In the US, 7% of adults had already started using concierge medicine by 2020. This number is on the rise. What makes them prefer concierge care to standard primary care? What are the primary advantages they will experience?
Concierge medicine, often referred to as boutique or retainer medicine, is a highly individualized, patient-centered, and preventive approach to healthcare.
In contrast to conventional healthcare models, patient churn is not given priority in concierge medicine. Rather, it concentrates on providing patients with genuinely excellent treatment. Doctors are assigned fewer patients per day, giving them the space to truly diagnose underlying issues rather than simply heal symptoms.
This blog will explain everything there is to know about concierge medicine, highlight its advantages over standard primary care, and give you all the details.
What is concierge medicine and how does it work?
Concierge medicine is a somewhat new healthcare model that doesn’t focus on serving as many patients as possible in a single day. Instead of that, they put the emphasis on healing patients and delivering preventive healthcare.
Patients who want to be treated at concierge clinics need to pay a fee or retainer. This charge covers the cost of doctors being available to see patients 24/7 and scheduling longer appointments with each one.
Overall, concierge medicine goes beyond the usual set of services available at primary care clinics and gives patients the ability to be in direct communication with their physicians anywhere, anytime.
At the end of the day, patients get a treatment plan that is made according to their medical background with concierge care.
How is concierge healthcare different from traditional primary care?
In traditional primary care clinics, doctors usually handle a huge panel of patients. This makes them unable to spend more than makes them unable to spend more than a given time-window with each individual. In other words, having more patients means having to hold short appointments that barely scratch the surface.
Looking at the other side of the coin, we have concierge care where doctors handle a much smaller patient load. This gives them the freedom to deliver more in-depth and personalized care to each patient they see in a day.
Patients with chronic conditions usually benefit greatly from the 24/7 accessibility of concierge care.
In comparison to traditional primary care, concierge care puts preventive care under the spotlight. With this philosophy, potential illnesses can be detected before they turn into serious issues.
This proactive rather than reactive approach to medicine is a huge gap between traditional primary care and concierge medicine. And this is only the tip of the iceberg in terms of the benefits patients experience with concierge care.
Benefits of concierge medicine for patients
Patients who are ready to pay retainer fees of thousands of dollars to switch from traditional to concierge clinics get tons of benefits in return. Imagine 24/7 access to doctors through telemedicine and even a personalized medical kit. It’s a win-win.
The list goes on and on, but we’ve compiled the top benefits to show you a trailer of what concierge medicine can offer to its patients.
1. Personalized care
One of the biggest advantages patients get when using concierge medicine is a highly personalized level of care.
When doctors get to treat around 10 patients instead of 20-30 patients a day, they become able to dedicate more time and mental space to each person. As a result, each of the 10 patients gets a longer appointment during which the doctor can truly understand the person’s medical history, lifestyle, etc.
Treatment plans are tailored to the individual, giving the patient a truly enhanced quality of care. On top of all that, doctors and patients spend enough time together to be able to build a strong, trusting relationship.
In a nutshell, healthcare stops being a one-size-fits-all solution but rather a tailored wellness journey.
2. (24/7) access and convenience
Concierge practices usually use different telemedicine solutions that allow patients to contact their doctors through phone, email, and text. And not only during working times. We can all agree that primary care lacks this 24/7 access to high quality medical attention.
So, convenience and accessibility are huge benefits patients get with concierge medicine. Especially for patients with chronic illnesses, having immediate access to medical attention is critical.
Whether it’s for a sudden illness or a general health concern, your concierge doctor is always there to meet your needs.
The cherry on top? Concierge clinics can offer same-day or next-day appointments to patients, meaning that they won’t have to wait in long lines. For people with busy schedules, this flexibility is a huge benefit.
3. Focus on preventive medicine
Having a huge focus on preventive and proactive medicine is a cornerstone of concierge care. Instead of treating patients whenever issues occur, concierge doctors put the emphasis on early detection and prevention instead.
Thanks to regular wellness assessments, screenings, and tailored health plans built to fit each patient’s lifestyle, potential health issues are found before they become serious. Having this proactive approach is a huge benefit for patients.
For example, your concierge doctor may give you guidance on lifestyle choices such as diet, exercise, and stress management to help you maintain optimal health and prevent chronic diseases at the same time.
4. Consistency and continuity of care
Finally, let’s talk about the benefit of having the same doctor handle all your medical issues. Imagine never having to tell and retell your medical history to a new doctor. This is a huge issue for primary care patients and concierge medicine users get to enjoy this privilege.
Since physicians at concierge clinics are assigned fewer patients, they get the freedom and space to build and maintain a long-term relationship with each patient.
For patients, working with a doctor who can track their wellness over time is a type of care that is on another level. Imagine not having to reintroduce your medical history to every doctor with each visit. It’s definitely a benefit worth paying for.
These benefits combined are only some of the reasons why patients go out of pocket to invest in their health with concierge medicine. Traditional primary care doesn’t compare to these advantages, but the same applies to their price tags.
Cost considerations for concierge medicine
All the benefits of concierge care have a price tag that not all patients will be willing to pay for. Usually, concierge care pricing will be divided into 2 parts – retainer fees and other medical expenses like hospital stays and specialist visits.
The retainer fees for concierge medicine usually vary between $1,200 and $10,000. Some specialized clinics may even charge higher fees. And this fee doesn’t include ongoing medical costs, insurance premiums, and other out-of-pocket expenses.
Unfortunately, insurance usually won’t cover retainers or annual subscription fees. This makes pricing the primary drawback of concierge care.
Although the cost of concierge care reflects its enhanced access and personalized care, it is still a topic of debate for patients. For many people, this investment into their health is worth the price tag of thousands of dollars. However, not everyone can afford this convenience and quality.
In rare cases, concierge clinics offer flexible payment plans to be able to serve a wider group of patients, but this is not always available.
Conclusion
In order to meet the needs of its patients, the concierge care healthcare model provides an enormous list of benefits. These benefits beat traditional care out of the water with a preventive approach, 24/7 access, and tailored care.
Concierge doctors give their patients the peace of mind and higher-quality care they were looking for when switching from primary care. However, insurance doesn't cover retainer fees, which is definitely food for thought.
Despite its price tag, concierge care is still a premium medical option for many, many types of patients, especially patients who have chronic conditions or busy schedules.
At the end of the day, concierge care is an investment worth making for those who can afford it.
Reviewed by
