Two hours into her wait for a doctor’s appointment, Sharon Fuller had to leave.
“I actually waited two hours one time, and I had to get my copay back,” she said. “I just couldn’t wait any longer.”
The frustrating part? She liked her doctor. She had been seeing him since moving to Richmond after college, and they had built a good relationship.
But as her career grew more demanding, so did the challenge of fitting healthcare into her day. Appointments meant long stretches in the waiting room. Getting lab results required follow-up. And when she finally saw her doctor, she didn’t always feel heard.
She wanted to keep the relationship she valued while finding a practice that worked better for her life.
Coworkers introduced Sharon to PartnerMD. Several colleagues where she worked were exploring concierge medicine, and their recommendations encouraged her to learn more.
From her first visit, she noticed how smoothly things went. She checked in, was seen quickly, and felt comfortable with her physician.
Today, she describes the difference as “night and day.”
“It’s actually a pleasure to come to the doctor’s office,” Sharon said. “You know you’re going to be greeted, you’re going to be treated with respect. You’re not going to have to wait for hours.”
During her career, that meant less disruption to her workday. Now that she’s retired, her time matters just as much.
“But I retired two years ago, and it’s still important to me because there are other things I want to be doing,” she said.
Sharon remembers appointments with specialists when she was still asking a question as the doctor closed the door on the way to the next patient.
“And something like that just doesn’t happen here,” she said.
With Dr. Burkwall, whom she has seen throughout her PartnerMD membership, there’s time to talk about her health and what’s happening in her life.
Tennis, travel, and family are part of those conversations. For Sharon, those details help her physician understand the person coming in for care.
“I think my doctor here at PartnerMD knows and understands things about me that my prior physicians didn’t because she takes the time to ask,” Sharon said.
She values the expertise but also the individual attention: knowing her appointment is shaped around her needs and that she has time to ask her questions.
“My goal is to help you live your best life. Whatever that may be, I want to be your partner in working to achieve your goals.”
Dr. Patricia Burkwall
One experience brought the value of that relationship into focus.
Sharon was in Kentucky on a business trip, preparing to fly home. It was around 5 p.m. on a Friday when she developed symptoms she recognized from a previous kidney stone.
An uncomfortable situation was now complicated by distance, timing, and an evening of travel.
She called PartnerMD. The physician on call returned her call promptly and talked through her symptoms, what to do in the meantime, and what to do when she got home.
Having someone to help her navigate those next steps was “really comforting and reassuring,” she said.
Sharon and her husband see different physicians at PartnerMD, but at home, their healthcare is a shared conversation. They talk about their health, their wellness goals, and the guidance they receive.
“We really see our doctors here as part of Team Fuller,” she said.
For Sharon, that means knowing she has someone on her side who understands her individual needs. Her husband has that support, too.
“I think the greatest value is knowing that I have somebody on my team,” she said.
That relationship matters as they get older and think about what comes next. For Sharon, now retired, it includes having someone to turn to when a concern comes up and someone who helps her stay accountable for her health along the way.
She compares it to the reassurance of having a physician as a friend: someone she knows, trusts, and can reach when she needs help.
“PartnerMD’s given me peace of mind that I’ve not had before with healthcare.”
If you recognize your own frustrations in Sharon’s story, explore what a different experience could look like. More time to ask questions. Less time spent waiting. And a physician who gets to know you and becomes part of your team.
At PartnerMD, concierge primary care gives you the time, access, and ongoing support to address concerns today and plan for your health in the years ahead.
Complete our membership form to schedule a conversation with our team. We’ll answer your questions, explain membership costs and how insurance works, and help you find a physician who fits your needs.