MDs offer new services, for $3,600 yearly fee

It is important to look closely at the new niche called Concierge Medicine. It is obviously created out of  a special need and will prove lucrative for physicians who choose to go that route. But there are larger questions of access and ethics of exclusivity/ One has to consider whether this provides better care, better service, or simply convenience.  All who provide and use healthcare...

Is access to healthcare equal for everyone or only for the wealthy.

This trend of concierge medicine is erroneously termed. This should be simply called good medicine. Physicians have allowed reimbursement trends to dictate their practices. As the reimbursement per patient has decreased, the volume of patients seen per day has increased proportionally. In light of the overwhelming volume, the attention to detail, the personal interactions and the face-to-face contact...

Patients are dying to pay their doctor $3600 to be one of 4-500 exclusive patients with the Docs home phone number.

Primary care physicians, often overworked and underpaid for their efforts are seeing a new way to return to the traditional practice style of physcians many years ago, offering appointments lasting more than 6 minutes, and a host of personal touches.   By charging a premium for this service - $3600 - these physicians are able to limit the size of their practice and provide personalized care.  ...

Is this how medicine should be practiced? For those who can afford it, it is great. But it only goes to show how "bad" are present system is. We wil have -haves and have nots to an even greater degree.

The continued trend of concierge medicine will serve to further segregate and fragement our over burdened health care system.  It remains to be seen then long effect of this practice model.

1) Healthcare in America is becoming a 3 tiered system the insured, the uninsured and the insured "plus" 2) Most definitive care in the US is performed by specialists 3) NPs and PAs can perform the role of PCP for most patients.