Our Story
I am originally from Virginia, and my husband, Chris, a retired Navy veteran, is from Alabama. We found our way to Waco after falling in love with its small-town charm while still having easy access to larger cities. What convinced us to stay, however, was the community itself. The warmth, resilience, positive energy, and genuine sense of togetherness made Waco feel like home.
We're not here simply to open a clinic. We're here to put down roots, grow alongside this community, and build a practice that Waco is proud to call its own.
After years of practicing in the traditional insurance-based healthcare system, I found myself becoming increasingly discouraged, even considering leaving medicine altogether. I didn't become a physician to spend nearly half of my time completing administrative tasks driven by insurance requirements and metrics established by people without a medical background. The constant pressure to see more patients also left less time for what mattered most: caring for the people who trusted me with their health.
I realized that to truly help my patients, we both needed something the traditional model couldn't provide--time. We needed enough time to be able to listen, ask questions, fully counsel and ensure understanding of the complete treatment plan we created together. The kind of medicine I wanted to practice simply didn't fit within the constraints of an insurance-based system.
That's why I became passionate about Direct Primary Care.
The Direct Primary Care model allows me to practice medicine the way I believe it should be practiced. It gives me the freedom to focus on patients instead of paperwork, to build meaningful relationships, and to provide the thoughtful, personalized care every patient deserves. I want to care for my patients the same way I would want my own family to be cared for by their physician.
While I focus on caring for our patients, Chris makes it all possible behind the scenes. With his business background, he manages the operational side of our practice so I can devote my full attention to medicine. Together, we built Direct Access Primary Care, and we're incredibly proud of what it represents.
Our dream is simple. We want to build more than a medical practice. We want to create a community where every patient feels known, valued, and genuinely cared for every time they walk through our doors. We want to provide healthcare without unnecessary barriers, giving patients direct access to their physician and the time they deserve.
This is our passion project, our purpose, and our commitment to the Waco community.
Thank you for visiting our website. We can't wait to welcome you and your family.
Krystle & Chris Bates
Direct Access Primary Care
Direct Access. Real Care. Better Health.
Meet Your Doctor
Krystle Bates, M.D.
Physician & Owner
I'm Krystle, a board-certified Family Medicine physician and the heart behind Direct Access Primary Care in Waco, Texas.
I earned my medical degree from Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine in 2015 and completed my Family Medicine residency at Riverside Regional Medical Center in 2018. After residency, I practiced with Baylor Scott & White until the summer of 2026, when I made the decision to leave the traditional insurance-based model and open Direct Access Primary Care.
Throughout my career, I've developed a special passion for preventive care, palliative care, and geriatrics. To me, family medicine is about caring for people through every stage of life--from helping patients stay healthy to walking alongside them during life's most difficult moments.
I'm a proud member of the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American Geriatrics Society, and the Direct Primary Care Alliance.
My decision to embrace Direct Primary Care wasn't made overnight. If you've explored this website, you've already read about many of the reasons behind it. At the heart of that decision is my commitment to advocating for my patients. I care deeply about doing what's right for the people who trust me with their healthcare, and I become especially passionate when I see unnecessary barriers or injustices that stand between patients and the care they deserve. I believe medicine should always put people before paperwork, relationships before rushed appointments, and quality before quantity.
Outside the office, you'll usually find me cooking, working out, dancing, or enjoying a ride on my motorcycle. I love exploring new places, trying new foods, and spending time with my family and our sweet pets.
It would be an honor to be part of your healthcare journey. My goal is to provide accessible, personalized care centered around you, your goals, and your unique needs. I look forward to getting to know you and helping you live your healthiest life.
Meet the Other Half
Chris Bates
Clinic Director
Hi, I'm Chris, a Navy veteran born and raised in Alabama. While stationed in Virginia, I met Krystle, and that's where my story really begins. When it came time for us to settle down, we joked that we threw a dart at a map, and Waco is where it landed. Looking back, it might be the best decision we ever made.
I was medically retired from the Navy in 2018, and I knew I wanted to build something of my own, I just didn't know what yet. That search led me back to school, first at McLennan Community College and then at Baylor University, where I studied Entrepreneurship & Corporate Innovation.
Around that same time, I kept watching Krystle come home exhausted and worn down, not from caring for her patients, but from everything standing in the way of it: insurance paperwork, rushed visits, a system that valued volume over people. I started floating the idea of us opening our own practice. It took a few years of convincing, but as Krystle's burnout deepened, we both knew it was time. That's how Direct Access Primary Care was born.
While Krystle focuses on patient care, I handle the business side of the practice. My role is to make sure everything runs smoothly so our patients have a simple, hassle-free experience from the moment they join. I take care of scheduling, billing, marketing, and all the behind-the-scenes work so Krystle can spend her time doing what she does best: taking care of you.
Together, we are proud to call Waco home, and even prouder to serve this community with the kind of care we believe everyone deserves.
Contact Us
Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions. We would be happy to help!
Direct Access Primary Care
711 Melrose Dr.
Waco, Tx 76710
254-647-6031
Office Hours
Hours listed are tentative and still being decided. We would love input from our members!
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
7:00 am – 4:00 pm
10:00 am – 7:00 pm
7:00 am – 4:00 pm
10:00 am – 7:00 pm
7:00 am – 4:00 pm
After-hours Access Offered to Members