Photograph courtesy of Nicholas Church
Many people dread a trip to the doctor’s office thanks to long wait times, inefficiencies, and Byzantine billing processes. Concierge medicine, a newer style of healthcare, is on the rise, with many Atlanta practices switching to the model to benefit the patient-doctor relationship.
Craig Peters, MD, a concierge internist with Piedmont Internal Medicine, made the switch in April to the concierge model. One doctor in his practice had already switched, which encouraged the remaining doctors to do so. “The model is transformative, enabling unrushed visits with time to address not just urgent issues, but focus on preventative health and longevity,” he says, which is not possible in a traditional model.
Dr. Peters says that, according to recent research, the average wait time in Atlanta to see a physician in a traditional practice is 45 days, and in-office wait times can be 20 to 30 minutes for a 15-minute appointment. Piedmont Internal Medicine has people who answer the phone immediately and appointments are available the same or next day. “Our appointments are leisurely, 30 minutes on average for routine matters, and 60 minutes for the annual comprehensive assessment.”
Nicholas Church, MD, opened his concierge practice, Somerset Medical, this year. Originally from Somerset, England, he began his career in American healthcare at Emory Healthcare in 2007 as a general internist. “I saw the doctor-patient relationship get squeezed and compromised. There was so much red tape; I’d get up at 5 a.m. and spend three hours on paperwork before even seeing a patient,” he said.
His practice also gives access to wellness offerings such as IV therapy and advanced cancer screenings in addition to regular membership services. He’s even been able to meet a patient in the emergency room and guide them through the admissions process, and check up on them. “The real advantage is access,” he says. “This is a personal relationship. In my last role, I had 5,000 patients. Concierge doctors typically have about 200 patients.”
Concierge models can be cost-prohibitive, with average practice membership ranging from $2,000 to $5,000, and in some parts of the country, up to $10,000. While expensive, it helps the practices keep their patient pool smaller, allowing the doctors to devote more time.
There are also ethical implications to the trend. According to Dorothy Leone-Glasser, the executive director of the nonprofit Advocates for Responsible Care (ARxC), this creates even more disparity and lack of equity. “We already have a shortage of physicians in Georgia, especially primary care physicians, and choosing patients based on the ability to pay limits access,” she says. “Physicians take an oath and have a moral obligation to serve all patients, so this raises concerns about neglecting their duty of care.” She says one way that concierge practices can counter this impact is by giving back to underserved communities.
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