Concierge Medicine is a solution to long waiting times and crowded waiting rooms. According to CNBC (December 12, 2012) there are approximately 4000 such practices in the US now, with 1000 having been added in 2012. The most common specialty is Internal Medicine.
Concierge practices differ in that the patients pay an affordable monthly fee ($100) in exchange for an expanded and more personal range of services. Most insurance plans and Medicare are accepted and the monthly fees cover all out of pocket expenses for services delivered by the Practice.
In addition, Primary Care services are more personalized because the patient panel is smaller – 500 patients versus 2000 for the typical primary care practice. This enables the Patient-Physician team to focus on long-term wellness and prevention rather than just episodic acute care.
Direct communication with the physician is facilitated by secure, HIPAA-compliant email and when necessary, two-way secure video conferencing.
Health records and billing are completely electronic, secure and available 24/7 through a convenient member portal. New prescriptions and refills can be submitted to your pharmacy electronically and available for pickup at your convenience.