Virtual Urgent Care
Picture a rushed appointment: a doctor glancing at the clock, not really at you. Then, a referral that leaves you figuring out the next step on your own.
It's a familiar experience: 66% of U.S. adults say healthcare providers seem more rushed than they have in the past and only 59% of Americans said their medical professionals understand their health needs.
That gap between the care patients expects and the experience they often receive is exactly where CLS Health takes a different approach.
CLS Health began in 2005, when Dr. Baba and Dr. Dweik founded Clear Lake Pulmonary. That practice grew into what CLS Health is today: an independently owned, physician-led multispecialty medical group with more than 300 providers across 40+ specialties, providing primary and specialty care throughout the Greater Houston area.
So, what does “physician-led” actually change the care you get? Let's look at what that means in practice.
What's changed across healthcare – and why it matters
Across the country, the way physician practices are structured is changing. One sign of that broader shift is the decline in private practice: in 2012, 60.1% of U.S. physicians worked in private practice; by 2024, that number had fallen to 42.2%.
That shift raises an important question: who has a voice in the decisions that shape your care?
CLS Health takes a different approach. As a physician-led organization, physicians have a direct role in shaping how care is delivered. For patients, that means the physicians closest to their care remain part of the decisions that shape it.
Why physician voice matters
Being physician-led doesn't mean administrators, insurance requirements, or business considerations disappear. What changes is whose perspective is represented when decisions about care are made. At CLS Health, the physician-led model is designed to preserve physician autonomy while providing operational support, so the physicians treating patients remain part of the conversation about how care is delivered.
Physicians themselves say that voice matters. In fact, 64% of physicians said limits on their autonomy negatively affect the quality and timeliness of patient care, while 57% reported declines in patient satisfaction.
For patients, the point isn't physician autonomy for its own sake. It's what that autonomy helps protect: clinicians' ability to use their judgment, advocate for patients, and help shape care around clinical needs.
What this looks like in practice at CLS Health
- Connected, multispecialty care. With 40+ specialties across one organization, CLS can connect patients to primary and specialty care within the same network, making it easier to move from one stage of care to the next without navigating everything alone.
- Clinical perspective in leadership. Because CLS is physician-led, clinical experience remains part of the decisions that shape how care is organized and delivered, not separate from them.
- A patient-centered mission. Compassionate Care, Lifelong Learning, and Selfless Service are the values CLS uses to guide its approach to care – from how patients are treated to how the organization continues to grow.
Why this is worth knowing right now
If something about your healthcare is changing – a new insurance plan, a shift in coverage, or choosing a new provider – it's worth looking beyond premiums, deductibles, and who's in-network.
Choosing coverage is about more than the insurance company – it’s also about the physicians, specialists, and healthcare organizations your plan gives you access to.
Coming up: as open enrollment approaches, we will take a closer look at how insurance choices affect where and how you receive care.
Find Care That Fits Your Needs
With more than 300 providers across 40+ specialties in the Greater Houston area, CLS Health makes it easier to find primary and specialty care within a connected, physician-led network.
Find a CLS Health provider today or chat with Sally, our virtual assistant, to get matched with care that fits your needs.
