Is a concierge physician helpful for older adults?

One of the many benefits of living in a large metropolitan area like DC is that we have several excellent choices when it comes to our healthcare.  In the last 5 years or so, I’ve seen and used some private practices that put more emphasis on the individual.  It may seem funny that your doctor’s office wouldn’t focus on the individual, and they do, but practices have gotten bigger and doctor’s feel pressure to see more patients each day.  Lately, some physicians have chosen to start up smaller practices that offer concierge like services to help them better focus on their patient’s over all well-being and preventative care.  In the DC metro area there are some choices when it comes to this level of care.  The common thread in all is that more time is spent on the patient, and doctors are more available to their patients both in visits and phone calls.  I see this as a huge benefit when it comes to older adults.  As we age, we tend to have more healthcare conditions, and health can change quickly.  Older adults may not be as able to get to a doctor’s office, so having a physician available by phone or for a house call is a huge benefit.  I work with a lot of older adults with memory issues and having a physician take the time to understand their situation and see them in their own home can be so helpful.

All of the concierge level practices I have used or looked into have Telemedicine.  This means that doctor’s or nurse practitioners are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  It may not be the practitioner you typically see, but it will be someone from the practice.  This is a great help when you aren’t sure if you need to see your doctor or not.  Many times, the doctor can assess you over the phone and make a recommendation immediately.  Some practices charge you by the minute for the calls, while other practices charge you a monthly fee for being available.  It can be very helpful when you have a frail loved one to be able to pick up the phone and talk to the doctor about their care.

Concierge level care also tries very hard to be accommodating.  This means that you will likely be able to see your doctor the same day you request a visit.  I like this because it offers continuity of care versus going to an urgent care and seeing a physician that doesn’t know you.  Some practices will charge you a monthly flat rate, typically about $400-600 for this type of service.  Other practices will charge only for the time you actually use them but will have a higher rate.  Make sure you read the fine print before you sign a contract.  Most of the concierge practices will still charge you for a visit or bill your insurance and expect a co-pay.  The monthly fee only covers the calls and flexibility with office visits.  Some concierge practices offer house calls for an additional charge, while others don’t.  The goal is to promote overall better health and staying out of the emergency room and hospital.