Healthcare Made Simple
Edmonds physician Dr. Ella Bostanjian wants to be the Goldilocks of medical care.
Large medical centers can be too impersonal, while doctors who provide boutique concierge service can be too expensive. Dr. Bostanjian hopes her clinic in downtown Edmonds is “just right.”
The Edmonds Health Clinic moved to its new location on 4th Avenue North in February to implement the doctor’s concept of providing direct primary care that is personal, accessible and affordable. The original clinic opened its doors in Edmonds in 2011.
Practice Manager Betty Alajajian said the direct primary care model gives patients greater access to “a doctor who will be available 24/7 to answer questions and serve as an advocate for a higher level of care.”
Direct primary care, she said, is an alternative payment model for primary care that can help alleviate the high cost of insurance and deductibles that are common for patients with standard healthcare. Direct primary care empowers the patient-physician relationship by enabling direct access with time reserved during each day for patients who need to schedule same day appointments or walk into the clinic without one.
“Limiting the number of patients at the clinic gives ‘Dr. Ella’ the ability to spend 30 to 60 minutes with each patient,” said Alajajian. “The doctor believes patient care is more than simply treating symptoms. The extra time gives her the ability to explore the possible emotional and environmental causes of the patient’s concern.”
Dr. Bostanjian enjoys the ability to know each patient as an individual. She utilizes the extra time to understand a patient’s unique situation and specific concerns.
“Every patient needs a dedicated physician who is going to advocate for their well-being,” the doctor said with passion.
The Edmonds Health Clinic is ideal for families and individuals who are reluctant to visit the doctor because of the high cost of deductibles and co-pays. Membership at the clinic ranges between $65 and $125 per month, per patient, covering all services performed at the office. Insurance is not billed for these services. The clinic also works with labs in the area that offer discounted rates.
The clinic is currently accepting new patients but has set a self-imposed limit of 500 members to sustain the model. Traditional medical practices in the area service as many as 3,000 patients.
Initial appointments with the doctor often include consultation on nutrition and general wellness. Weight management is an issue many patients want to discuss with the doctor on the first visit.
Like the medical care at the Edmonds Health Clinic, monthly billing for services was designed to be transparent. The recurring billing gives patients access to unlimited appointments and video consultations with the doctor. The flexibility of the plan allows patients to cancel membership at any time with only 30 days advanced notice.
The clinic also accepts insurance plans for non-members who do not require the full services of membership.
“We believe patients should be given the choice on how they receive and pay for their primary care services,” said Alajajian.
As a primary care provider, the doctor maintains relationships with specialists and emergency rooms in the area so she can play an integral part of the healthcare plan for each one of her patients. Individuals and families are encouraged to maintain the mandatory coverage portion of Obamacare to cover the cost of chronic illness and expensive medical tests.
Bostanjian refers most emergencies to the Swedish Hospital campus in Edmonds and works closely with specialists at Northwest Hospital in Seattle.
“We are emphasizing the importance of prevention to reach our goal of overall health for the patient.”
Even though her background and expertise are in modern medicine, Bostanjian realizes there are benefits to specific treatments available from alternative therapies such as yoga, meditation and acupuncture.
“Patient concerns with the rising costs in healthcare and frustrations with the assembly-line model were a driving force to find a better way of delivering care,” the doctor explained. “Patients do not have to wait a week or a month to get an appointment. We treat each with respect and care to ensure they are comfortable with the treatment and understand each step of the plan.”
Bostanjian received her formal medical education at the Yerevan State Medical Institute in Armenia and did her residency at the Brooklyn Medical Center in New York. Her diverse background inspired the doctor to develop her own vision of healthcare that combines the latest advances in modern medicine with the personal element she felt was missing in the competitive, bureaucratic healthcare industry.
In her spare time, the doctor likes to read, play the piano and take advantage of the abundance of outdoor activities the area has to offer.
Dr. Ella summarized the methods and practices available at the Edmonds Health Clinic in one short sentence, “The beauty of this clinic is that the concept is so simple.”
Dan Aznoff was a finalist for his reporting on the toxic waste crisis. He is a freelance writer based in Mukilteo focused on sharing the stories of individual lifetimes so they can be shared by future generations. Contact him directly at da@dajournalist.com.
