Timothy J Murray MD

Dr. Timothy J. Murray was exposed to the brokenness of our health and healthcare system within the first few years of his career in private practice anesthesiology, which started in 2008.

Murray knew healthcare bills were the No. 1 cause of bankruptcy in this country, and at the same time, he recognized obesity as the pandemic of our time, leading to the majority of those unnecessary healthcare issues and bills. His passion to educate and help anyone to learn how to control not only their own health but also the associated costs led him to found Solstice Health in 2012 as a paradigm shift for how to deliver healthcare.

Launching a successful business takes more than a great concept, though. Leadership is crucial as well. “To be a good leader, you must know how to follow and serve those you lead,” Murray said. “Allowing enough autonomy within a business for otherwise trivial mistakes cultivates the judgment and confidence to avoid serious failures. My parents have been the epitome of biblical servant leadership my entire life. When I began Solstice Health, I had two of the best examples from which to draw leadership skills. They deserve any recognition I may receive.”

Murray developed a program within his clinics that focused on health prevention and wellness and allowed these same patients to protect their financial health. Solstice Health was the first successful direct primary care (DPC) clinic in the state of Wisconsin. DPC is not insurance, but rather an age-based, monthly membership primary care service with unlimited visits, no copays and no deductibles.

By eliminating insurance, Solstice Health is available when care is needed, allowing for same-day or next-day appointments as well as phone, email or virtual visits.

Members also have access to wholesale labs, imaging and pharmaceuticals with often more than 80% to 90% savings when compared to local hospitals and healthcare groups. For $2 per day, Murray has provided a new approach for individuals, families and businesses to obtain better healthcare and control at a cost-effective, transparent price that they can easily afford.

In 2021, Solstice Health began offering limited direct surgical care, without the burden and bureaucracy of insurance, at rates that are often 70% to 80% lower than any local hospital. Less than a year later, Murray developed an ambulatory surgery center to enhance these services within a new Solstice Health clinic in Milwaukee.

“For individuals who have high deductibles or are uninsured, self-funded companies, or anyone simply looking for better care with the same surgeons and anesthesiologists they would have at local hospitals, they can now simply look up the surgery they need on the Solstice Health website and they will see their all-in cost with surgeon, anesthesiologist and facility fees with no surprise bills,” the company said.