Business Spotlight: Unbound Direct Health
When Dr. Sara Allen moved to Arvada in 2023, it wasn’t her first time living on the Front Range. “I lived in Lakewood and Louisville from 2004 to 2009, when my kids were little. This time, it felt like coming back home,” Dr. Allen says. “I’m part of the Arvada Runners running club, I live near my best friend, and I’m benefitting from deep and meaningful relationships here.”
The connection she felt to the community was instant and profound. But the longtime family doctor soon noticed something else about the area.
“I can see that the community is being done a disservice by healthcare. As an invested member of this community, I have a service I can offer.”
The challenge
Earlier in her career, Dr. Allen worked the full spectrum of family medicine in a Level I trauma center. Her experience there gave her a comprehensive understanding of medical care, what she can provide, and what is better left to specialists. She says her time in corporate healthcare was valuable, but it revealed some challenges that chafe against her desire for human connection.
“That environment incentivized fast visits and referrals to specialists in other practices. There isn’t a focus on building one-on-one relationships with patients to truly help them heal,” she explains.
After working for years as an owner and shareholder of a practice in Ohio, Dr. Allen set her sights on a different healthcare model when she returned to Colorado: Direct Primary Care. This membership-based healthcare model gives patients access to unlimited office visits and urgent care without the need for insurance (though it can be used with insurance, with membership fees going toward your deductible). “It gives me the space to educate patients and provide better continuity of care,” says Dr. Allen.
Dr. Allen says Direct Primary Care also gives her the space to get to know her patients and their unique needs. As a single mom to two queer kids, she says that speaks directly to her personal values. “I’m open minded. I want patients to be able to tell me what’s really happening, without fear of judgment, so we can get to the root of the problem,” she explains.
The solution
When it came time to open Unbound Direct Health in Arvada, the choice of where to set up shop was easy. “I wanted to practice in the community where I live,” she says. “I joined the Greater Arvada Chamber of Commerce, and I’ve been in touch with AEDA since getting started as a way to be connected to the City, any resources they might have, and guidance on identifying people who may need my services.”
Dr. Allen puts in more than a full week’s worth as her practice grows, but she still has time to respond to after-hours questions from her patients and help out at a clinic for underserved patients in Aurora every Tuesday. “I’m able to live my passion, and I am motivated in this practice to keep you well. I feel lucky to do this work.”
Unbound Direct Health is a holistic family medical practice and is open to new patients for primary care. It’s located at 7850 Vance Drive, Suite 110. Read more on the Unbound website.
