Danielle Ello Cruto, DO, Brings a New Model of Primary Care to her Beloved Tri-Cities Hometown
A graduate of the PNWU College of Osteopathic Medicine’s (PNWU-COM’s) Class of 2018, Danielle Ello Cruto, DO credits her profound sense of purpose, commitment, and confidence to her Filipino-American culture. Her parents instilled faith, responsibility, and education as life-defining priorities. To this day, Dr. Ello Cruto credits those early lessons for her intrepid approach to changing the way healthcare is delivered in the community in which she grew up.
After graduating with a kinesiology degree from the University of Southern California, she craved a more personal post-graduate experience: a chance to come back home and pursue her medical dreams with her community by her side. An acceptance into PNWU-COM – where professors promoted open-door policies and class sizes were small enough that she could meet and get to know everyone – presented a perfect opportunity just over an hour from the Tri-Cities.
At PNWU, Dr. Ello Cruto served as Vice President of Academic Affairs, participated in several student clubs, played flag football, helped organize the University’s Run for Your Life 5K, tutored in pharmacology, got married, gave birth to her first child, and still managed to graduate with Sigma Sigma Phi honors. “I dove into my studies, for sure,” she said, “but I did my best to enjoy the experience every step of the way.”
A Struggle with the Traditional Healthcare Model
After graduating as Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine in 2018, Dr. Ello Cruto achieved her dream of returning home to the Tri-Cities, prepared to care for her beloved community.
For several years she worked in a traditional fee-for-service, insurance-based medical practice, regularly managing double- and triple-booked appointment slots, spinning in a whirlwind of all-too-brief patient interactions and feeling like she was doing a disservice to the primarily migrant worker, Spanish-speaking patient population she had the privilege of caring for.
This wasn’t the dream she had envisioned. There was a glaring gap between prevention and timely patient care. As an outspoken individual, she advocated tirelessly for her patients but was repeatedly advised to instead focus on being “more productive” and to keep her head down.
It infuriated her.
“My patients deserved more than 10 minutes of my time.”
“My patients deserved more than 10 minutes of my time,” she explained, emotion gripping her voice. For patients with symptoms such as chest pain, newly diagnosed and dangerously high A1C levels, or even postmenopausal vaginal bleeding requiring an endometrial biopsy, Dr. Ello Cruto regularly relinquished personal time, including dinners with her young family, to extend appointment times.
Burned out, she went into preterm labor with her fourth child during an especially busy clinic day.
“I needed to find a way to prioritize health and wellness over reactive treatments and procedures,” she remembers thinking. “A way to have quality time with my patients and a positive work/life balance.”
The Birth of Kasama Health and Direct Primary Care
Exploring her future, her new path became clear: “Direct Primary Care was the answer,” she said.
In 2024, Dr. Ello Cruto opened her own clinic, Kasama Health, in her Tri-Cities hometown. Meaning “Together” or “Companionship” in Filipino, the name “Kasama” highlights a space where personalized care is paramount.
Featuring a Direct Primary Care (DPC) model, which operates similarly to a gym membership, Dr. Ello Cruto’s patients pay a monthly fee covering most of their primary and urgent care needs. For example, labwork, annual exams, and pap smears are covered by each membership. This model aims to remove the insurance and corporate intermediaries that often stand between patients and providers, making primary care personable and accessible.
Beyond her wide-ranging medical expertise and passions, Kasama Health is defined by Dr. Ello Cruto’s commitment to personal connection. In fact, she provides every patient with her personal cell phone number, encouraging them to text or call her directly if they ever need anything.
A Vision for the Future of Healthcare
“I am humbled and amazed that my community has entrusted their health with me,” said Dr. Ello Cruto. “It’s a privilege to provide accessible, concierge-quality primary care for the community I grew up in.”
Before joining her clinic, many of Dr. Ello Cruto’s patients say they had waited six months or more to see a primary care physician elsewhere. At Kasama Health, patients are often astounded to find that they can see her in person the same or next day they join.
“Direct primary care has the potential to restore America’s trust in doctors,” Dr. Ello Cruto urged. “I can do an endometrial biopsy, remove a suspicious mole, manage your anxiety, and give you a workout plan without skipping a beat,” she explains. “It harkens back to the golden era when your family physician took care of your entire family, knew you by name and was easily reachable via phone.”
“Many physicians are moving out of the area due to burnout, and patients are suffering from a lack of adequate care from board certified physicians,” Dr. Ello Cruto said. “My patients get a cell phone number, no wait times, and house calls if needed. I have the unique ability to spend time with them, even if it takes an hour.” In addition, she states, “Because my hours are flexible and my panel size is purposely small, I am still able to attend my childrens’ swim practices and make it to dinner with my family.”
Going forward, Dr. Ello Cruto plans to grow her practice into a multidisciplinary space, employing additional physicians, physical therapists, personal trainers, and nutritionists. She also hopes to have a portion of her patient memberships fund charitable care, including opening access for those who may not otherwise be able to pay for her services.
“I aim for Kasama Health to be the one-stop shop for Tri-Citians, where they can learn about their health and truly put it into practice,” she said. “In this way, I hope to grow the Direct Primary Care movement, and help America’s primary care physicians take back medicine.”
Trusting the Journey
Reflecting on the decision to open her own practice, in her own hometown, Dr. Ello Cruto recites a favorite quote: “A bird doesn’t trust every branch it lands on, but trusts its ability to fly.”