Noreta’s Intern Corner – A New Perspective on Healthcare

Nick Shiver is a graduate student at the University of South Carolina, in Columbia, SC where he is seeking a Master’s in Health Administration (MHA). After growing up in Charleston, Nick spent time as a West Point cadet and a Roman-Catholic seminarian. During his seminary studies, he obtained a bachelor’s and a master’s in philosophy from The Catholic University of America in Washington, DC. With the plan of putting down roots with his wife in Columbia, Nick hopes to help improve the healthcare experience for everyday families.

I’m excited to have the chance to share a little bit about my story and how I ended up working for Dr. Boylan as a graduate assistant this semester. Due to the nature of my administrative work, it is easiest for everyone if I work remotely. So, while I would certainly enjoy meeting Noreta’s wonderful patients, I guess the next best way for you to hear more about me is through the newsletter! Working alongside Dr. Boylan has truly been a privilege, and I’m sure the same can be said about being a patient of hers. And, as being a DPC patient is beneficial for personal health, so too has being a DPC intern been beneficial for my professional health.

Before starting the Master’s in Health Administration Program at the University of South Carolina, I was a West Point cadet and a seminarian (not at the same time, though!). With that, I’ve been trained to be service-oriented and mission-focused. With seminary studies also came the privilege of philosophy studies, where I had the chance to learn how to think logically, systematically, and (at times) clearly. Taking these experiences with me, I decided to pursue a career in healthcare administration with the hopes of combining leadership, service, and critical thinking to a healthcare environment that could use it.

While I certainly don’t have a one-sentence answer to solve all of the healthcare problems in America, what I have found is that independent direct primary care practices are doing something right. Unfortunately, healthcare is highly complex and disjointed due to the numerous conflicting elements that are at play. Think about everything involved: private insurance companies, government insurance programs, physician networks, health systems, patients, employers, claims, coding, billing, negotiated rates, copays, deductibles, facilities, standards, regulations…must I go on?! While this is a headache for students like me to figure out, what’s worse is that it ends up degrading the care between the two main components: provider and patient.

With DPC, the main thing is kept the main thing. The patient-provider relationship is prioritized, and the other parties are left out of the equation. My former training and education has consistently taught me that there is both brilliance and effectiveness in simplicity. By simplifying the design in which healthcare is delivered, DPC is better serving its patients and physicians, who simply want to receive and offer quality care. Wherever I end up in my professional career, my goal is to assist in the restoration of this simplicity to best serve everyday patients and providers. This truly is the better way!