Blue Ocean Family Medicine
Welcome to the Knew Health DPC series, where we shine a light on a different Direct Primary Care practice around the country. These practices share our vision of accessible, affordable healthcare on your terms. Direct Primary Care (DPC) is a business model in healthcare that doesn’t include insurance, claims, billing, or third parties. At the core is a solid doctor-patient relationship. This month, our spotlight takes us to Hendersonville, Tennessee, where you’ll get to know Dr. Kent J. Lofley, DO, owner of Blue Ocean Family Medicine. Read on to learn more about Dr. Lofley and why he chose DPC as the model for his practice.
What is Direct Primary Care (DPC)?
Direct Primary Care (DPC) is a model of care that removes the hassle of insurance and allows you to work directly with your doctor. You pay a low monthly membership to your doctor and have all the access you need through appointments, emails, calls, texts, and even house calls. It’s like having a personal doctor who works for you rather than the insurance company, allowing him to focus on medicine, not paperwork. Many agree you’ll never return to a traditional healthcare system once you switch to DPC.
Dr. Lofley can offer his patients longer appointment times compared to traditional practices. This is because his practice follows the DPC model, and has fewer patients (Think 700 instead of 2,300!). Fewer patients leads to a higher level of care and fosters a stronger doctor-patient relationship.
About Blue Ocean Family Medicine
Blue Ocean Family Medicine is a DPC practice focusing primarily on family wellness. It is located in the suburbs of Nashville, TN, in Hendersonville. Dr. Lofley opened the doors to his DPC practice in April 2022 with the help of his family. His wife, Tara, has an MBA, is acting CEO, and manages the practice. Her focus is building relationships, marketing, and strategic planning. Their oldest daughter, Alison, is a part-time phlebotomist for the practice and currently attends school with the desire to become an Ultrasound Technician.
Dr. Lofley welcomes patients of all ages and values long-term relationships. He works hard to make himself accessible to patients and follow their tagline: “It’s like having a doctor in the family.” They provide health care for primary, chronic, preventive, accident, and sick care.
A Membership at Blue Ocean Family Medicine gives patients direct access to Dr. Lofley through phone calls, text, video, or in-person appointments. Cutting out insurance keeps membership costs low and affordable for individuals, families, and businesses. A quick visit to the website explains not only the incredibly affordable Membership options but also the list of services offered at the office.
About Dr. Lofley
Dr. Lofley is board-certified in Family Medicine and Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment (OMT). He has been a family medicine practitioner for over 13 years, including correctional medicine, outpatient medicine, telemedicine, and working in a rural health clinic. Dr. Lofley also served as a family physician in the Air Force Reserves and has generously participated internationally in humanitarian and medical missions.
If you aren’t convinced by Dr. Lofley’s DPC model, his areas of expertise, his missions, or the vast services that his practice provides, then a brief conversation with any of his patients will show you precisely the kind of doctor he is. Genuine praise floods any of the review pages you might find online.
“This is how medicine should be!”
“Unlike most doctors, he will give you all of the time you need with him, not try to rush you out of the door as fast as possible.”
“Dr. Kent Lofley is kind, patient, pleasant, caring, knowledgeable, good at helping patients understand”
“A wonderful doctor who truly stands out in the healthcare field.”
“Very professional, caring, and down to earth. Honestly couldn’t ask for a better experience all around.”
His patients’ reviews align with Dr. Lofley’s purpose for being a family doctor and his switch to a DPC model. According to Dr. Lofley:
“I decided to make the switch to DPC after witnessing how broken our current healthcare system is. I noted that I was spending little time with patients and wasn’t able to provide the type of care that patients needed and deserved. At the time, I felt unfulfilled in my career and wondered if I was even making a difference. I had known about DPC even prior to attending medical school, but I had to experience the pain of practicing in the system to realize the value of DPC. Now I get to spend time with my patients, really discussing their concerns, providing education, and offering more services to truly help with their health concerns.”
Osteopathic Medicine
Unlike many conventional family physicians, Dr. Lofley has a particular interest in and embraces the tenets of Osteopathic Medicine.
“Osteopathic medicine is a “whole person” approach to medicine—treating the entire person rather than just the symptoms. With a focus on preventive health care, Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine (DOs) help patients develop attitudes and lifestyles that don’t just fight illness, but help prevent it, too.” (“WHAT IS OSTEOPATHIC MEDICINE?”)
He examines how health relates to his patient’s mind, body, and spirit. While Dr Lofley practices family medicine, OMT is an integrated part of the practice. It allows his patients to get the best of both worlds, including a holistic approach to their care.
The Sign-Up Process
If you’re tired of the conventional healthcare system and live in the Hendersonville area, we encourage you to call Blue Ocean Family Medicine. Schedule a free 15-minute meet and greet to see if you will be a good fit for each other. From there, you can sign up for a month-to-month low-cost membership and begin scheduling video, phone, or in-person appointments. You can access the convenient self-service patient portal to view invoices, member information, and memberships. We think you’ll find Dr. Lofley and his modern DPC practice a refreshing alternative to traditional primary care.
Knew Health and Blue Ocean Family Medicine
At Knew Health, we can’t think of a better match. Our Knew Health Membership complements a Blue Ocean Family Medicine Membership perfectly for a personalized and comprehensive healthcare experience. The two combined memberships are often half the cost of high-deductible health insurance.
Our Membership picks up where DPC leaves off and fills in the gaps. We provide annual allowances to help with costs outside your DPC Membership. Best of all, when paired with a DPC Membership like Blue Ocean Family Medicine, Knew Health members receive a 10% discount every month. It’s our way of showing you how much we value DPCs and their approach to healthcare.
At Knew Health, we support our Members’ choices regarding their providers, so we don’t have any network restrictions. Call us today at 855-542-0050 or schedule a one-on-one call with our Care Team so we can help you pair your Membership with a DPC Membership near you.
Sources:
“WHAT IS OSTEOPATHIC MEDICINE?” PCOM, www.pcom.edu/about/what-is-osteopathic-medicine.
