Ronald Palm, MD

"I want to remove barriers to care that have be created by government regulations and insurance company rules. I want to remove the restrictions the typically leave physicians in the traditional healthcare setting buried in nonsense paperwork. I want to spend my time where it counts: with my patients. In removing these interferences, I will return Family Medicine to its root values of clinical excellence and compassion for patients. I promise to deliver unprecedented accessibility, convenience, affordability and patient-centered care.

Dr. Ron is a board certified physician in Family Medicine and Osteopathic Manipulation. He has served as a family medicine physician in Salem for the past 14 years where he has cared for newborns to the elderly. He is trained to care for the whole family through all phases of life. He is a graduate of Abilene Christian University and Des Moines University for his medical degree. Dr. Ron was born and raised in Chicago and is a die hard CUBS fan. He lives here in Salem with his wife and 4 children. He enjoys making his children have “Force Family Fun Time” with him and his wife, working on his 5 acres, watching Cubs games and participating in cross fit. He is passionate about his patients and giving them the best healthcare that that can receive. He wants all patients to receive All-Star care."

"Most Americans don’t realize what we really have for medical insurance is catastrophic insurance. On average, we pay $100 to $400 per paycheck for our insurance premiums, and then still have to pay a deductible of $500 to $5,000 before insurance really kicks in. Now we are also having to pay 10%-30% of what they call co-Insurance. This means we are responsible for paying 10%-30% of the overall office visit bill even after the deductible is paid. Why are we paying so much and why are health care costs rising? The answer is the insurance companies. They are getting more than 42 cents of every dollar spent in medicine. That is why they can afford to put their names on stadiums and arenas. What does this get us? A quick 10 minute visit with a physician who you may or may not know and who has their nose in a computer the whole time. Why pay deductibles and co-insurance to the insurance companies and get very little time and access to your physician in return? This is not how medicine is supposed to be practiced. This is not how I envisioned practicing medicine when I went into family medicine 20 years ago. I want to take medicine back to the way it is supposed to be practiced. Back to the patient-physician relationship. Back to where I can spend time with patients and thus able to give better medical care. Back to where patients have access to myself and my staff and not a call center. Back to where my patients know me and I know them. Back to were going to the doctor did not mean taking out a loan. This is being done across the country and at much lower costs to you the patient with a medical movement called Direct Primary Care. I really hope you will join me. Typical medical practices and hospitals have their doctors focusing on piles of paperwork. With Direct Primary Care, Dr. Palm & Dr. Johnson are able to focus their time on patients. You won’t have to deal with long lines, crowded waiting rooms, or appointments that are booked months out. With Direct Primary Care, you’ll feel like Dr. Palm & Dr. Johnson aren’t only your doctors, but someone you can truly talk to."