You probably don't bring a stopwatch with you when you visit your doctor, but if you did, you may be unpleasantly surprised by the length of time your doctor spends with you. The traditional healthcare experience has become more of a revolving door or assembly line system where physicians are simply seeing as many patients as possible during their day. In contrast, the benefits of concierge medicine are increasingly attractive to patients seeking better care.

How can a provider who spends less than 16 minutes with you truly understand the root cause of your health issues? Many individuals are so used to this form of healthcare that they've come to accept it for what it is. However, this traditional experience isn't the only type of healthcare available.

There is another way: concierge medicine.  

Concierge medicine can completely transform your experience as a patient, and your health. Rather than relying on a healthcare system that provides a quick eight-minute meeting with your physician, concierge medicine is built upon a close, personal relationship between patients and physicians.

What is Concierge Medicine

With concierge medicine, you pay an annual fee that guarantees 24/7 access to your physician and their office. Compared to traditional medicine, where you might need to schedule appointments months out or deal with long waiting room times, this direct and immediate access can result in faster diagnoses and quicker time to healing and feeling your best.  

With a more recent shortage in doctors, concierge medicine has been gaining popularity around the United States with physicians in the last five years. In fact, a 2014 survey of more than 20,000 physicians, conducted by The Physicians Foundation, discovered that more than 20% of physicians today say they are turning to concierge medicine to guarantee the best service for their patients. They are intimately aware of the flaws in the traditional approach, and realize the many benefits patients receive with concierge medicine.

Are you exploring alternative healthcare options? Are you interested in learning more about concierge medicine and its patient benefits?

Here are five life-changing benefits that concierge medicine can provide for you and your family.

Concierge Medicine: 5 Reasons Patients are Choosing Concierge Care

1. Concierge Medicine Provides High Quality Time with Physicians & More Attentive Care

A study done by Johns Hopkins Medicine found that new doctors are spending as little as 12% of their time with patients. In some of those cases, it worked out to be approximately eight minutes with a patient. With such a small appointment window, getting to the root of your condition or symptoms is nearly impossible.

Concierge medicine can provide a much better, comprehensive solution for all of your healthcare needs because concierge physicians spend the time it takes to:

• Get to the root of any health issues
• Fill prescriptions (only if truly needed)
• Guide you towards experiencing whole health for your whole life

This increased time helps to form and strengthen solid patient relationships. Since they want to provide you with personalized, accessible and dependable care, concierge medicine doctors have only hundreds of patients at any given time, while traditional doctors see thousands. It is easier to develop an understanding of each patient’s issues and medical history when doctors are dealing with a smaller number of people and spending more quality time with each of them.

Physicians can build better relationships and ultimately provide better, more personalized care as they truly become integrated in your entire spectrum of care and your life.

2. Concierge Medicine Typically Provides an Increased Focus on Preventative Care

When doctors can spend more time with you, they are able to focus more of their recommendations and care plans on prevention.

Traditional doctors are so time strapped, they are bound to focus on the current issues and work to resolve them as quickly as possible. In addition, with general medical care, if you have an infection or something that needs immediate medical attention, you must accept care from an urgent care facility or emergency department.

The underlying problem is that these places are designed to handle immediate issues—they do not look for underlying causes, or have the time. Their main goal is to stabilize and send you home. They also do not know your entire medical or personal history as well as your primary provider should, and may make recommendations that don't align with your holistic plan of care.

Concierge doctors can take the time to look at your entire health history to help you identify and diagnose any issues. Concierge doctors are generally available to speak with you whenever necessary. In summary, when you receive better preventative care, you will spend less money overall and be in better health in the long term.

3. Concierge Physicians Are More Available

Concierge medicine is the best way to ensure that your doctor can continue to treat you in a timely manner. At LifeScape Premier, our doctors will never drop you or be too busy for your appointment. They’re available to answer health questions and many physicians guarantee same or next-day appointments. You will never feel rushed or like you don't matter.

In concierge medicine, they have time to develop individual patient goals together, and time to focus on overall health and wellness for you and your family.  

4. Concierge Patients Experience Enhanced Outcomes

The most important thing to consider when selecting a healthcare system that is right for you, is the outcomes of care. The ultimate goal of your health care should be to live a healthy, whole, and happy life.

Studies show that concierge medicine enhances patient outcomes by:

• Reducing the amount of urgent care clinic and ER visits
• Improved overall health of patients
• Significantly reduced inpatient admissions
• Positive impact on health care expenditures

5. Concierge Medicine is Affordable

Just saying the words “concierge medicine” may make you think of extravagant medical care reserved only for the elite. But that is not the case.

Since a concierge doctor can focus on fewer patients than a traditional physician, they have better insight into each patient’s health and can really concentrate on preventative care. Because traditional doctors do not have a lot of time to spend with patients, they may have to order more procedures and tests to get to the diagnosis. Of course, these additional treatments increase your overall costs. 

With concierge medicine, you are typically paying an annual fee to cover all additional benefits, including 24/7 hour access to your provider, text messaging services, same day appointments and more. But you are also saving money, and time, in the long-term on unnecessary testing, specialty visits or back and forth with your provider. Concierge providers work tirelessly to quickly get to the root of your condition to treat the true cause of your symptoms, discomfort or pain.

Is Concierge Medicine Right for You and Your Family?

With these benefits in mind, we understand that concierge medicine still may not be the best fit for everyone. But if you want more time with your doctor and embrace the idea of working together towards a path of ideal health and vitality, the value that concierge medicine brings may be well worth your while. Concierge medicine is particularly helpful for patients who may be suffering from chronic pain, illness, disease, or fatigue because of the time and attention a concierge physician could give you.  

About LifeScape's Concierge Care Program

Concierge medicine is taking the healthcare industry by storm, and we are proud to be at the forefront of this movement in Arizona. At LifeScape, we firmly believe that concierge medicine is the most accessible, dependable, and frankly, life-changing option for patients.

With Premier Concierge Care, we incorporate a functional medicine approach, to painstakingly evaluate your history, genetic risks, and lifestyle, to get to the roots, without merely writing a prescription or putting a “band-aid” on a serious health issue.

Our comprehensive suite of medical services is offered by the best doctors and medical providers in Arizona, plus an unparalleled staff. At LifeScape Premier, you'll experience:

• Nationally-recognized Top Doctors
• Personalized medicine and advanced nutritional interventions
• Convenient office hours and compassionate, patient-centered services
• One convenient location for many of your family’s health, nutrition, and beauty needs
• Digital record management and quick E-prescribing
• A stunning, spa-like office setting

Schedule a Complimentary Tour of LifeScape Premier
If you are ready to explore concierge medicine for yourself and your family, request a Meet & Greet with our care team today. We look forward to meeting you.

References: https://www.forbes.com/sites/johngoodman/2014/08/28/everyone-should-have-a-concierge-doctor/#12a4f8c96323, http://www.hni.com/blog/bid/71310/concierge-medicine-101-the-facts-on-this-innovative-benefits-strategy, https://www.signaturemedicinemd.com/concierge-medicine/benefits/, https://www.yourcypress.com/news/april-2016/patient-benefits, https://www.forbes.com/sites/paulhsieh/2013/03/27/is-concierge-medicine-the-correct-choice-for-you/#31f5402e3ea8, http://www.carecloud.com/continuum/switching-concierge-medicine-pros-cons/, http://www.thehealthjournals.com/concierge-medicine/

Originally Published August 21, 2017 - Updated June 26, 2019