Concierge Primary Care: How Is It Different?

Concierge primary care — how does it differ from traditional primary care? In a nutshell, concierge primary care, or concierge medicine, means fewer total patients per doctor; this allows for greater access to your physician and a more personal, prevention-focused approach to health care.

Traditional primary care is what most people are familiar with — find a doctor in your network and schedule an appointment when you have a problem. This often involves a lot of waiting: waiting for your appointment, waiting in the lobby, and waiting in the exam room.

Studies show that many patients end up getting only 7-10 minutes with the doctor. That is barely any time to discuss symptoms and the experiences of the individual, and that discussion is often key to diagnosing, treating, and preventing illness.

While a primary care doctor may have 3,000-4,000 patients and see 30-40 people per day, a concierge physician will often only have a few hundred total patients and will see 6-10 people per day. That means longer appointments, often 30 minutes or more, that build the relationship and allow time for follow-up, research, and collaborating with other specialists.

In addition to less waiting and longer appointments, concierge care typically also includes 24/7/365 access to care, giving patients the peace of mind from knowing they can get the care they need, when they need it. And as we have learned during COVID-19, that peace of mind can be invaluable.

Concierge primary care also includes a focus on prevention, with annual advanced physicals that go above and beyond a typical physical and allow you and your doctor to create a plan to achieve your health goals while preventing illness, disease, and injury before it happens.

For patients frustrated with the all-too-common health care experience of waiting for long periods to spend a short amount of time with a physician, concierge medicine is a welcome alternative.

Interested in exploring concierge medicine more? At PartnerMD, we have built the primary care experience around you. Call your personal doctor knowing you will get a prompt response. If you need to be seen quickly, trust that you will get a sick visit that same day or the next. Arrive confident your appointment will start on time and assured your doctor will have the time to listen and understand you.

And if you need after-hours care or a whole-person approach to wellness? We’ve got that covered, too. Visit www.partnermd.com to learn more.