About Me
Medicine the way it should be.
I started Northward Health because I wanted to practice medicine in a way that felt right — more time with patients, more direct relationships, and engaged care.
Meet Your Provider
Dr. Elisabeth Lawler, MD
Board-Certified Family Medicine · Direct Primary Care Physician
I have spent more than a decade as a family medicine physician, and I have loved most of it. Over time, though, I felt the pull of a system that makes genuine presence harder — the kind of presence that lets you think carefully, sit with someone long enough, and actually understand what is going on.
Too much of modern primary care is shaped by insurance requirements, billing cycles, and administrative overhead that have little to do with patient care. Direct primary care removes those barriers. Without a third party between me and my patients, I can focus on what actually matters — the relationship, the conversation, and the care itself.
I also helped close family members navigate complex medical situations and felt firsthand how isolating fragmented, confusing care can be. That experience stayed with me.
Direct primary care lets me practice the way I have always wanted to — with a small panel, real availability, and the kind of continuity that makes a difference over time. I keep this practice intentionally small so I can be genuinely present for every person in it.
Outside of medicine, my two daughters keep me busy, and I try to spend as much time outdoors as possible. The Pacific Northwest is a pretty good place for that.
What to Expect
Primary care — and only primary care.
Northward Health covers the full scope of primary care — preventive visits, chronic disease management, acute and urgent concerns, mental health support within primary care, and care coordination. For most everyday health needs, I'm your first call.
What I can't replace: hospitalizations, emergency care, surgeries, and specialist visits fall outside primary care and aren't covered by your membership. I still encourage patients to carry some form of insurance or coverage for those situations. DPC isn't a substitute for that — it's a better way to handle everything that comes before it.
When you do need a specialist or hospital care, I'll help coordinate and make sure you're not navigating it alone.
I'd love to meet you.
If this sounds like the kind of care you've been looking for, reach out. I'm happy to answer questions and talk through whether Northward Health is a good fit.