Wellspring Direct Care
Hello@WellspringDirect.com
(205)-248-7537 (office) Mon - Thur. 8-4:30
(205)248-7253 (fax)
Your Health Matters
About Wellspring Direct Care and Dr. Ellis
Born and raised in rural Mississippi, Dr. Jared Ellis received a degree in Biochemistry at Mississippi State University. He completed medical school at UAB in Birmingham and his family medicine residency in Huntsville, AL in 1995. He and his wife Shannon worked several months in Zimbabwe, Africa at a mission hospital before beginning practice in the small south Alabama town of Jackson, AL. Here he provided outpatient and inpatient care, surgical obstetrics, and emergency room care. He also developed a passion for end-of-life care and obtained board certification in Hospice and Palliative Medicine. He was an adjunct professor of Family Medicine for the University of South Alabama and hosted medical students and residents in his rural practice.
After 15 years, his passion for medical education led him to move to Tuscaloosa with his wife Shannon and their three children to teach full time. Here he became an Associate Professor of Family Medicine and Associate Residency Director at the University of Alabama’s training program. He spent 11 years teaching new doctors about providing high quality, patient-centered, comprehensive care in both inpatient and outpatient clinical settings and received numerous awards and accolades for his teaching and mentorship.
His passion for neurological disorders and mental health care led him to work at Novus Neurology for several years. His commitment to providing high quality and accessible care led him to create Wellspring Direct Care, a Direct Primary Care (DPC) practice. Read more about the benefits of Direct Primary Care under “How DPC makes more sense" and "About Direct Primary Care" below.
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When not practicing medicine, Dr. Ellis enjoys being involved with his church, and he enjoys working at his Pickens county farm and doing anything outdoors. He splits his sports interests between Mississippi State where their youngest son attends, and The University of Alabama (It is a house divided!). They travel several times yearly to Roatan, Honduras to visit their daughter and son-in-law where they serve as missionaries.
Direct Primary Care Just makes sense!
In DPC, the limitations on how care is delivered are removed so that the physician and patient can decide what works best for their situation:
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Need a blood test to verify your thyroid or cholesterol medication is working correctly? In fee-for-service (FFS) care, the doctor must see you in the office to get paid. In DPC, a call, text, or email to discuss the results will do. Your primary healthcare is already paid for.
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Have a problem while on vacation? A video visit on the beach is already covered! (just make sure you cover up a bit- and wear sunscreen!)
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Need routine follow up to discuss a stable problem but can’t get off work or get a babysitter long enough to sit in a doctor’s office for hours (and get exposed to who-knows-what)? Virtual care will take care of it.
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Wake up sick- but not so severely that an in-person visit is needed? A phone call may suffice. It’s covered.
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Wake up really sick-Just call. We can see you…"Yes,…today. No,…there’s no copay".
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Need to come back soon for that out-of-control blood pressure, blood sugar or persistent cough? There are no copays and no limits on visits. This is all covered.
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Need routine medication refills? No need to take off work or miss school. Schedule a virtual visit. We just need to see you periodically in the office.
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Got a rash? A mole? An ugly toenail? Upload a good quality picture and description. We can advise (Not yet offering remote mole or toenail removals, but we do offer these procedures in the office).
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Oops! Slipped and hurt yourself? Don’t go to the ER (assuming you can still walk!). Call us. We can order x-rays, see you in the office, put on a splint, and arrange follow up care-if needed.
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Cut yourself while carving a pumpkin? We can sew you up… That’s covered too! And then judge your pumpkin carving contest!
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Because many visits can now be done virtually, fewer visits are needed in the office, making for easier access and longer appointments for when you do need a face-to-face visit.
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Need labs? In FFS, “Wonder what those will cost?!” In DPC, “Know what those will cost.” We have a menu of dramatically discounted prices without surprise bills.
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Hate waiting at the pharmacy? We stock many common medications and can dispense them directly to you, at significantly discounted prices compared to most pharmacies. (Sorry, we don’t have rows of hair products and birthday cards to thumb through while you wait).
About Direct Primary Care
“What is DPC?”
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In the traditional fee for service (FFS) care, insurance companies stand between patient and physician and dictate how care can be delivered.
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The incentive is against spending the time needed to really listen to patients and provide high quality, comprehensive, cost-effective care.
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Consequently, long waits to get an appointment, often with someone other than your doctor, for only a few rushed minutes is the typical experience for most people and after-hours care is seldom with someone who knows you.
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In DPC, a relatively low monthly membership fee, often less than your phone or cable bill, (and up to 53% cheaper than the smallest Starbucks Caffe Americano each day) pays for your comprehensive primary health care, whenever, wherever, and however you need it.
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There are unlimited visits, no copays for visits, and no restrictions on types of visits- in person, or by phone, text, email or video- or even after-hours if urgent.
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DPC is not insurance. We encourage patients to have and keep insurance, but we don't bill insurance for your membership fee or any care we provide.
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DPC physicians take a limited number (“panel”) of members, which improves access, often with same-day or next-day availability.
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In-person visits can be longer, unhurried, and often with little waiting.
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Many generic medications can be dispensed through the office, often cheaper than your copay at the pharmacy and without waiting.
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Direct prices have been contracted with a national lab provider for most lab tests, drawn in the office for known and displayed prices and often far cheaper than insurance copays, or without surprises!
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Healthcare truly focused on you, along with multiple cost savings may help reduce other costs and help offset your membership fee and that’s before considering the superior accessibility, convenience, and quality.