Concierge medicine, while growing modestly overall, is becoming more predominant in certain pockets of the country. But despite reports that the model produces high satisfaction for all involved, a high concentration of retainer-based practices represents challenges for patients and physicians.
For example, in geographic regions where concierge care is especially popular, it's become difficult for patients to access traditional primary care, according to a recent article from Slate. Naples, Florida, for instance, has the most concierge practices per capita in the country, which severely overextends non-retainer practices with much higher patient panels.
The article's author, A.C. Shilton, described her search for medical care in Naples as follows: "My first six calls were all met with the same response: 'Oh, we're a concierge practice; there's an annual retainer fee. Would you be interested in joining?' When I finally found a nonconcierge practice, the wait time for a new patient appointment was three months."
This dynamic can also make it hard for competing concierge practices to succeed. When everyone in town is offering VIP membership, practices have to take extra care to define and communicate exactly what they offer that is unique, consultant and author Maria K. Todd, Ph.D., told the blog eVisit.
And even with retainer fees now ranging from $1,000 to $20,000, practices must make sure they charge enough to cover the cost of extra services. "Too many sophomores report that they offered too much in their membership amenities and the costs exceeded the fee," Todd said.
Finally, concierge physicians and companies need to remember that they are not immune to lawsuits for malpractice, as shown by a recent verdict against MDVIP for a doctor's failure to diagnose.
Indeed, in the Slate piece, Shilton criticized not just the expense required to obtain concierge care, but also challenged the premise that more attention translates to better healthcare. Her grandmother, for example, joined a concierge practice that offered prompt and attentive access but did not correctly diagnose her real medical problem.
To learn more:
- read the article
- see the blog post