Seeing a doctor for any reason can be a frustrating experience. You may be forced to wait for hours only to spend less than 15 minutes actually talking to your physician. You might be told certain treatment options are out of the question because of restrictions from your insurance provider. You could be shuffled between multiple caregivers within the same practice and confused by varying advice.
Unfortunately, the realities of the traditional healthcare framework make these issues all but inevitable. Practices have to crowd their schedules with patients and rush through appointments just to keep receiving the revenue they need from insurance reimbursements. They also have to spend countless hours processing paperwork from claims and struggling with red tape.
However, there is an alternative that you might not be aware of that offers a much better experience. Under the concierge healthcare model, you pay a monthly or yearly fee that covers virtually all services you receive from your primary care physician. This structure makes it possible to avoid many of the headaches and frustrations that come with receiving care. If you’re curious to know what makes concierge medicine a more patient-friendly option, here are some of its biggest benefits:
More Time With Your Doctor
Because they don’t have to take on as many patients, concierge physicians and their staff have more time to spend with you. Rather than being hustled out of the exam room as soon as your consultation is over, a concierge doctor will be able to talk with you for as long as it takes to address your health concerns and develop a treatment plan that works. Nervous patients also might appreciate the fact that this model allows for doctors to develop a stronger rapport with them, getting to know them as people instead of just names on a chart. In many cases, these physicians even have the time to accompany patients when visiting specialists.
Specialized Attention
Under the most typical framework, professionals don’t always have the luxury of being able to address patients’ more specialized needs, only the bare minimum. When you join a concierge practice, however, you might not be sent off to a specialist every time your care becomes complicated. These physicians have the latitude to work closely with you even if your needs extend beyond the range of primary care. You won’t necessarily need to be referred to a different provider, meaning greater consistency in the level of treatment you receive.
Hands-On Care
Without the restrictions and red tape of dealing with the insurance bureaucracy, a concierge doctor is capable of providing more hands-on care. They won’t have to worry about whether your insurer will pay for a specific type of treatment, meaning you’ll always have all options available to you. This makes it more likely that you’ll be treated in the most appropriate manner for your particular concerns. Because you won’t be bounced from one doctor to another, you’ll also avoid a lot of the confusion and inconsistency that bother many patients within the current healthcare landscape.
Cost Savings
Although you’ll pay for your concierge medicine membership whether or not you see your doctor, this model does offer some significant cost savings. For instance, you may be able to switch your insurance to a high-deductible policy that offers lower premiums. Your savings can then be transferred to a health savings account.
Let Specialdocs Consultants Connect You
As the recognized thought leader in concierge medicine for two decades, Specialdocs Consultants has helped tens of thousands of patients find physicians who operate under this model. If you’re excited to learn more about how you can benefit from this revolutionary patient-doctor relationship, get in touch with us today to find out where the closest practice is to you.