The Ultimate Guide: 5 Clear Signs You’re Ready to start your own Direct Primary Care (DPC) Practice in 2025

“I didn’t go to med school to do this.”
If that thought has crossed your mind more than once lately, you’re not alone, and you’re not overreacting. This is your guide to if you are ready to start your own Direct Primary Care (DPC) practice.

More than 47% of physicians reported burnout symptoms in early 2025, according to the latest Medscape Report. While this represents an improvement from previous years, primary care physicians continue to face mounting pressures from documentation requirements, compressed appointment windows, and insurance complexities. Yet amidst these challenges, an increasing number of doctors are discovering a revolutionary solution: Direct Primary Care (DPC).

As of 2025, there are approximately 2,060 Direct Primary Care practices spanning 48 states and Washington, DC., and this is a substantial increase from 1600 practices reported in 2021.

The DPC movement is gaining significant momentum, with the market expected to grow at a 4.3% CAGR from 2023 to 2032. This growth is driven by both physician interest and patient demand for more personalized care. Recent surveys show that 9% of family physicians now operate DPC practices, up from just 3% in 2022, indicating a dramatic shift in how primary care is being delivered.

Direct Primary Care vs. Concierge Medicine: Understanding the Difference

Before diving into the signs, it’s important to understand that DPC is distinct from concierge medicine. While both models offer enhanced access to care, DPC focuses on keeping costs down by avoiding insurance overhead, while concierge practices typically charge higher fees for premium services. This makes DPC more accessible to a broader range of patients while still allowing physicians to practice medicine on their own terms.

So how do you know if you’re ready to trade in the system for something of your own?

Here are 5 signs that it might be time to leave employed medicine and start your own DPC practice.

1. You Spend More Time Clicking Boxes Than Connecting with Patients

Modern primary care often feels more like paperwork than people. The average primary care doctor now spends 16 minutes per patient, and more than half of that time is consumed by EHR documentation, according to a 2020 Annals of Internal Medicine study. The study found that chart review (33%), documentation (24%), and ordering (17%) accounted for most of the time spent on EHRs.

If you’re regularly staying late to finish charts or feeling like you’re “performing” care rather than practicing it, this isn’t just burnout it’s a symptom of a system misaligned with your values.

DPC flips the script. No insurance billing. No 7-minute visits. Just real conversations, proactive care, and time to think.

2. You’re Ready to Trade Security for Autonomy (With a Smart Financial Plan)

Are you tired of decisions being made for you? Formularies, productivity targets, referral policies, they’re all designed to optimize the system, not necessarily patient outcomes.

In contrast, DPC puts autonomy back into the hands of physicians. You choose how many patients to see, how long to spend with each one, and what care looks like, without asking permission from administrators. Direct Primary Care is personalized healthcare delivery in a patient centered medical practice setting which prioritizes physician autonomy.

The transition to DPC often means exchanging a steady paycheck for entrepreneurial opportunity. However, the financial picture is increasingly positive. Recent data shows successful DPC physicians can earn $217,000-300,000 annually once their practice matures, while maintaining significantly better work-life balance. The key is smart panel management – most DPC practices thrive with 400-600 patients, compared to the 2,000-2,500 typically required in traditional practices.

3. You’ve Started Thinking Like a Founder

You notice inefficiencies in your clinic. You wonder what the per-patient revenue really is. You’re researching EMRs that aren’t tied to billing codes. You’ve even mapped out a hypothetical clinic in your head. You are not included in making decisions and most days feel like a cog in the wheel.

Your frustration is turning into the vision of what it SHOULD be and what it CAN be.

Founders don’t just leave something, they’re pulled toward building something better. They have a vision on differentiating themselves. It is not an easy road to take but in many cases it is worth taking. And the DPC model is built for builders: lean overhead, membership-based pricing, scalable over time.

Direct Primary Care is a prime example of healthcare entrepreneurship. It is driven by the right mindset and focused effort.

4. You’re Willing to Trade a Paycheck for Purpose, at Least Temporarily

In reality, going independent often means short-term financial trade-offs. You may give up a salary (and benefits) in exchange for slower initial growth. But many DPC physicians report reaching sustainable income levels within 12–24 months, especially those who control panel size and manage costs wisely. Direct Primary Care closely aligns with value-based primary care.

More importantly, they report dramatically higher satisfaction. A 2022 Physicians Foundation survey found that only 33% of physicians in traditional practice would recommend medicine as a career, while among DPC physicians, informal surveys suggest over 80% would. This satisfaction is driven by physician autonomy, patient centered medical practice and the ability to build relationships and drive results for patients through personalized healthcare delivery.

You don’t have to be wealthy to make the jump, but you do have to be motivated by more than money. DPC is healthcare entrepreneurship and like any other field, it requires more than medical skills.You also have to develop your business skills, do your research and be ready to build a practice based on your vision.

5. You’re Actively Seeking Stories of Those Who’ve Done It

If you’re reading this, you’re likely already Googling “how to start a DPC practice” or lurking in physician Facebook groups about going independent.

That curiosity is a signal.

When you’re drawn to success stories, asking questions, watching YouTube tours of small clinics, or listening to podcasts from other DPC docs, it’s not a whim. It’s preparation.

You don’t have to have all the answers yet, but if you’re in research mode, you’re likely further down the path of value-based primary care in the form of Direct Primary Care, than you think.

DPC Is More than a Model, It is a Mindset

Globally, models like Direct Primary Care echo systems seen in places like the Netherlands and the UK, where strong general practice systems are the foundation of healthcare, and where GPs enjoy significantly more autonomy, often serving as trusted, long-term guides for patients.

DPC is one way to reclaim that here in the U.S., to rebuild relationships, restore meaning, and reimagine primary care one patient at a time.

Major healthcare trends for 2025 point toward increased focus on patient experience, personalized care delivery, and integrated health solutions – all core elements of the DPC model. By eliminating the constraints of traditional practice, DPC allows physicians to rebuild primary care the way it should be: relationship-based, prevention-focused, and truly patient-centered.

Whether you’re feeling the weight of burnout or simply seeking a more fulfilling way to practice medicine, the DPC model offers a proven path forward. The question isn’t just whether you’re ready to make the change – it’s whether you’re ready to be part of healthcare’s future.

Thinking About Making the Leap?

You’re not alone. At Sporo Health, we support physicians building new models of care that prioritize access, autonomy, and equity.

Stay tuned for our next post: “Starting a DPC Practice: What They Don’t Tell You in Med School.”

Or drop us a note because your next chapter might be closer than you think.