The idea of concierge medicine was put forward so that physicians can devote more time to patients, meaning that there will be fewer patients to a  Doctor allowing efficient consult and followup. So far, concierge medicine has grown vastly over the years, and many doctors are really turning to it, while many individuals are also showing interest. The modern practice has been flooded with too much insurance paperwork, but Concierge medicine will make the physician more committed and involved with the patient without bothering about getting the paperwork done.

What is Concierge Medicine?

Concierge Medicine is a practice whereby doctors provide medical care to patients, generally providing 24hours services 7days-a-week access, a cell phone number to connect directly with the doctor, have appointments on the same day, visits that last as long as it takes to address the issues, and many other services.

Benefits of Concierge Medicine

Concierge doctors can be more focused on preventive care: Usually, when doctors spend more time with a patient, they are able to pay more attention to their counsel and care plans on prevention of a particular illness or disease.

High-quality time and better care: Think about making an appointment with a doctor. Under normal circumstances, one would be making an appointment when sick or need a prescription refill and the protocol of making the appointment weeks in advance. After much thought, why bother paying co-payments and going through the stress of scheduling an appointment, weeks in advance when there is a solution?

Concierge medicine doctors usually have fewer patients, so they can see their patients more often and providing quality assessments. Concierge medicine develops patient interaction.

Concierge doctors are more available: Concierge medicine is the best way to make sure that one’s doctor can administer treatment promptly. Making sure that they are available to answer health questions and also guarantee same or next-day appointments.

Concierge medicine is affordable: Seeing that a concierge doctor actually focuses on fewer patients than a traditional doctor, they have better insight into each patient’s health and can really focus on preventive care. Also, traditional doctors do not have a lot of time to spend with patients, they may have to order for more procedures and tests before they get to the diagnosis. Moreover, what else is expected from these additional treatments if not an increased cost?

Concierge medicine produces intensified outcomes:  As the ultimate outcome of every visit to a doctor is for a better and healthier life, concierge medicine is able to achieve this by, reducing the amount of urgent clinic care and ER visits. This helps in improving the overall health of patients, reducing inpatient admissions and positive impact on health care expenditures.

 

 

Disadvantages of Concierge Medicine

The Best Arrangements Are Expensive: If a patient wants a direct primary care provider who has only but a few patients, available 24hours a day 7days a week, one may still incur a high cost. However, it will be worth every coin as Concierge doctors are willing to more or less serve as a personal health coach, so patients should be willing to pay handsomely for it – roughly around $10,000 or more yearly, in addition to any other amount of pocket expenses that are not covered by the retainer.

Unrealistic Patients Expectations: direct primary care patients in some cases expect closer doctor-patient relationships and access to impractical health outcomes. There’s a reasonable case to be made that because they do not feel like cogs in an impersonal healthcare system’s wheel, concierge patients are more likely to listen to their doctor’s advice and opt for better and healthier lifestyle choices, which can then lead to positive long-term outcomes. However, concierge physicians cannot simply wave a magic wand and change unfavorable genetics, years of bad health decisions, or a simple case of bad luck.

Concierge Coverage is not so Common in Many Areas: Even though more primary care providers are coming on board every year, concierge medicine is still niche bound. The traditional insurance-based primary care remains the norm in most countries like the U.S. This means that patients in some areas, mainly rural areas that are already medically underserved are likely to have trouble connecting with providers of this service that fit into their budget and care preferences.

 

 

Concierge Medicine and Health Insurance

Insurance companies do not pay for concierge services; the retainer fee is paid out of the patient’s pocket. Although it is not hard to imagine why insurance companies would not mind the idea, concierge physicians report fewer payouts, decreased hospital admissions, and improved care to prevent chronic conditions like hypertension, high cholesterol, and diabetes, which are quite expensive to treat. Insurance may cater for outside lab tests, X-rays, visits to specialists and hospital admissions.

What does a Concierge Doctor do?

A Concierge Doctor provides medical education, guidance, and services. Essentially, the doctor becomes a trusted friend, advocate and stand fully prepared to help the patients go through the complicated healthcare system with ease. In the event of an emergency, hospital care is very closely monitored, and specialists are often personally briefed and debriefed by the concierge doctor on behalf of the patients.

Concierge Doctor Near Me

The internet is also very much available; make sure to carry out proper research before trusting any online medical practitioner. Even as concierge medicine changes the face of the healthcare industry, but also efficient solutions are doing the same for other industries. In fact, concierge medicine is an example of a much more comprehensive economic shift that has been made possible by dramatic technological changes.

 

 

Demand service of the sort available through concierge medicine applications and arrangements is now being made available in virtually every economic niche. Amazon and other online retailers offer the same day or even an hour delivery of almost anything one could want. Ridesharing applications like Uber and others put personal drivers at one’s doorstep in minutes. Automated investment platforms employ high technology algorithms to achieve returns comparable to the average human advisors at a fraction of the cost.

Surprisingly, future innovations promise to render these new exciting solutions old fashion before long. For those without a conferred interest in old amateur ways of getting things done, the future thus looks very bright indeed. So, the choice is open to the patient what’s right for the patient? Those who use concierge doctors have testified that they are happy with their choice, so it comes down to whether the patient is willing to spend more on health care for that extra attention or not.

 

References

Benefits of Concierge Medicine | Signature Medicine. (2010). Retrieved from http://www.signaturemedicinemd.com/concierge/benefits-of-concierge-medicine

Concierge Medicine: 5 Powerful Patient Benefits – LifeScape Concierge Medical Practice. (2017). Retrieved from https://www.lifescapepremier.com/concierge-medicine-benefits/

Luciano, L. (2012). The Pros and Cons of Concierge Care – Next Avenue. Retrieved from https://www.nextavenue.org/pros-and-cons-concierge-care/

Martucci, B. (2017). What Is Concierge Medicine (Direct Primary Care) – Pros & Cons. Retrieved from https://www.moneycrashers.com/concierge-medicine-direct-primary-care/

Simon, N. (2013). Concierge Medicine – Is a Boutique Doctor Right for You. Retrieved from https://www.aarp.org/health/healthy-living/info-01-2013/boutique-doctors.html

The History and Transition of Concierge Medicine: Where is it now? – Elevate, Inc. (2016). Retrieved from https://www.elevate-inc.com/history-transition-concierge-medicine-now/

The Pros & Cons of Concierge Medicine. (2014). Retrieved from http://www.thehealthjournals.com/concierge-medicine/

What is Concierge Medicine? [Updated, 2018]. (2018). Retrieved from https://conciergemedicinetoday.org/what-is-concierge-medicine-concierge-medicine-definition-concierge-medicine-defined/