Concierge Medical Care Is Growing In Popularity: What You Need To Know
Posted on: 14 October 2021
A growing number of primary care physicians are offering concierge medical services to their patients. Concierge medical services are membership-based healthcare services that allow you to have 24/7 access to your primary care physician and their staff members by paying a low monthly fee instead of paying for every individual trip to the doctor.
Read on to learn about just a few of the benefits of concierge medical services, also called direct primary care (DPC).
1. Save Money if You Visit Your PCP Often
The cost of a concierge medical practice membership is typically under $100 a month. Patients who visit their primary care providers (PCPs) just once every year or two may not find this membership fee cost-effective. However, if you have chronic health problems that lead to you visiting your PCP often, then you may find that you save money by paying this monthly membership fee instead of paying for each individual visit to your physician.
2. Obtain Same-Day Appointments When Needed
Like many other patients today, you may find that your current physician tends to be so busy when you develop a sudden illness or injury that you have difficulty obtaining a same-day appointment. You then must decide whether to visit an urgent care center and obtain treatment from a doctor you have never met or wait until your PCP has an available appointment in several days.
After you join a concierge medical practice, you can look forward to quick PCP access when necessary, because most DPC physicians pride themselves on offering same-day appointments when needed.
3. Get More Personalized Attention From Your Doctor
The average DPC doctor can give each patient much more personalized attention than a traditional PCP for several reasons.
First, since they have a much smaller patient roster than other PCPs, they simply have fewer patients they are responsible for caring for. In fact, the average concierge medical care practitioner only cares for about 600 patients, while primary care physicians who rely on traditional payment structures can care for up to 2,500 patients at any given time
In addition, DPC doctors tend to spend more time with patients during each visit; in fact, the average DPC physician's visit lasts about 35 minutes, while traditional PCPs tend to spend just 15 minutes with each patient during a visit. During the additional 20 minutes you spend with your doctor, they can perform more tests of your overall health and provide more treatment suggestions. In addition, they may notice the signs of an illness during this extra time that may have been overlooked if they were in a rush to complete the visit more quickly.
Concierge medical services are growing in popularity due to the many benefits they offer patients and physicians. Consider obtaining a DPC membership if you would like more personalized attention from your PCP for a low monthly fee. For more information, contact someone like Holly M Gilbert MD.
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