Waiting hours for a doctor even when you have an appointment can make you feel like you are not being prioritized and that your time is not valued. Everyone has a schedule and patients have to move things around in order to see a doctor. If this has been your experience every time you needed to see a doctor, consider concierge medicine.
With the concierge delivery model, you can receive comprehensive primary care services minus the lengthy wait times and frustrating incidents which are common in the traditional care delivery model.
What Exactly is Concierge Medicine?
Also known as retainer-based medicine, concierge medicine is a type of care delivery model that embodies patient-centric care. Most primary care physicians who switch to concierge medicine provide same-day appointments, off-hours medical care, virtually no wait times, and spend longer times with their patients during appointments. All this is made available to you for a monthly retainer fee. If you are a patient who sees a primary care doctor often, this could be a more affordable option in the long run.
Why Is There No Wait Time?
In the traditional care delivery model, doctors earn revenue through insurance reimbursements. There is immense pressure to see more patients in order to earn, which can affect the quality of care delivered. Traditional primary care doctors can see up to 30 patients per day, and as much as they want to deliver personalized care, the sheer number of patients they see means any of these things: longer wait times, feeling rushed to complete the appointment, short times spent with patients, and lower patient satisfaction overall.
Longer wait times are usually a result of a combination of the high volume of patients and the administrative burden, such as the amount of paperwork doctors need to do, which prevents them from running a smooth and efficient practice.
By contrast, concierge doctors see fewer patients, including those who pay them a retainer fee. These 24-hour doctors are able to run their practice efficiently with a clear focus on the delivery of individualized medical care when the patient needs it. With the pressure off, concierge doctors deliver high-quality care to the satisfaction of their patients. They even carve out time each day to see acute care patients.
The Effect of Long Waits on Patients
Waiting to see a doctor usually involves waiting to get an appointment, plus the added wait time in the waiting room. Whenever you need to see a doctor, usually it’s because you are experiencing symptoms. You could be in pain, among other things, which can severely limit you. Waiting to see a doctor means delayed relief from symptoms and thoughts of anxiety about your condition and symptoms.
Concierge doctors have made the decision to not let patients wait to receive care. They respect your time and prefer not to keep patients waiting. This care delivery is actually a radical approach that these doctors are willing to make to go back to why they went to medical school in the first place: to lessen pain and suffering, prolong life, and help patients live happy and healthy life.
24-Hour Concierge Doctor in Tucson, AZ
If you are looking for different primary care delivery for you or your loved one in Tucson, make board-certified Dr. Robert E. Lending your concierge medicine provider. Because Dr. Lending follows the concierge model, it frees him up to provide personalized, concierge primary care services to our patients.
If you want to know more about how concierge medicine can dramatically improve your quality of care and overall experience, call us today at (520) 795-4291 or use our online appointment request form to schedule a consultation with Dr. Lending.
