Patient FAQs

What is an Independent Physician (Provider) Association or IPA?

An IPA is an Arizona medical professional entity representing an association of independent practitioners and providers who want to keep themselves away from the politics and the demands of hospital-owned healthcare facilities and the denial of care practices dictated by insurance companies. Physician-owned and led IPAs focus on the quality of care and the outcomes of the patients. These physicians want to practice as taught in Medical School and not alter care by insurance company dictates. They are more inclined to provide tailored care to the patients in need with the best medical practices that provide a higher quality of care. Azure provides the highest latitude for a Physician in caring for his patients alongside technologically advanced facilities with superior procedure offerings. We allow providers the ability and freedom to practice medicine, giving them the best possible outcome.

Is this an HMO or a PPO?

Azure is an EPO or Exclusive Provider Organization. Unlike Arizona HMOs and PPOs (which often are silent HMOs, limiting care to only those physicians that are part of that network), EPOs contract with just the highest rated Providers in a defined geographic area and refer all patients for that specialty to those elite providers. The result of only utilizing the best providers is an enhanced working relationship between the IPA, its Medical Executive members, Medical Director, and the contracted Provider to aid in healing the patient.

Why is it better to use the IPA versus finding providers on my own?

We select the best providers based on databases that consumers cannot access that are used for credentialling physicians into hospitals, insurance, and other patient care organizations. The physicians in an IPA are all contracted based on being the best in the area for their specialty. They are continuously monitored and reviewed to ensure the highest delivery of care. On the other hand, when people search for the best providers, they are often influenced by paid-for reviews and automated scoring systems that have no link to reality. Often the physicians that spend the most on advertising look to be the best choices when in fact, this is not a suitable methodology for finding a new provider. Often those prolific advertisers providers are backed or owned by large corporations and equity funds that are profit-driven, not patient-centric. Let’s face it; it is very difficult to know which providers are concerned about you as a person and that will provide the best of care. Azure spends months analyzing the providers it recruits to ensure that our providers will thrive in our culture of patient first. Our Providers can access all the providers caring for you to coordinate your care. Interestingly, accountable care and coordination between providers have been a government focus that has unfortunately failed where the private sector has prevailed. The IPA adds many benefits that your normal insurance cannot. We look at the whole body, understanding the connection between mental, behavioral, cognitive, and physicality. Our IPA Physicians also have access to technology that other networks do not. It is a sad tenant of the current hospital and insurance world that patients are sometimes prevented from receiving the correct care and technologies they need due to cost or other payor limitations.

How do I make sure that I am in this network?

How do Providers know that I am with the IPA?

As a Member, you will receive an Azure Membership card bearing your photo and with all the information for the Provider to see you and access your records. In addition, your Provider can then schedule your other appointments while in that office, so you do not have to undergo the normal back and forth.

Can I go to Providers that are not in the network?

If you have a provider who you like, we would like to hear from you. In most cases we can add providers unless it is not within your treatment pathway, timely for your care, or that provider does not pass our strict guidelines for membership.

Do you have transportation services available?

Depending on your insurance and the laws surrounding that insurance plan, we can often provide you with transportation to your appointments and back.

Do you have translation services for me?

Most of our providers already have translation available, but in the cases where your language is not accommodated, we can assist!