Pacific Concierge Physician: Innovation In Medicine

Adama Diarra grew up in Mali, in West Africa, in a comfortable middle-class family. His father worked as an engineer, and his mother served as a judge, both of whom instilled the importance of education and hard work in their children. As a child, Adama was curious and explored various interests, but he wasn’t sure about his future career. However, a new movie changed the trajectory of his life forever.

In the mid-1990s, a movie titled Outbreak was released. The film centered around a dangerous virus and its consequences. An outbreak occurs in California, posing a potential threat to the world, prompting a team of doctors and specialists to rush in and save residents before it’s too late. Adama was captivated by the gripping storyline. This experience profoundly impacted his young life, steering him in a new direction towards medicine. In 2001, Adama moved to the U.S. to study biomedical engineering at Arizona State University and eventually was accepted to Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine.

The Corporate Grind

After graduating, Dr. Adama Diarra, like many of his peers, embarked on a journey through the corporate world of medicine, joining prestigious hospitals in hopes of making a difference. Initially, he relished the opportunity to build close, meaningful relationships with his patients, something he deeply valued.

However, as the job demands increased and more patients were assigned to him, he began to feel the weight of the corporate machine. The personal connections that once flourished started to fade, and he felt more like another cog in the wheel instead of a more hands-on physician.

Dr. Adama found himself spending less time with patients, struggling to foster the trust that is essential in a doctor-patient relationship. He realized that his limited time with each individual was detrimental to understanding their concerns. Providing the right referrals and creating a comforting atmosphere also made it challenging. It was a turning point that left him pondering the true essence of healing and the meaningful connections at its heart. Recalling the short time with patients, he says,

“I wasn’t seeing folks for long or providing the care I wanted to. It’s about putting out today’s fire, and them coming back later with the next.”

Prepping for Change

Seeing firsthand the delays that can be caused by things outside of a physician’s care and the decreased amount of time spent with patients, Dr. Adama was ready for change. He intended to have a more targeted, meaningful, and patient-centered practice than the corporate setting was able to accommodate.

In the past, doctors would make house calls, allowing for more personal and attentive care in the comfort of patients’ homes. This “old-school” method has modernized into highly accessible care. This approach prioritizes patient focus, care, and time. Recently, alternative care methods have experienced a resurgence, aiming to return to this patient-centered model. Modern healthcare now includes options such as house calls, telehealth, virtual appointments, and on-demand care, which represent different ways to provide accessible and personalized medical services.

Driven by a passion to deepen his connections with patients amidst the constraints of hospital protocol, Dr. Diarra embarked on a bold journey to start his own practice. He envisioned a space where he could offer better care, drawing inspiration from alternative healthcare where he hoped to provide comprehensive, compassionate services that truly prioritize patient well-being. Dr. Diarra says,

“I wanted to stay on that level of connection with my patients that I had when I first graduated from residency.”

A New Beginning

To address the changing landscape of healthcare and meet his patients’ needs, Dr. Diarra launched his own direct primary care practice, Pacific Concierge Physician. This alternative style of medical practice is a physician concierge practice- a form of healthcare that many primary care doctors are moving towards as well. Through this setup, the patients contract directly with the provider to receive care. While this approach has its limitations, it offers significant benefits for both the provider and the patient. Dr. Diarra says,

“This style of practice offers your house calls, your tele-health, we like to call this a medical home for folks, where they can get their medicine dispensed as well, which I am licensed to do. It’s all offered in a contract form, so it helps keep the prices down.”

Dr. Diarra has created his own unique set-up within the already multifaceted alternative care industry. His practice, Pacific Concierge Physician, recently moved into a new building that enhances the services he can offer. In addition to providing house calls and virtual options that he has offered for the last several months, the new facility allows for comprehensive in-house services. Pacific Concierge Physician features two rooms, an imaging area, in-house labs, and an in-house pharmacy. Dr. Diarra is also planning to expand the practice by adding another physician.

An Impactful Support

Initially referred to Business Impact NW through the City of Tigard for lending assistance, Dr. Diarra understood that access to financial options and business support is vital for the establishment and longevity of any small business. Having the right support can benefit small business owners overall. Although he is a highly educated physician, he admits that he was raised in a traditional employment environment, leaving him with a limited understanding of entrepreneurship and the significant effort it entails.

Aside from looking into potential financial support, Dr. Diarra faced some challenges in marketing his business. To help with this, he enrolled in one of Business Impact NW’s classes to gain the skills necessary to market his knowledge and services for his business effectively. Business Impact NW is proud to offer wraparound supportive services for small businesses like free business coaching, business training, and lending support for small businesses like Dr. Diarra’s. He recalls,

“I can go into depths of explaining medicine and the care, and even spending time with my patients, but the marketing, where you spin that to tell someone, it doesn’t necessarily make you marketable. I had to rephrase a lot of these things and reframe them so I could market them.” He adds, “The classes I took were really quite helpful. The search engine optimization and social media really helped me, and they helped with my website.”

Dr. Diarra also discussed the importance of mentorship. He says, “Get the right kind of leader for mentorship. The level of mentorship was really helpful. The way the financial people work, with all the rules, laws, and how to become more tax efficient, these were things I knew nothing about.”

The lending assistance provided by Business Impact NW offered another advantage. Initially, the builders of the building gave him referrals to the City of Tigard for grant opportunities. However, the City of Tigard also informed him about Business Impact NW. Although he was close to completing the grant process, he decided to explore the lending options offered by Business Impact NW. Ultimately, he chose this route because it aligned better with his business needs and the growth of Pacific Concierge Physician.

The Future Looks Healthy

Pacific Concierge Physician is now open to patients for in-house services. Though he has been doing house calls and virtual care, along with partnering with another doctor to do house calls, he is ready to grow his practice. The young father is excited about what the future holds and how he will continue to scale. Having been told a few years ago by a patient that he was relatable and caring, it solidified to him that he was on the right path in terms of patient care- the focal point of his practice.

Dr. Diarra is also excited about the current and future work he does in the community. He is a part of the American College of Physicians, Oregon Chapter. This year, they plan to host multiple informative sessions, coffee socials, and more. He works with a renowned physician in Oregon and Idaho, Dr. Augustine Okeke, to help improve physician workforce practices and is excited to pursue positive practices where colleagues and mentors can be supportive year-round.

For Pacific Concierge Physician, the future is just beginning. If you’re looking for alternative care with a patient-focused business model, be sure to schedule an appointment. Dr. Diarra has a final bit of advice,

“With illnesses still prevalent, stay home when you are sick, mask up in large crowds if you are prone to illness, wash your hands, and get your flu shot!”

If you are an entrepreneur starting out or planning to scale your business, check out the options that Business Impact NW can offer you. From free coaching and mentorship to working with small businesses as a dedicated lending partner, we are here every step of the way. Click here today!