Welcome, I’m Akilah De aza, md.
At De Aza Direct Primary Care, you can expect to receive an exceptional healthcare experience – rooted in a more meaningful and deeper relationship with your doctor. Your preferences and individual needs are at the forefront of my medical decision-making. My approach relies on fostering a long-term relationship with you that is based on mutual trust as we collaborate to achieve your health goals.
I will always strive to provide:
Exceptional Service
Appointments are extended compared to traditional primary care practices. Instead of 15-30 minutes, your appointments will be 30-60 minutes long. Your test results will be interpreted and communicated to you via email or a dedicated telehealth visit if you wish!
You may communicate directly with me via email, text or phone call for emergent concerns.
Appointments are typically available within 24-48 hours, and you will always see me!
Inclusive Support
I value diversity and strive to understand what makes my patients unique and special. Your ethnicity, culture, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, weight, clothing size, mental, and physical abilities are unique and deserve to be celebrated! You should leave my office feeling seen and heard.
Up-to-Date and Evidence Based Medical Practices
Every year in March, I attend a 50-hour Primary Care Conference offered by Harvard University where I receive updated medical training, in addition to the continuing medical education credits required to maintain Family Medicine Board certification annually. I also have access to virtual consultations with board-certified specialists if seeing a specialist is not possible in a timely manner.
Individualized Preventive and Primary Care
I know medicine very well. You know your body very well. I respect your autonomy, so we will merge what we both know to develop a customized plan for your healthcare needs.
what is direct primary care?
Direct Primary Care (DPC) is a primary healthcare model that allows increased access and time with your primary care doctor for a monthly membership fee that is equivalent to the cost of a monthly cable bill. It is called direct because care is given directly from the doctor to the patient without the intervention of insurance companies and large medical organizations. In fact, studies have shown that improved access to care like that provided by DPC, reduces hospitalization, ER and urgent care visits and reduces your overall cost of care. See the American Academy of Family Physician’s statement on direct primary care. https://www.aafp.org/about/policies/all/direct-primary-care.html
By not taking insurance, your DPC doctor spends less time completing insurance billing and documentation requirements and instead spends that time with you. See below for why you should keep your insurance if you have it already.
Patients of DPC practices enjoy 30-60 minute visits with their doctor, and can initiate communication about their medical concerns via phone, video visit and SMS text. Their doctor then addresses their needs with or without a visit since the patient is already a member!
You can typically get an appointment with your DPC doctor within 1-2 days.
You are encouraged to keep a low premium, high deductible plan for emergency situations (motor vehicle accident, stroke, heart attack, broken bones) or hospitalizations.
Your DPC doctor will use the full scope of their primary care training to keep you out of urgent care, the ER or hospital whenever safely possible. Longer visits and improved access to your doctor will help you to achieve less costly and better health outcomes.
In traditional primary care, doctors have anywhere from 2,000 to 5,000 patients to care for. In a DPC practice, doctors choose to care for 300 - 700 patients, typically creating a wait list and eventually adding more providers if they feel they have too many patients to maintain these standards.
Learn more…
See what GoodRx says about direct primary care.
https://www.goodrx.com/insurance/health-insurance/direct-primary-care
Direct Primary Care explained
A little about me…
My Education
I earned my bachelors of science degree from Hampton University in Virginia, my doctorate in medicine from Medical College of Georgia in Augusta and completed my Family Medicine residency at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida. I am board certified in Family Medicine and an active member of the American Academy of Family Physicians and Central Florida Medical Community.
On a personal note, I have a wonderful husband and two beautiful, energetic children! I practiced Shotokan karate as a teenager and am currently learning Gracie Jiu Jitsu from my husband. We love to travel, cook, bake, spend time outdoors and visiting Disney World.