Concierge Choice Physicians, a New York-based private company offering a "hybrid" model of concierge medicine, has expanded into Delaware, Virginia and Texas.
CCP's model is designed to allow physicians to practice traditional and concierge medicine within a single practice. Concierge patients pay an annual fee to receive comprehensive preventive care, an annual physical, 24/7 access to their physicians and no waiting time for appointments, among other benefits.
CCP officials say their model allows concierge medicine to be an affordable option for a much larger audience.
"Primary care physicians are struggling to make their practices financially viable, to avoid burnout from long hours and to provide the type of 'old fashioned' personalized care that patients want to receive and doctors want to give," said Wayne Lipton, managing partner of Concierge Choice Physicians. "With our program, they can have the best of both worlds: A concierge practice where they can offer more personalized, preventive services and a traditional practice for their patients who want to remain with their doctor and have this level of service."
Lipton said the hybrid concierge model is as a viable solution to the growing shortage of primary care physicians in the United States. It enables physicians to keep their practices open while offering options to patients who don't select the concierge package, he said.
"The primary care physician plays a critical role not only for detecting and treating illness, but also for helping to prevent it," said Michael Mandel of Associated Internists in Richmond, Va., where he and Anand Lothe, Amy McConnell and Joy Rowe are practicing concierge medicine. "However, reductions in reimbursements for primary care have reduced the time we can spend with patients, especially in counseling on prevention. With CCP's model, I have that time again."
CCP's concierge program is centered on a patient's comprehensive physical examination, which physicians then use as a base for creating a preventive healthcare program.
"We use the results of this physical and tests to design a personalized wellness plan for patients, including nutrition, fitness and stress reduction," said Rowe. "Then we have time to work with the patient on the program, as well as manage any chronic conditions they may have. Providing a more personalized level of service ensures a higher quality of long-term care for my patients."
Concierge Choice Physicians operates in California, New York, Arizona, Nevada, Florida, Massachusetts and New Jersey.
What is your opinion of concierge medicine? E-mail Associate Editor Molly Merrill at molly.merrill@medtechpublishing.com.