Case Study
Empower Wellness DPC
Dr. Stehling — Ukiah, California
Freedom Practice System™ — Pro Tier
May 2024 – February 2026 · 22 Months
Total Leads
New Enrollments
Conversion Rate
Return on Investment
The Story
Dr. Stehling didn't convert an existing fee-for-service practice. She didn't walk in with a built-in patient base or an established referral network. When she launched Empower Wellness DPC in Ukiah, California, she started from zero — a true greenfield DPC launch.
Starting from scratch is widely considered the hardest path in direct primary care. There's no day-one revenue, no guaranteed patients, and no safety net. Every single enrollment has to be earned.
Starting Patient Panel
Members Enrolled
Despite these odds, Dr. Stehling adopted the Freedom Practice System™ at the Pro tier — the highest level of operational infrastructure, where 90% of practice operations are handled so the physician focuses entirely on clinical care.
862 calls. 202 texts. 281 emails. 236 meet-and-greets.
All by our team — so she never had to.
Starting from zero, with no safety net, Dr. Stehling committed to executing the Freedom Practice System™ exactly as designed — and the results demonstrate what happens when a physician stays the course and trusts the process.
What We Handled
Dr. Stehling adopted the Pro tier — 90% of practice operations handled by Freedom Healthworks. Here's exactly what that looked like.
Growth Engine
We filled the pipeline — she never had to market herself.
- 455 total leads generated over 22 months
- Online search drove 162 leads (#1 channel)
- Social media, events, and referral campaigns activated
- Local visibility in Ukiah market established from scratch
Patient Sales
We handled every call — she focused on medicine.
- 862 calls managed (486 outbound, 343 inbound)
- 202 texts and 281 emails sent to leads
- 236 meet-and-greets scheduled and coordinated
- 42.4% lead-to-enrollment conversion rate — nearly 2× industry average
Operations
We ran the back office — she worked 3–4 days a week.
- Chart prep, fax processing, and document management
- Appointment scheduling & patient reminders
- Referral coordination & prescription refill routing
- Enabled Fridays off since day one of launch
Intelligence
We tracked every metric — she made informed decisions.
- Pricing optimization benchmarked against network data
- Panel size & retention analytics monitored monthly
- Competitive positioning in the Ukiah market
- Breakeven tracking & financial performance reviews
Program Performance
May 2024 – February 2026
Lead Sources
455 total leads by referral source
Call Performance
862 total calls · 343 inbound · 486 outbound
Customer Journey
From first inquiry to enrolled member.
Leads
generated
Meet & Greets
scheduled
Enrolled
42.4% conversion
How We Moved Them Through
Every call, text, and email handled by the Freedom Healthworks team.
Calls
486 outbound · 343 inbound
Texts
sent to leads
Emails
sent to leads
1,345 total touchpoints between lead and enrollment
Marketing ROI
Return on Marketing Investment
Based on $2,150/month marketing investment over 22 months. Because DPC memberships are recurring revenue, this ROI compounds over time.
Her Actual Schedule
Dr. Stehling works 3–4 days per week, averages 15–19 hours of patient appointments at steady state, and has taken every Friday off since launch. No evenings. No weekends. Appointments end by 5:30 PM.
3–4
days per week in clinic
Mon–Thu, recently Mon/Tue/Thu
~16
hrs/week in appointments
at steady-state panel
Fridays
off every single week
since day one
Clinical Hours Ramp-Up
Just getting started
Hitting her stride
Peak clinical load
Mature panel, efficient visits
Appointment Types & Durations
Meet & Greet
15–30 min
Prospective patient intro
Initial Visit
60–75 min
Deep-dive new patient visit
Follow-Up
30–60 min
Ongoing care & check-ins
193 patients. Four days a week. No burnout. That's what the Freedom Practice System™ makes possible.
90% Us. 10% Her.
The Pro tier exists so physicians can focus entirely on clinical care. Here's how the work was split.
Freedom Healthworks — 90%
- Lead generation & growth campaigns
- 862 patient sales calls
- 202 texts & 281 emails to leads
- 236 meet-and-greets scheduled
- Follow-up sequences & coordination
- Chart prep & fax processing
- Appointment reminders & referral management
- Pricing optimization & monthly reporting
Dr. Stehling — 10%
- See patients 3–4 days per week
- 60–75 minute initial visits
- Build deep patient relationships
- Clinical decision-making
Fridays off since day one.
No evenings. No weekends.
Key Outcomes
Leads Generated
Calls Managed
Texts & Emails Sent
Meet & Greets
Patients Enrolled
% Conversion Rate
Key Takeaway
When physicians adopt the Freedom Practice System™ and stay committed to the process, they can build:
Empower Wellness demonstrates exactly what is possible. Dr. Stehling achieved these results on the Pro tier — the most comprehensive configuration in the system.