2025 Member Appreciation (VIP)

We are only able to exist because our members realize the value of longitudinal whole-person primary care. Each of you play a critical role in bringing our mission to life – the mission to make careful, kind, evidence-based, whole-person primary medical care both accessible & affordable in Northwest Wisconsin.

Born in service & new to business, our early years have unfortunately taught us countless lessons about being exploited & taken advantage of in this ever-worsening healthcare economy. But with eyes wide open & deep understanding that nothing worth doing in this world is easy, we roll these lessons into our ongoing practice development work, and just as we encourage our members to do when things get tough, we keep moving forward with a focus on purpose.

With gratitude, we will be rolling out a new member VIP program this Spring for those starting their second + years with us. We thank each of you for:
~ seeing us as we see you
~ caring about us as we care for you
~ riding the bicycle with us, bumps & all
~ seeing the value in the ride as membership offerings increase –
~ trusting Doc’s vision for where we’re headed
~ staying up to date with your Member Resource Guide (2025 update below!)
~ communicating with us along the way as your partner in health

❤️🩺

BWFM Member Resource Guide: Key Points to Remember – how to get the most out of your membership!

What We’re About:

  • We’re all about helping you feel your best and reach your health goals.
  • Our approach is evidence-based and focuses on you as a whole person.
  • We use HIPAA-compliant technology to make things smoother and safer, but we get that not everyone’s a tech whiz – and that’s okay!  We recommend using both of our technology platforms but only require that one is used.  This is to keep you safe.   Please let us know if you do not intend to use both applications so we can note your preferences & discuss your communication & learning preferences.
    • SPRUCE is our HIPAA-compliant messaging app and is the best way to directly communicate w/ us.  Use the app on your phone or tablet or login online.
    • Elation Passport is your Patient Portal – similar to MyChart. 
    • Members, if you would like an extended personalized review of our apps, please reach out to set up an appointment with staff.  

Getting in Touch:  Dr. Dall-Winther wants to be there for you when you are suffering with a medical problem she can help with.  Our systems are explicitly designed to:

  • Allow each member to access her when they need her and
  • Protect time in the schedule each day so we can take care of everyone’s acute problems​ as they arise​ and
  • Offer a less burdensome, higher-value delivery of care when compared to traditional healthcare – with improved patient safety, outcomes & satisfaction!
  • Spruce is the fastest way to reach us & receive the care you need. Download the app and/or login online.  You can learn more about all of Spruce’s features here.  When you message, please leave details around your question or concern so we can efficiently help you.  
  • Text or call your Members Only Line at the clinic at 715.202.6782.  For your safety, current policy is to not discuss your private health information via SMS, unless you sign a release allowing us to do so.  
  • Book an appointment!  Gone are the days where an appointment meant additional cost, hours wasted & disruption to your day.  Book an appointment w/ staff or Doc to secure our prompt attention to your issue, as members w/ appointments are served first w/ our workflows.  Visits may be held in the clinic, on video, or even by phone, depending on your concern.

When Things Are Urgent:

  • Emergencies: Call 911 or go to the ER – don’t message us first.  If you are experiencing a medical emergency, you must always call 911.  If you are experiencing a mental health crisis, call/text 988 – a free 24/7 mental health crisis line.
  • Urgent but not emergent: Spruce is the most efficient way to be triaged by the doctor. You can also phone us at 715-202-6782 & follow the prompts to the Member’s Priority Line, which rings directly to our staff during business hours.  If we are closed or working with other members, you will be given instructions to leave a detailed message and/or send information in Spruce with any attachments you’d like Doc to have/review.  Leaving a message on this line automatically pages the Doctor.  Our team will then reach out to you with her instructions within 30-60 minutes. If it is between 10pm & 6am and your concern cannot wait until we open next, please go to the closest Emergency Department.    Recurrent misuse of the paging service may lead to member dismissal.

Questions We Get a Lot about:

  • Insurance: You don’t need it to be a member, but we recommend reviewing Doc’s best tips on how to beat the insurance game in your Member Google Drive.  
    • If you have insurance, we need a copy of the cards on file to send for processing of specialty referrals, billing at testing centers using insurance & knowledge about prescription coverage when shared electronically by the plan.  Be sure to send copies of the front & back of any new/changed policies you may have.  
  • Refills:  Visit your Member Google Drive for the Member Refill Guide – how to stay safe, get the best price & avoid running out of meds.
    • External pharmacy – check w/ pharmacy for refills on file.  
    • BWFM Pharmacy – Spruce/phone us with your request.
  • Medical Record:  your patient portal is called Passport and it is similar to “MyChart” and other Patient Portals commonly used in hospitals & clinics to improve patient safety.  It can be accessed via a secure website as well as the Passport app.  Click here for a video introduction to Passport.
    • Reference: Member Guide: how/why to use Elation Passport – find it in your Member Google Drive.
  • Lab Tests: We offer competitive cash prices on labs (and medications, supplements and other diagnostic testing), though if you prefer, you are welcome to use insurance for these services as well.  Although we have incredible prices for several hundred lab tests, it may be important to use insurance for testing in certain situations.
    • Make sure you understand your insurance benefit and review your Member Google Drive resources, so you can make an informed decision about whether to use your insurance for ancillary services.  💡To avoid surprise bills, it’s a good idea to:
      • Know how much of your deductible you have remaining for the calendar year
      • Know if the service provider is “in network” for your plan. 
    • Our default is to bill your payment source on file for all ancillary items, including direct pay labs.  If you’d like to make different arrangements or use your insurance for labs, please let us know.
      • If you know you want all lab testing run through insurance, ask us to tag your chart as “Well Insured.” 
      • Example scenario A BWFM member needs a HbA1c blood test.  There are 3 potential billing outcomes.
        • Outcome 1: The member pays BWFM directly for the $5 blood test.
        • Outcome 2: The member confirms they have met their deductible and do not have co-pays for necessary labs.  LabCorp bills insurance for the same A1c  test, now $89.  Because the member has met their deductible, their cost is $0.
        • Outcome 3: The member uses insurance for labs but has $4200 remaining on their $8000 annual deductible.  LabCorp bills insurance $89.  Because the member hasn’t met their deductible, insurance doesn’t pay Labcorp. Labcorp then bills the member $89.  This can be avoided by choosing direct pay.
    • Lab Results will be posted to your Passport once they are resulted & analyzed.  If you would like to see results as quickly as we do, you have the ability to access results directly at Labcorp by creating an account here.  We caution you to not consult Dr. Google when trying to understand your results.  Here is our process for resulting:
      • Our RN screens all lab results immediately upon receipt so that you can be immediately notified of any lab test requiring immediate intervention.  
      • Once all of the test results (from your consultation w/  Dr. Dall-Winther) are received, she will analyze the results in the context of your personal situation to provide a thoughtful response with next steps. 
      • We understand that lab results can be confusing and anxiety-provoking when you see them before talking w/ your doctor.  If you have questions or concerns about your results & haven’t heard anything from us, we have not forgotten about you.  If this happens, we ask that you:
        • Please reach out to us to call attention to your concern, so we can alert Dr. Dall-Winther & move you to the top of her queue for that week.   
        • Be sure to consult your Passport’s last letter or visit summary &  instructions and remember that you are always welcome to schedule an appointment for face-to-face result discussion.  This reserves time on the schedule for Doc to focus exclusively on your case.
  • We’re not a walk-in clinic. Schedule an appointment, even for same-day needs.  In consideration of the following, please do not come to the clinic unannounced or unscheduled with an emergency.
    • Birchwood Family Medicine is a primary care clinic.  We do not have the staff, resources nor equipment to safely handle emergencies.
    • When emergencies arrive unexpectedly, another member’s care is often disrupted.
    • The complexity of delivering high value healthcare requires planning.  Our workflows have been carefully designed using Dr. Dall-Winther’s expertise in Patient Safety, Shared Decision-Making & Minimally Disruptive Medicine.  
  • We’ll get back to you ASAP. But remember, we prioritize medically urgent items first.
    • Our ultimate goal is to be available as immediately as possible to our members.  We care for members in order of medical urgency first and foremost.  Our attention is otherwise prioritized first come, first served in priority order of: 
      • Members w/ scheduled appointments.
      • Member & Referral Partner Priority Phone Calls, e.g. urgent results & triage
      • Member Triage for new concerns – when not directly working with patients in-clinic or by phone, these messages are addressed first.
      • Routine voicemails & messages, results, refills, referrals & paperwork. 
        • Messages received during clinic hours are triaged the same business day.  
        • Messages received after 4:00 pm and when closed will be answered the next business day.
    • Like many, we were woefully understaffed in 2024, but as of 12/16/24, we are fully staffed and well into training.  Our commitment has been to consistently deliver on our mission all the while growing the practice into its vision through a 6 phase development plan.  We are just wrapping up phase 4.  In the final phases, we anticipate doubling our physical clinic space and expanding our offerings further.  Did you know that in 2024 we were able to add free nutrition classes for our members, as well as affordable direct-pay consultations with a nutritionist, trauma-certified psychotherapist and dermatologist?  Ask us how you can take advantage of these new offerings!
  • Technology Resources (in addition to Spruce + Passport) –  

 

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