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Comparing Concierge Medicine in Greenville, SC

November 20th, 2023 | 4 min. read

By Melissa Gifford

concierge medicine in Greenville, SC

We know switching to concierge medicine can cause uncertainty. You want a better relationship with your doctor, but how do you know you are picking the right concierge doctor?

At PartnerMD, we have helped thousands of patients make the switch to concierge medicine, including those in Greenville, South Carolina.

We might not end up being the concierge medicine practice in Greenville for you. That’s ok. We want to give you quality information so you can make the right choice for yourself and your family.

With that in mind, there are currently two choices for concierge doctors in Greenville, SC – PartnerMD and MDVIP. There is also a small concierge practice in Piedmont, as well as a couple of direct pay primary care practices (no insurance accepted) like Galen Healthcare & Aesthetics and Ember Modern Medicine. 

In the rest of this article, we’ll detail the major similarities and differences between the concierge doctors in Greenville, so you can select the best concierge medicine option for you.

Female patient shaking hands with their doctor.

Similarities of Concierge Medicine in Greenville

First, it’s important to understand the basics of concierge medicine. You will likely see these features across the board.

  • Out-of-pocket membership fee
  • Same-day or next-day appointments for sick care
  • Little to no waiting at the office
  • Longer appointments, often at least 30 minutes
  • After-hours and weekend access to care

Differences in Concierge Medicine in Greenville

While the features listed above are standard, some key differences will likely help you make a final decision. These include:

  • Cost of membership
  • Size of the practice
  • Annual physical options
  • Wellness services
  • Specifics of after-hours and weekend access

Options for Concierge Medicine in Greenville

If you are looking for a concierge doctor in the Greenville, SC area, there are currently two options – PartnerMD and MDVIP.

Here are the main concierge medicine options in Greenville: 

  • PartnerMD – A regional concierge medicine practice with seven offices in Greenville, SC; Atlanta, GA; Richmond, VA; Washington, D.C.; and Baltimore, MD.
  • MDVIP – A national concierge medicine company with independently owned franchises throughout the country, including two in Greenville.

Now, let’s examine the differences between each.

Greenville Concierge Medicine: Cost

The cost of concierge medicine throughout the country varies from $2,000 per year to as high as $10,000 per year.

In Greenville, SC, the cost for adults is typically on the lower end of that range as far as we can tell:

Greenville Concierge Medicine: Size of Each Practice

The size of each practice could be a key differentiator for you. And by size, we mean the number of doctors available.

Maybe you want the flexibility of picking from multiple options. Maybe your spouse is committed to seeing only a doctor of the same gender. Or maybe you appreciate the personal touch of a truly solo practitioner.

  • PartnerMD – We have four doctors – Dr. Terence Lillis, Dr. William Messer, Dr. Jack Durham, and Dr. Jana Morse – in Greenville. Our two male doctors are family physicians who can see ages five and up. Dr. Morse is an internal medicine physician, so she sees adults only.

  • MDVIP – They have four doctors – Dr. Daniel Smith, Dr. Ron Phillips, Dr. Lesle Long, and Dr. Nancy Netter – operating three different offices in the Greenville area, one on South Venture Drive just off I-385 and three in offices off Buena Vista Way near the Pelham Road Walmart. 

Greenville Concierge Medicine: Annual Physical Options

One of the big differences between traditional primary care and concierge medicine is the advanced annual physical. Most concierge practices offer a much more in-depth annual physical.

However, each concierge medicine practice in Greenville offers a slightly different physical program.

  • PartnerMD – With membership at PartnerMD, we charge our standard Classic (2-Hr) Physical to your health insurance. It is almost always covered at 100%.

    In addition, we offer the ability to upgrade each year to our Enhanced (5-hr) Physical or our Signature (8-hr) Physical, which offer more advanced lab work through the Cleveland HeartLab, screenings, and consultations for the best in prevention and identification of health risks even before symptoms occur. More information on our advanced physicals is available here.

  • MDVIP – Their Wellness Program includes their version of an annual physical and is included in the cost of the membership. This program includes advanced medical tests and health screenings typically not covered by commercial insurance or Medicare.

    Since MDVIP’s annual physical is included in their membership fee, they typically do not refund the total membership fee if you already had your physical completed but want to cancel your contract.

Greenville Concierge Medicine: Wellness Services

Some concierge medicine practices in Greenville focus solely on providing concierge-level primary care. Others take it to the next level by pairing primary care with in-house wellness services. However, there are some variations.

  • PartnerMD – Access to Wellness University, a comprehensive platform that features more than 70 courses on nutrition, exercise, stress and sleep, and cognitive health, and certified health coaches, including one specifically in Greenville (Aaron Benator), is included in the cost of your membership. 

  • MDVIP – MDVIP does not have health coaches on staff or any specifically tailored wellness programs. Their Wellness Program is centered around the advanced annual physical (discussed above) and is coordinated with the doctor.

PartnerMD health coach meeting with patient

Greenville Concierge Medicine: After-Hours Care

Some form of after-hours, on-call care is standard at almost every concierge medicine practice. After all, the peace of mind that comes from knowing you’ll get the care you need when you need it is one of the main pros of concierge medicine.

However, how practices offer after-hours care can differ. Some practices guarantee 24/7 access to your specific doctor. Others guarantee access to a doctor within the same practice. Some use a third-party service or a nurse line to triage after-hours calls.

  • PartnerMD – We guarantee 24/7/365 access to a PartnerMD physician in your area. In Greenville, the doctors from our Greenville office – Dr. Lillis, Dr. Durham, and Dr. Morse – split time handling after-hours, weekend, and holiday coverage.

    This means you know you will always be speaking to a doctor in PartnerMD’s Greenville office, and never a nurse practitioner or physician assistant.

  • MDVIP – Doctors at MDVIP provide 24/7 access for their patients via pager, phone, or email after hours, on weekends, or a holiday. Because MDVIP offices are independently operated, vacation and sick coverage may be handled by a non-MDVIP doctor. 

Find a Concierge Doctor in Greenville, SC: Take the Next Step

As with any major healthcare decision, we encourage you to check out your options. Invest time with each practice to make sure you find the right fit.

If you’re ready to check out PartnerMD Greenville, schedule a visit with our team here.

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Melissa Gifford