Today we’d like to introduce you to Julie Ricciardelli Vokrri.
Hi Julie, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Julie Ricciardelli Vokrri, MD – Founder, Vokrri Direct Primary Care
My journey in medicine began with a simple goal: to take excellent care of people. I trained in Internal Medicine and entered traditional healthcare with enthusiasm and a deep sense of purpose. But it didn’t take long for me to realize that the system was fundamentally broken. Fifteen-minute visits, endless paperwork, insurance interference, and production pressure made it nearly impossible to practice the kind of thoughtful, relationship-based medicine I was trained to deliver. I was spending more time on computers than with patients, and that never sat right with me.
I knew there had to be a better way. That’s when I discovered Direct Primary Care (DPC), a model that removes insurance from the exam room and restores the doctor-patient relationship. Patients pay a simple monthly membership, and in return they get direct access to their physician, longer visits, same-day or next-day appointments, and truly personalized care. No middlemen. No red tape. Just medicine the way it was meant to be.
Opening Vokrri Direct Primary Care in 2023 was a leap of faith, but also one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. I built the practice from the ground up with the vision of creating a place where patients are known by name, not by chart number. Where we can talk through concerns without watching the clock. Where prevention, education, and trust are the foundation. The growth has been organic and deeply rewarding. As more patients experience what healthcare should feel like, they tell their friends and family—and the practice continues to grow.
Today, I run a thriving DPC practice serving the Savannah and Pooler community, and I’ve expanded services to include medical weight loss and aesthetics, allowing me to care for patients in a more comprehensive, holistic way. I’ve also acquired an existing practice and successfully transitioned those patients into the DPC model, something I’m incredibly proud of, because it shows that people are ready for change.
I truly believe Direct Primary Care is the future of primary care. Patients are tired of rushed visits and confusing bills. Physicians are burned out. DPC solves both. It brings back autonomy for doctors and dignity for patients. It allows for better outcomes, stronger relationships, and a level of care that simply isn’t possible in the traditional system.
As a physician, business owner, wife, and mother of three, my time is precious, and so is my patients’. DPC allows me to practice medicine with integrity, balance, and joy. It’s not just a business model; it’s a movement. And I’m incredibly proud to be part of leading that change.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has definitely not been a smooth road—and honestly, that’s part of what makes it meaningful. Building a Direct Primary Care practice goes against the grain of traditional medicine, so there was no clear roadmap. I had to learn everything from scratch: business structure, pricing, marketing, onboarding systems, hiring, payroll, compliance, and patient education. Medical school prepares you to take care of patients, not to run a business, so there was a steep learning curve.
One of the biggest challenges was simply educating people on what Direct Primary Care is. Many patients had never heard of it before and were understandably skeptical. Explaining that they could have unlimited access to their doctor for a flat monthly fee, and that it was separate from insurance, took time, patience, and a lot of conversations. But once people experienced it, they quickly understood the value.
There were also financial risks. Opening a practice without relying on insurance reimbursement means betting on yourself and trusting that patients will see the value in a different model. In the early days, growth was slow and every new member mattered. I wore every hat, doctor, receptionist, biller, marketer, and janitor, often while raising young children. There were long days, late nights, and moments where I questioned whether I was doing the right thing.
Being a woman physician and entrepreneur came with its own set of challenges as well. You’re often underestimated, and you have to work twice as hard to be taken seriously in both medicine and business. Balancing leadership, motherhood, and ownership has required boundaries, resilience, and a lot of grit.
But every obstacle reinforced why I started. Each challenge pushed me to build smarter, lead stronger, and stay anchored in my mission. Looking back, the struggles were necessary. They shaped the practice, sharpened my vision, and made the success that much more rewarding.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Vokrri Direct Primary Care?
Vokrri Direct Primary Care is a membership-based medical practice designed to bring medicine back to what it should be: personal, accessible, and relationship-driven. By removing insurance from the exam room, I’m able to offer longer visits, same-day or next-day appointments, and direct access to me as the physician. Patients aren’t rushed, overlooked, or treated like numbers, they’re truly known and cared for.
I specialize in adult primary care, chronic disease management, women’s health, preventive care, and lifestyle medicine, with additional services in medical weight loss and aesthetics. This allows me to care for patients in a comprehensive, way, addressing both health and confidence.
What sets my practice apart is time, access, and trust. I maintain a smaller patient panel so I can provide highly individualized care. Patients can reach me directly, and I build real, long-term relationships with them. I’m most proud of the strong referral base and loyalty we’ve built, patients bring their families, coworkers, and friends, which speaks volumes about the experience we provide.
Vokrri Direct Primary Care is not concierge medicine, it’s practical, affordable, and designed for real life. We are redefining primary care in our community and proving that there is a better way to do medicine.
Risk taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
I don’t see myself as reckless, but I am very comfortable with calculated risk. To me, the biggest risk is staying in something that isn’t aligned with your values. Leaving the traditional healthcare system to start a Direct Primary Care practice was a major risk, financially, professionally, and personally. I walked away from the predictability of insurance-based medicine to build something entirely on my own, with no guarantees and no safety net. That’s not a small decision, especially with a family and a career you’ve worked hard to build.
Starting Vokrri Direct Primary Care meant betting on a model that many people didn’t understand at the time. It meant investing my own money, trusting that patients would see the value, and believing that I could build a sustainable business while still being an excellent physician. There were moments of real uncertainty—especially in the early days—but I never doubted the mission.
I’ve also taken risks by expanding services, acquiring an existing practice, and continuing to evolve the business rather than staying comfortable. Each of those decisions required stepping into the unknown, but they were guided by strategy, data, and vision, not impulse.
My perspective on risk is simple: growth requires discomfort. If you wait until something feels completely safe, you’ll likely never move. The key is being intentional, doing your homework, trusting your instincts, and being willing to back yourself. Every meaningful step in my career has involved risk, and every one of them has been worth it.
Pricing:
- 100 per month adults 18-64
- 120 per month adults 65+
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.vokrridpc.com
