy and physiology instructor at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, understands that the approach to direct care varies across the country and is new to the Pine Bluff area. She highlights that access to health insurance does not always correlate with the highest quality of care.
"I wanted to open a practice that could serve my patients well and allow me to take quality care of them," she said. "There's not a reason why we can't have access to quality care for patients in this area. I have had the opportunity to do a lot of things that I may not have gotten to do in the traditional practice."
Keeton has partnered with a local farmer to offer fresh produce to patients through a grant program, ensuring access to quality produce alongside excellent medical services.
Patients can enjoy unlimited clinic visits, video consultations through a secure telehealth platform, and direct texting with their physician for a low monthly premium.
College students can benefit from discounted membership rates and costs of services begin at $150 per month.
Contact Healthwise Wellness at (870) 454-4354 for more information and to sign up for the comprehensive healthcare program.