Dr. Samir Qamar shares his entrepreneurial journey building a new model of primary care, and revolutionizing telemedicine with MedWand!
The ModernMD: Dr. Samir Qamar
Dr. Samir Qamar is a board certified Family Medicine physician who is an expert in the fields of Direct Primary Care, concierge medicine, and telemedicine. He is Founder and CEO of MedLion, the nation’s largest Direct Primary Care provider, which manages Direct Primary Care practices in 27 states. Dr. Qamar also serves as Founder and CEO of medical tech startup MedWand, having created a revolutionary telemedicine device that allows providers to remotely perform physical examinations via secure Internet connections. He is Board Chairman of DPC United, a national DPC medical association, and is a faculty member and DPC consultant for the American Academy of Family Physicians.
SUCCESS QUOTE
“The greater danger for most of us lies not in setting our aim too high and falling short; but in setting our aim too low, and achieving our mark.”
Michelangelo
WHITE COAT TO BUSINESS SUIT:
Dr. Qamar completed his medical training at Lancaster General Hospital in Pennsylvania, and during residency realized that the current fee-for-service healthcare system was failing. Samir started the first concierge medical practice in central California and served as the house doctor for the famed Pebble Beach Resorts. Listen as he shares his journey from concierge medicine to building one of the nations largest Direct Primary Care practices and founding a medical technology start-up.
What is your advice to medical students or resident interested in entrepreneurship?
Be insatiably curious about all fields directly outside of medicine, widen your horizons, and explore the business of medicine.
IDEA TO VENTURE:
The Idea: Why don’t we charge $50 a month per patient for as much primary care as we can give them? How can you examine a patient remotely during a telemedicine video visit? Listen as Dr. Qamar shares his journey starting MedLion, the nation’s largest Direct Primary Care provider, and MedWand Digital Health a revolutionary telemedicine device.
Lesson Learned: Nothing is easy, and it takes time to change a culture especially in healthcare. Stay the course, be persistent, and continue to get up with each failure.
BUSINESS ROUNDS:
Best Advice: Never give up, keep working, and maintain a good balance.
Daily Success Habit: Samir must accomplish three things daily, one for each company, to keep forward progress. His successful day: Get up early, eat well, stay heathy, and sleep 8 hours a night.
Healthcare Trends: Biggest shift in healthcare in 25 years with major shift in primary care, and exciting time for healthcare technology investment. Listen as Dr. Qamar shares his insights into the future of healthcare.
