When her father and a patient of hers had heart attacks after a routine doctor’s visit, Dr. Shahan Chowdhury could not understand why no heart problem had been detected.
The photo shows an exam room inside Diamond Physicians in Frisco. Concierge medicine practices like Diamond Physicians have been on the rise.[/caption]
Chowdhury received training to perform advanced exams that would better detect heart issues. She then joined Diamond Physicians, a concierge medical practice, and opened an office in Frisco 11 months ago.
Concierge medicine allowed her the time and resources to provide a thorough exam on her patients, she said.
“There’s more than just the standard of care, there’s optimized care,” Chowdhury said. “Being accessible, being flexible, honoring the patient’s time, addressing primary care and seeing the opportunity to prevent disease. That’s what’s catching on; that’s what people are really enjoying in Frisco.”
Concierge medicine is on the rise as more doctors choose to transition from traditional medical practice. Concierge medicine, also known as retainer-based or boutique medicine, is a term for medical practices with a direct financial relationship with patients.
According to Concierge Medicine Today, a multimedia publication for concierge medicine, in 2013 it was estimated that there were more than 5,000 concierge physicians throughout the country. That number grew to 12,000 physicians in 2014, according to the publication.
“It’s still a very small part of the market, but yes it’s growing, and by most estimates it’s probably growing 15-20 percent a year,” said Bret Jorgensen, CEO of MDVIP, one of the first concierge-style medical programs in the country.
Dr. Janna Massar, based in Plano, has been part of MDVIP since November and said MDVIP's model was the right fit for her and her patients.
She said the healthcare system has changed in the last five years with an emphasis on what the insurance companies want rather than focusing on the patient's needs.
"So it has become difficult to keep the quality of care that has been in the past with all these interferences and this [model] gives me the chance to practice medicine the way it should be with an emphasis on the patient and their needs," Massar said.
These practices typically charge patients a monthly or annual fee for additional access and personalized care. Patients would need to pay the fee in addition to health insurance. For most practices, several membership levels are available that can range from $1,200 to $25,000 per year based on the patient’s health needs. Insurance covers some services such as lab work and other medical tests.
Dr. Scott Yates said he hated making his patients wait for him and then not having sufficient time with them in order to get to his next patient. In any given year, Yates said he served thousands of patients.
In 2005, Yates decided to transition from a traditional medical practice into concierge medicine to give more access and time to his patients. He opened his practice, Center for Executive Medicine, in Plano. Now Yates and his partners each see about 150 patients every year.
At his practice, Yates’ patients have direct access to him 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Patients have his phone number and email address. Yates will also perform exams or evaluations at the patient’s home or office. He will even travel to patients if they are traveling out of town.
“When you have the luxury of time, patients will tell you what’s going on,” Yates said. “It makes the whole process easier for everybody.”
