Kevin Curwick is the president of ConvenientMD Primary Care. Denise McDonough is the president of Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Maine.
In Maine, we share the responsibility of improving access to primary care. ConvenientMD, a leading urgent care provider, was created to deliver accessible and affordable care, but we’re increasingly solving gaps in a primary care system that’s more difficult to navigate.
Conversations about healthcare often focus on costs. For many, the real priority is simple: getting care when and where it’s needed. This is why we emphasize access to quality care that people can afford.
Currently, accessing primary care in Maine poses a challenge. When timely appointments aren’t available, minor health issues can escalate into serious problems. People with chronic conditions may find their health worsens, and emergency departments become the default for care.
This situation leads to unnecessary spending on preventable conditions. Primary care, which is supposed to prevent health issues, remains out of reach for too many. Care often starts in a crisis rather than when it’s truly needed.
While urgent care isn’t meant to take the place of primary care, it can play a role in the solution. ConvenientMD has opened primary care clinics in Bangor and Portland, working together with Anthem, and we aim to expand further.
Our focus is clear: access. If patients could easily connect with a primary care provider (PCP), many issues could be avoided. However, PCPs are often overworked, managing large patient loads with limited time. Meeting recommended care standards may require more hours than available in a day.
We’re shifting our approach from merely paying for volume to rewarding real outcomes. This means longer visits, smaller patient panels, and less administrative burden. We aim for comprehensive care, integrating pharmacists, care coordinators, and behavioral health specialists to provide more time for each patient.
Despite these efforts, same- or next-day primary care appointments remain elusive. Our partnership aims to eliminate costs as a barrier, offering $0 copays for both primary and urgent care visits.
Urgent care meets immediate needs, while primary care ensures continuity. By linking the two, patients receive appropriate care without sacrificing convenience or connection.
It’s worth noting that independent primary care practices across New England have dropped by 37%. This decline often results from system consolidations that can raise costs. By promoting independent providers, we can foster competition and support care models focused on better health outcomes, not just more services. With Anthem’s backing, ConvenientMD is committed to expanding access across Maine.
Real change is a gradual process. Although demand still exceeds supply in certain areas—many new patients in Bangor may encounter several-month wait times—progress is underway. To achieve lower costs, better health outcomes, and a simplified experience, we must prioritize making primary care easy to access before minor issues develop into serious health crises.
This isn’t a challenge any one organization can tackle alone. Through collaboration, we can work towards ensuring that the right care at the right time is also the easiest to obtain.
In addition, a recent Pew Charitable Trusts report highlights that health-related social needs, like housing instability or lack of transportation, significantly affect healthcare access. Addressing these social determinants can also enhance the overall effectiveness of our healthcare system.
