Jonathan McNamara had reached a point where he was avoiding healthcare altogether.
Not because he did not care about his health. Quite the opposite. Like many people, Jonathan had simply grown frustrated and discouraged by healthcare experiences that left him feeling rushed, anxious, and disconnected.
“Before PartnerMD, my healthcare was almost nonexistent,” he said. “I was avoiding healthcare.”
Appointments felt transactional. Conversations felt hurried. Instead of feeling supported, Jonathan often felt like he was being moved through a system that did not have time to truly understand what he was experiencing.
“My previous primary care physician, you could just see the amount of patients they were dealing with day-to-day,” Jonathan said. “When you were at the physician’s office, your appointments were really quick.”
For Jonathan, the issue was not simply shorter appointments or longer wait times. It was feeling unable to fully discuss the things that mattered most, including his concerns, fears, anxieties, and the bigger picture of his health.
“It was addressing a symptom or addressing an illness,” he said. “There wasn’t really the time to get into the deeper levels of what I was experiencing.”
Looking for Something Different
That began to change when he found PartnerMD and Dr. Gordon Pace in Richmond.
Jonathan had heard positive things about the practice through friends and others in the Richmond community. What stood out most was the way people described feeling cared for and prioritized.
Once he joined the practice, he immediately noticed the difference.
“The biggest difference for me in terms of what the experience has been like here at PartnerMD versus previous experiences is the time that they give you to spend with your doctor,” he said.
But for Jonathan, one moment in particular changed everything.
“The moment where I was like, ‘Wow, I’m so happy to be a part of this practice,’ was my first experience with Dr. Pace,” he recalled.
Instead of rushing into vitals, symptoms, or checklists, Dr. Pace simply sat down and started a conversation.
“He just sat down and kind of turned his chair around and had a conversation with me,” Jonathan said. “That was so refreshing.”
For the first time in a long time, Jonathan felt like he was being treated as a person, not just a patient.
“I’ve never had that experience with somebody like Dr. Pace, who seemed genuinely interested in my family and my background and my history,” he said.
That interaction immediately changed the emotional tone of healthcare for him.
“First of all, it relieved the anxiety and stress around the appointment,” Jonathan said. “But I think it also gave him valuable information that helps drive better decision-making and helps drive a better experience for both him and me as a patient.”
That sense of partnership became one of the defining aspects of Jonathan’s experience at PartnerMD.
“Being able to not feel rushed, being able to have a real conversation about what you’re experiencing, what are your concerns, your fears or anxieties, just allows for a better two-way approach to finding better outcomes,” he said.
Instead of avoiding appointments, Jonathan began feeling motivated to engage with his health again.
“Having a relationship with a physician and a practice like PartnerMD is getting me into the game in terms of making better decisions about my health,” he said.
For someone who once avoided healthcare entirely, that transformation has been profound.
Jonathan also credits the overall environment at PartnerMD for helping reduce the stress and anxiety he previously associated with medical care.
“The front desk staff is incredibly kind,” he said. “They make you feel welcome when you come in here.”
Even the physical environment helped reshape his perception of what healthcare could feel like.
“The physical space itself doesn’t feel like a doctor’s office,” Jonathan said. “Especially for somebody who’s got a little bit of health anxiety, coming into a space that feels more comfortable and more uplifting is really positive.”
Today, Jonathan sees healthcare differently than he once did. What once felt intimidating and discouraging now feels collaborative and empowering.
"Now I’m invested in my success and invested in my outcomes because I have a partner who’s standing alongside me, who has the time to give me the attention and the focus that I deserve as a patient.”
That partnership has given him something he feels he was missing for years: a genuine opportunity to take ownership of his health and future.
“PartnerMD has given me a chance to be healthy,” Jonathan said. “I feel like I’ve never had that before, and that’s really a gift that I can’t overstate that this practice has provided me.”
If Jonathan’s story resonates with you and you are ready for a more personal, relationship-based approach to healthcare, complete our form to schedule a time to talk with a PartnerMD team member about membership and concierge care.