Do You Need More Convenient Care From Your Doctor? Think of your most trusted friend, a friend that knows how you live, your quirks, your family, your hobbies and vices. Now imagine this new friend happens to be your doctor. Since she’s your best friend she’s always available by phone, email and text messaging. Say you need a same day appointment, that’s part of what friends are for – even on the weekends and after usual office hours. Some might call this concierge medicine. Increasingly patients and doctors see it as a return to what family medicine was before it became a complex system of Government regulations and complex insurance contracts that reduced the average time a doctor could spend with patients to a 5-7 minute appointment. What was once a niche called concierge medicine has in the last few years turned into a significant grassroots movement called Direct Primary Care. Call it what you may, it’s a return to health care that provides longer office visits and 24/7 access to your doctor. Most importantly, it’s a return to a doctor patient relationship that provides time for doctors to listen, understand, make good medical decisions and provide advocacy when services outside of the scope of your primary care physicians practice are needed. For many, the word concierge unfortunately congers up a picture of elitism. In practice, the cost is little more than what many pay per month for cable package, a higher level insurance plan, or lawn service. For many with complex health concerns the service provided is priceless. For others it’s a way to make sense of a healthcare system that passes off patients like a hot potato from specialist to specialist without anyone stopping to look at the big picture –in essence, a place where the buck stops. By some estimates, upward of 20,000 doctors now practice concierge medicine covering some six million patients nationwide. Unfortunately, many don’t appreciate that it’s more affordable to fix problems before they get out of hand. Preventative care by primary doctors can actually lower the cost of lifetime health care. Without adequate primary care, it’s easy to end up with very expensive care from specialist and hospitals. More could take advantage if insurance was sold unbundled as separate products for primary care insurance and catastrophic insurance needs. Getting quality medical service will increasingly require selecting a doctor that offers a more personalized service. For a fee, seniors can contract with a personal care/concierge doctor that offers prompt access, adequate time for appointments, options for calling them directly, time to make good medical decisions, and advocacy when seeking care beyond the primary care doctor’s office. In Huntsville, Alabama, many view the opportunity to provide personal care as a positive since it provides their doctor time to listen, make the best medical decisions and teach them what they need to know rather than 5-7 minute appointments where healthcare needs get kicked down the road. By providing adequate appointment time and care, this new type of personal care doctor helps keep their patients maintain the best quality of life, stay out of the hospital and avoid unnecessary procedures. Tell Me More about Concierge Physicians in Huntsville, Alabama. Exit |