Also known as retainer medicine, concierge medicine is a relationship between a physician and patient in which the patient pays a yearly fee in exchange for the doctor’s commitment to provide health care with time and availability.

Concierge medicine is a form of personalized medical care in which a patient has full access to contact their doctor at all times. Concierge doctors take a special interest in their patients’ needs by working with them on long-term health issues rather than only treating illness. Patients who work with concierge doctors typically receive more in-depth and better service than they do elsewhere.

What you need to know about concierge medicine

The concierge approach to medical practice emerged from a desire to meet patients’ needs. Long wait times and administrative burdens often bog down access to care; those issues are less pronounced with concierge medicine. Concierge medicine helps prevent health issues rather than treating them after the fact.

Concierge medicine is a membership in which doctors provide medical care and other amenities to patients, which generally include:

  • 24/7 access
  • Contact details to reach their physician directly
  • Same-day appointments
  • Doctor visits lasting as long as it takes to address their needs

In exchange for the enhanced access and personal attention, the concierge doctor receives a fee, which allows them to increase the time they spend with patients.

Why choose concierge medicine?

As the health care industry moves away from fee-for-service payment models and towards value-based care, many doctors are rethinking their approach to care delivery. With this in mind, most physicians cite improved doctor-patient relationships as their leading motivation for moving to concierge medicine.

With fewer patients to see in a day and appointments lasting anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour (depending on patient needs), concierge doctors are able to devote more time and energy to each patient.

Physicians are not the only ones to benefit from this model, however. Flexible scheduling and unfettered access to a doctor with intimate knowledge of their patients’ personal health histories make concierge medicine particularly well suited to the needs of those living with chronic medical conditions.

While the flat-rate concierge fee does not cover specialty care services that some patients with chronic illnesses may require, the unrestricted physician access, whether over the phone or in the doctor’s office, gives these patients the support they need.

What are the benefits of concierge medicine?

Patient health stands to benefit from concierge medicine due to the increased emphasis on wellness and preventive services, improved compliance with accepted clinical guidelines, increased physician familiarity with patients and their unique medical needs, and improvements in continuity of care. Round-the-clock physician access can reduce the number of trivial office visits or emergency department trips patients need to make and help keep emergency departments for genuine emergencies. Other benefits may include same-day or next-day appointments for acute issues, after-hours contact by phone, email or text, and hospital care.

Key takeaways

Concierge medicine is an innovative practice model that puts the patient at the center of the health care experience. By retaining a specific physician’s services, patients secure unprecedented access to the physician, allowing the doctor to develop a personal relationship with patients and deliver the highest levels of primary care and service.

With concierge services, patients receive personalized, attentive medical care from one dedicated doctor who is familiar with their medical history and unique health goals. Patients receive more one-on-one time with their doctor and physician access 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, which improves communication and the overall quality of their health care. This level of service is secured with an annual concierge fee.

This article is general information, not advice for your situation. Members can call the office with questions about their own care.