Making Healthcare Human Again

Direct Primary Care (DPC) is a healthcare model built around a direct relationship between patients and their care team.

Instead of billing insurance for every visit, patients pay a simple monthly membership fee that covers their primary care services during regular business hours.

This model allows for a more personalized and relationship-focused approach to healthcare. With fewer insurance barriers and less time spent on paperwork, providers are able to focus more on listening, prevention, wellness, chronic disease support, and thoughtful, individualized care.

At Lowcountry Wellness Center, DPC means healthcare that feels more connected, accessible, and centered around the patient, not the insurance company.

Membership at Lowcountry Wellness Center is a simple monthly subscription designed to make primary care more personal, accessible, and relationship-focused.

Your membership includes comprehensive primary care services during regular business hours, including office visits, annual wellness exams, routine lab work, preventive care, and ongoing support for both acute and chronic health concerns.

By removing the barriers and limitations often created by traditional insurance-based care, we are able to spend more time listening, building meaningful relationships, and providing thoughtful, individualized care centered around the whole person.

Lowcountry Wellness Center does not provide medical care, medical advice, or provider availability outside of regular business hours.

If you are experiencing a medical emergency, please call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department immediately.

For urgent medical concerns that cannot safely wait until the office reopens, we recommend seeking in-person evaluation at a local urgent care center.

Messages received after hours will be reviewed and addressed during regular business hours as appropriate.

Lowcountry Wellness Center offers two membership options designed to support different levels of care and health goals.

Foundational Plan

Our Foundational Plan is designed for patients seeking personalized primary care with a focus on prevention, wellness, and ongoing support for everyday health concerns. This membership includes routine visits, annual wellness care, chronic disease management, and direct communication with our team during regular business hours.

Health Optimizer Plan

The Health Optimizer Plan is designed for patients who desire a more comprehensive and in-depth approach to their health. In addition to everything included in the Foundational Plan, this membership allows for a deeper focus on root-cause evaluation, lifestyle optimization, advanced wellness strategies, and more complex chronic health concerns.

Both membership options are built around relationship-based care that prioritizes time, connection, prevention, and personalized support for the whole person.

Lowcountry Wellness Center does not offer one-time or walk-in visits. We care exclusively for active members through our membership-based model.

This approach allows us to focus on meaningful, long-term relationships with our patients rather than rushed, episodic care. By getting to know our patients over time, we are able to provide more thoughtful, proactive, and personalized support for both acute and chronic health concerns.

Our goal is to create a healthcare experience where patients feel known, supported, and genuinely cared for throughout their wellness journey.

Health insurance is not required to become a member of Lowcountry Wellness Center. Our membership covers primary care services provided through our practice.

However, we strongly recommend that members have additional coverage for services outside the scope of primary care, such as hospitalizations, surgeries, emergency care, and specialist services. This may include traditional health insurance or a health-sharing plan.

Pairing a DPC membership with outside coverage helps ensure you are protected in the event of unexpected or high-cost medical needs.

In many cases, yes—Direct Primary Care (DPC) memberships may be eligible for payment using HSA or FSA funds. Eligibility can vary based on your specific plan and current IRS regulations.

We recommend checking with your HSA/FSA administrator or a qualified tax advisor to confirm whether your membership qualifies.

Our approach focuses on caring for the whole person, not just isolated symptoms or diagnoses. We take time to understand each patient’s lifestyle, nutrition, stress levels, medical history, and overall health goals to better support long-term wellness.

Care plans may include preventive care, wellness support, nutrition and lifestyle guidance, stress management strategies, and evidence-based treatment options tailored to the individual.

At Lowcountry Wellness Center, we believe healthcare should feel personal, thoughtful, and collaborative, with a focus on helping patients build sustainable, long-term health.

No. Vaccinations are not required for children to become patients at Lowcountry Wellness Center.

We support informed parent choice and provide education on the risks and benefits of vaccinations. While we do not carry vaccines in our office, our Nurse Practitioner is available to discuss vaccination questions as part of your child’s care.

Vaccination decisions do not affect patient acceptance or continuity of care in our practice.

Patients communicate with the practice during regular business hours by phone or through the secure Spruce messaging app. Messages are reviewed and addressed by our care team during regular business hours.

Lowcountry Wellness Center does not provide provider availability after hours. If you are experiencing a medical emergency, please call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department immediately. Urgent concerns that cannot safely wait until the office reopens should be evaluated at an urgent care facility.

Yes. When specialty care is needed, we can help guide referrals and coordinate care to support continuity between your primary care and specialist treatment.

Specialist services are not included in membership and are arranged outside of our practice.

Yes. Nurse Practitioners at Lowcountry Wellness Center are licensed in South Carolina and have prescriptive authority, including for controlled substances when clinically appropriate.

Medication prescriptions and refills are managed as part of your ongoing care and are handled during regular business hours.

Lowcountry Wellness Center is led by Nurse Practitioners, including Dr. Penni, who holds a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree.

Nurse Practitioners are advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) with graduate-level education and extensive clinical training. In South Carolina, Nurse Practitioners are licensed to evaluate patients, diagnose conditions, manage chronic and acute illnesses, and prescribe medications independently.

While our providers are not medical doctors (MDs), they are highly qualified clinicians who provide comprehensive, personalized primary care within our practice model.

Yes. Lowcountry Wellness Center serves as your primary care provider.

Through our Direct Primary Care (DPC) model, we provide comprehensive primary care, including preventive care, wellness support, management of acute and chronic conditions, and coordination of care when specialty services are needed.

There is no requirement to maintain another primary care provider, although some patients choose to do so depending on personal preference or insurance requirements.

Our goal is to serve as your trusted home base for healthcare and your primary point of contact for medical needs during regular business hours.

Children and Adolescents

Newborns to age 12:

The first appointment is 60 minutes and includes a wellness visit and health history intake.

Ages 12 to 21:

The first appointment is a 60-minute history intake, followed by a separate 60-minute wellness visit scheduled afterward.

Adults (21 and older)

The initial onboarding process includes two separate 90-minute appointments:

First visit: A comprehensive intake focused on your health history, current concerns, and health goals

Second visit: A comprehensive physical exam, including fasting laboratory work

These two appointments are scheduled separately and cannot be combined.

Urgent concerns may include symptoms such as chest pain, shortness of breath, severe abdominal pain, high fever, significant injury, or sudden worsening of symptoms. These concerns should be evaluated promptly at an urgent care facility or emergency department after hours.

During regular business hours, Lowcountry Wellness Center does offer sick visits based on provider availability and scheduling capacity.

Non-urgent concerns may include medication refill requests, lab questions, chronic symptom updates, scheduling needs, paperwork requests, or general health questions. These messages will be reviewed and addressed during regular business hours.

No. All membership plans include the same access to care and communication with our team during regular business hours.

The difference between plans is based on the depth, complexity, and overall focus of care provided, not provider availability outside of business hours.

Our after-hours policy is in place to support both patient safety and the wellbeing of our team. We kindly ask that non-urgent concerns be directed to us during regular business hours whenever possible.

Repeated non-urgent after-hours communication may lead to a discussion about practice expectations and whether our membership model is the best fit for your healthcare needs.