Today we’d like to introduce you to Dakota Boisseau, DO.
Hi Dakota, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
River Direct Primary Care was born out of both a lifelong calling to medicine and a growing frustration with the traditional healthcare system. I was inspired to become a physician at a young age, and that passion only deepened during college when I participated in medical mission trips to underserved communities in Honduras and Nicaragua. Those experiences cemented my love for medicine and, more importantly, showed me the power of connection, accessibility, and truly patient-centered care.
I was first introduced to the Direct Primary Care model during medical school at Campbell University School of Medicine. It immediately resonated with me as a way to practice medicine the way I had always envisioned, focused on relationships, not rushed visits or insurance constraints. I loved that it returned the role of the primary care physician to the “old school doctor”. The community doc who everyone can call by their first name, and who can accept payment in the form of chickens or strawberries. A physician who not only knows their patients’ health needs, but their families, their hopes and dreams, and their stories with the little details that make each person unique. Due to this, I continued to explore and research the DPC model throughout my residency, holding onto the idea that there was a better way to care for patients.
After working within a traditional healthcare setting, I saw firsthand the limitations of the system: short appointments, administrative burdens, and barriers that kept me from fully showing up for my patients. At the same time, I entered a new season of life as a mom, which further shaped my perspective on what healthcare should look like: accessible, personal, and built on trust.
With the support of my family, including my husband and my parents who play a key role in the business side, I decided to take the leap and build something different. River DPC was created to serve individuals and families who value personalized, accessible care—people who want a physician who truly knows them and is available when they need it.
Today, River DPC reflects both my professional journey and my personal values. It’s a practice rooted in connection, trust, and the belief that healthcare should feel both high-quality and deeply human. It’s been incredibly rewarding to build something that aligns so closely with why I chose medicine in the first place.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It definitely hasn’t been a completely smooth road!
One of the biggest unexpected hurdles was timing. My practice launch was pushed back when I had my baby. While that season required me to slow down professionally, it also gave me even more clarity on why an alternative model like this is extra important for families and moms.
Another challenge has been stepping into the role of a business owner. Medical school and residency train you to be a physician, but they don’t teach you how to run a business. I’ve had to learn everything from operations and marketing to finances in real time, which has been both humbling and empowering.
I’ve also had to navigate being a young physician in a space where experience is often equated with age. There have been moments where I haven’t been taken as seriously at first, but I’ve learned to let my work, my knowledge, and the relationships I build with patients speak for themselves.
And then there’s the challenge of educating people about the Direct Primary Care model itself. Because it’s different from the traditional system, there can be confusion and even skepticism. I’ve had someone call it a “scam,” which highlights just how unfamiliar people are with an alternative to insurance-based care. In reality, what I’m building is rooted in transparency and accessibility, while the traditional insurance model is often what creates confusion, hidden costs, and barriers for patients which is why patients are hesitant when something sounds “too good to be true”. It is difficult changing a community’s mindset as a whole.
None of these challenges have been easy, but they’ve all shaped River DPC into something stronger and more intentional. Each obstacle has pushed me to be more resilient, more creative, and more committed to delivering care in a way that truly serves my patients.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about River Direct Primary Care?
River Direct Primary Care is a membership-based family medicine practice.
At its core, I provide primary care; everything from preventative visits (cancer screenings, labs, etc) and chronic disease management (hypertension, diabetes, asthma) to same-day sick visits, procedures, and even care for things that come up in real life, like needing stitches or quick viral testing. I am passionate about women’s health and HRT, along with lifestyle medicine.
But what really defines River DPC isn’t just what I do, it’s how I do it. My patients have direct access to me (no hoping that a mychart message gets seen a week later), longer appointment times (60min +), and the ability to reach me when they need me (text/call/email directly, no phone trees or admin middlemen). It allows me to practice medicine the way I was trained to, but often couldn’t within the traditional system. This gives patients time to be heard, or time back to their busy lives when they can just text me for a problem instead of being told they need to schedule an appointment for a simple question.
Another piece that adds real, tangible value is how streamlined and cost-transparent care becomes. I’m able to draw labs directly in the office, and through cash-pay pricing, many labs are dramatically more affordable, often around 98% less than going through insurance (for example, a full chemistry panel can be about $3 through my practice versus $25 or more through insurance). I also help patients access imaging and specialists quickly, often at negotiated cash rates like MRIs for around $499 instead of the thousands patients are often charged through traditional routes. In addition, I dispense many common medications in-office at near-wholesale pricing, which can mean just a few dollars instead of hundreds at the pharmacy. For busy individuals and for employers helping to keep their employees healthy, having this kind of one-stop, transparent, and affordable care meaningfully reduces both the financial and logistical burden of staying healthy.
My market- I care for individuals and families, many of whom are busy professionals or parents who value their time and want a more thoughtful, proactive approach to their health. I also work with local employers, bringing care directly to their teams when possible, which helps keep employees healthier, happier, and more present at work.
What sets River DPC apart is the relationship. Without the barrier of insurance dictating visits, I’m able to truly get to know my patients (their goals, their stressors, their families) and tailor care in a way that actually fits their lives (9pm texts about med refills or a mom texting from the school pickup lane that they need their birth control refilled).
Brand-wise, I’m most proud that River DPC feels like an extension of who I am (the name even came from my golden retriever, River). It’s a movement to help people, not to add any more complexity to an already crazy healthcare landscape.
More than anything, I want people to know that this model exists. That there is another option for primary care—one that prioritizes access, transparency, and connection.
We all have a different way of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
Success, to me, looks like being able to respond to a patient’s text on a Sunday instead of them feeling like they have to wait or go to urgent care. It looks like having the time to spend two hours with someone when needed, really listening, asking deeper questions, and getting to the root of what’s going on instead of just treating symptoms. Sometimes it even looks like meeting a patient at a park and turning their visit into a walk on a beautiful day, because care doesn’t always have to happen within four walls to be meaningful.
It also means having the flexibility to be present in my own life, especially with my baby, while building a business that I’m genuinely proud of. That balance is something I didn’t see modeled often in traditional medicine, and it’s incredibly important to me.
At its foundation, success is about being a good doctor, practicing evidence-based medicine, continuing to learn, and providing thoughtful, high-quality care that my patients can trust.
And maybe the most meaningful measure of success is when a patient tells their friends and family about their experience when they feel so cared for, heard, and supported that they want the people they love to have that same kind of care. That’s when I know I’m doing what I set out to do.
Pricing:
- $109/mo for a single member
- $199/mo for two family members
- Further discounts for larger families
- Ask about employer pricing
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.RiverDPC.com
- Instagram: @riverdirectprimarycare
