A concierge doctor provides high-quality care to patients while avoiding the use of traditional insurance payment methods. Concierge doctors, on the other hand, accept an annual fee or retainer in exchange for their services. Direct care, concierge medicine, retainer-based medicine, boutique medicine, or innovative medical practice design are all terms used to describe this type of medical practice, and doctors in this field work under slightly different conditions than more traditional doctors.
In terms of treatment, a concierge doctor follows the same guidelines as any other doctor. The medical services provided by a concierge physician are identical to those provided by a hospital or clinic that accepts insurance. A cancer patient who sees a concierge doctor, for example, will receive chemotherapy in the same way that a cancer patient who sees a traditional doctor would.
The main differences are in two areas. The first is monetary. Patients who see a concierge doctor pay a yearly fee or a retainer for services, avoiding the need for medical insurance and the headaches that come with filing insurance claims. Membership medicine is another term for concierge medicine, which refers to the fact that patients are paying members of a doctor’s practice.
The other significant distinction is in terms of accessibility. Concierge physicians, on the whole, are much more accessible to their patients. Patients can get same-day or next-day appointments with their health care provider and receive treatment in a timely manner thanks to the yearly premium. This type of physician will frequently make himself or herself available for after-hours appointments as well as house calls.
Concierge doctors see far fewer patients than traditional doctors, allowing for this higher level of service. Every year, conventional doctors are estimated to see between 3,000 and 4,000 patients. This is in stark contrast to concierge health care, in which providers typically see between 100 and 1,000 patients per year.
Choosing a concierge doctor comes at a significant financial cost. While patients are not charged co-pays, fees, or deductibles by their insurance companies, they do pay out of pocket for certain perks and benefits. A concierge physician charges a one-time fee for the coming year in exchange for giving the patient more time and access to his or her doctor while avoiding the sometimes tense relationship with insurance companies.
A fully licensed medical provider is this type of doctor. He or she has completed the same schooling and residency requirements as a traditional physician, and he or she practices medicine in the same way. Cost, access to treatment, and appointment wait times are all differences between concierge and traditional doctors.