When was the last time you needed to see your primary care provider and were able to get an appointment immediately? Chances are, this hasn’t happened in quite a few years. The reality is, most primary care providers are inundated with patients and are unable to see patients who need to be seen immediately for days or even weeks.
This is what makes concierge medicine different. Concierge doctors provide immediate medical care to a select few patients for a monthly retainer fee. A concierge doctor is an on-call doctor. Learn more about the benefits of signing up for this service.
Greater Availability
If you are feeling sick or are in pain, you need help as early as possible. In traditional medical practices, patients must wait days or weeks for an appointment. Once in the doctor’s office on the day of the appointment, they usually have to wait for an extensive period before actually seeing the doctor. This is not only an incredible waste of time for patients, it also causes you to delay getting the care you need because of a lack of availability by your doctor. Most illnesses or diseases are best diagnosed and treated early, and concierge doctors know this. Concierge doctors treat patients in a timely manner. Taking in fewer patients means greater availability for each patient. Same-day or next-day appointments is the norm for concierge doctors, not a rarity.
Concierge doctors may also be available via phone calls, text messages, emails, and video chat. Concierge doctors build relationships with their patients, which means they know everything about them. This allows them to communicate and give necessary medical advice and care through many forms of communication – not just in-person visits.
Longer Appointments
Another frustration that patients and doctors alike share is the short duration of visits. Understandably, a doctor with many patients is under pressure to see all of them quickly, which affects the quality of care provided. Doctors go into concierge medicine to deliver superior health care that involves longer time spent with patients. Furthermore, short visits may be inadequate to determine the underlying cause of the health condition. Patients also feel rushed and may miss out on providing critical information. Concierge doctors have greater control over their schedule and administrative tasks, enabling them to spend as much time as possible with their patients and deliver the highest quality care.
Preventive Care
With greater availability and longer appointments, concierge doctors are in a better position to provide preventive care, which focuses on preventing recurrence of symptoms and reducing your risk for other diseases. A lot of patients are used to being treated for immediate health concerns and miss out on preventive care. Concierge doctors can provide diet and lifestyle recommendations as well as health screenings and tests that benefit you now (especially if you have chronic diseases) and also in the future.
On-Call Doctor, Concierge Physician in Tucson, AZ
Dr. Robert E. Lending is board-certified in internal medicine and clinical lipidology. He offers VIP concierge medicine services to his patients. If you have any questions about his services or would like to schedule a consultation, call (520) 795-4291 or request an appointment online now.
