Today’s complex healthcare environment has changed the way most family practitioners provide care, and not necessarily for the better. The traditional model has become one in which doctors are forced to see high volumes of patients every day, leaving them overbooked, overworked and overwhelmed.
Although this model offers a wide reach, it also makes it a challenge for physicians to jump through all the hoops set in front of them by insurance providers while still providing care to families in need. In many cases, families don’t receive sufficient attention from their family practices, especially when it comes to specific or urgent health concerns. Fortunately, concierge family medicine offers a better alternative, enabling practitioners the chance to deliver care the way it’s meant to be.
Advantages of Concierge Family Medicine
Under this new and improved membership model, family practitioners can avoid many of the most common challenges that handcuff them within the traditional system. When it comes to becoming concierge family practice, being able to address patients’ needs more effectively is typically the main catalyst.
However, there a number of other advantages to choosing this framework, including:
- Better Patient/Doctor Relationships: Concierge family doctors take the necessary time to understand their patients’ symptoms, illnesses and other considerations related to ongoing care, such as family history or chronic conditions.
- 24/7 Direct Communication: Many concierge physicians provide patients with their direct lines for any urgent issues, questions, prescription refills, etc. This enhanced level of communication gives patients the immediate healthcare support they need.
- Improved Work-Life Balance: With a smaller clientele, doctors become more available for their patients. Boutique family medicine typically frees physicians of their strict schedules and gives them the flexibility they’ve been wanting.
- Customization: Concierge care means doctors can deliver healthcare the way they believe is most appropriate for each patient. They have the leeway to make operational decisions that enhance the patient experience, from offering house calls to providing virtual visits. The family medicine membership model is catered to the physician’s needs as well as patients’. It also allows doctors to explore treatment options that would not be considered under traditional structures.
