As you may know, October 2024 marks the 10 year anniversary of Siskiyou Vital Medicine. What you may not know however, is how we got here in the first place.

The old Siskiyou Vital Medicine Sign

How it all began

One decade ago, in the fall of 2014, the Duncans uprooted their family and moved from the cold and wet Emerald City to our beautiful, hot and dry Rogue Valley. Dr. D had just finished his studies at Bastyr University, when he and his wife Sandra had the vision of a different healthcare system, healthcare unbound by the strict and often irrational rules and regulations that the insurance industry dictated – affordable care that actually helped people heal.

Frustrating Experiences

This vision did not come out of nowhere. McClane had injured his back when in medical school and was in excruciating pain every day for 2 long years, searching for a treatment that would give him relief. He went to many physicians that accepted his insurance, tried everything under the sun, but got blocked from successful treatments again and again by obstacles his health insurance put up every step of the way. The medications he managed to get didn’t seem to touch the pain but rather leave him with unwanted side effects.

And it wasn’t just that. Many doctors he visited didn’t even seem to listen, or care about his predicament. Needless to say he and his family had some very frustrating experiences!

Becoming a doctor himself, McClane saw firsthand what he didn’t want to do to his own future patients.

Finding Relief

When he finally found a doctor that could help him, who listened to his concerns, explained everything he did and why he did it, McClane was sure. This was exactly the way he wanted to treat patients, this was the kindness he wanted to pass on!

Compassionate care at Siskiyou Vital Medicine

So, in October 2014, McClane, Sandra, and two other graduates of Bastyr University teamed up, found a nice spot in Medford, and opened the doors to Siskiyou Vital Medicine for the first time.

How We Are Different

This clinic is like no other. When it opened, it was the very first Naturopathic Direct Primary Care clinic in the entire US! Offering affordable quality medicine to our patients was – and still is – the foremost goal of Siskiyou Vital Medicine. Within the Direct Primary Care business model, doctors have more time with their patients, time that is spent listening to find out what their real needs are. Time that is spent addressing any fears. And time that is spent finding the best solutions and teaching the patient whatever they need to know or change to find their way back to vibrant health.

As a member, you are here with us on the cutting edge of developing a new healthcare model!

A Bright Future Ahead