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What Are the Benefits of a Concierge Doctor If You're Healthy?

Concierge Medicine | Membership

We talk a lot about how concierge medicine benefits people who need better access to a doctor.

It’s true – if you’re facing a complex health issue, it’s valuable to find the right concierge physician who has the time to get to know you and learn about your condition. It's one of the main pros of concierge medicine

But what if you seem to be healthy? 

We get that question all time.

First and foremost, it’s a good practice to regularly go to any doctor – concierge or not. Think of it as taking your car in for an oil change. Routine maintenance can prevent or detect problems ahead of time.

But why should you, as a healthy person, take the next step and commit to paying for concierge medicine?

Of course, that can only be answered by the individual, but here are five benefits of concierge doctors for healthy people.

Older patient on a telehealth visit with their physician.

1. Concierge doctors are available when you need them. 

Life is busy. Whether you're a busy professional, a student with a challenging school workload that consumes your free time, or a hard-working mom managing your own busy schedule, it can be difficult to carve out time for pretty much anything else, including healthcare.

Squeezing a doctor’s appointment into your schedule can be nearly impossible when you have to plan three weeks out and count on a 30-minute wait in the lobby and a 20-minute wait in the exam room.

The access you get with a concierge doctor means you get efficient care, without the hassle of squeezing it into your schedule.

Feel the flu coming on? Having trouble shaking that sinus congestion?

Talk to your doctor on the phone, discuss what’s happening, and they can often treat you over the phone.

If you do need to come in, you can count on an appointment being available either the same day or the day after, and you know you won’t waste time waiting to see your doctor.

2. Concierge doctors have the time to provide preventive care for lifelong health.

Because concierge doctors see fewer patients than traditional primary care doctors, they spend more time with each patient. Most concierge providers offer appointments that last at least 30 minutes and physicals that go above and beyond the traditional annual physical.

At a traditional primary care office, you might get 10 minutes with your doctor each appointment.

The extra time you get with your doctor at a concierge practice gives you the time to discuss not only what might be ailing you at that moment, but also what your long-term goals might be.

  • What do you want to be able to do in 10 years? 15 years?
  • How do you want to be able to live when you retire?

There are things you can be doing right now, while healthy, to help you meet those goals down the line.

With a concierge doctor, you’ll have the time to develop a plan to stay healthy for the long term. It is one of the main reasons why patients choose concierge medicine

Female patient meeting with their concierge doctor.

3. Concierge doctors can help you identify risks in advance.

With more time to spend with your concierge doctor, you can do a deep dive into your family and medical history.

You may be healthy now, but what are your risk factors based on your family history? What medical issues have you had in the past that might crop back up in the future?

Most concierge medicine practices offer more advanced physicals and health screenings than the traditional primary care practice. That’s part of what can be included in your concierge medicine membership.

You might think you’re completely healthy, but advanced tests could reveal something different.

By paying for concierge medicine when healthy, you’ll be investing in the best in early detection and prevention to help you stay that way, which costs you less in the long run.

4. Your entire family can see one doctor (and get a nice price break).

While you may feel completely healthy, it’s rare for an entire family to be the same way. Maybe you have young children, and young children can be germ magnets. Or maybe you are the caregiver for your aging parents. Or perhaps it’s just you and your spouse.

Whatever your family situation, choosing the same concierge doctor for your whole family allows for better-informed care on the doctor’s end and more efficiency in your life. Whether it’s your children, your parents, or your spouse, you have just one number to call and one place for all your medical records.

And when you call, your doctor will truly know you and your family. They’ll understand your family’s lifestyle, goals, and history.

So whether you’re suddenly dealing with the flu, allergies, a skin rash, or something more serious, having a concierge doctor even when you feel completely healthy can be a big benefit when it comes to managing a family.

Female concierge physician with an entire family.

5. Concierge doctors are like insurance. Don’t wait until you need them to get on board.

You’re only healthy until you’re not. You may feel great right now, but things can change quickly. Concierge medicine gives you and your doctor more time to look for root causes and work to prevent illnesses from developing down the line.

But just like any kind of insurance, waiting until you need it to get on board can be a problem.

Paying for concierge medicine, and the benefits that it provides, when you’re healthy can help you ward off future costly health problems you don’t see coming right now.

By paying the cost of concierge medicine while you’re young and healthy, you get the best in prevention and early detection to try to prevent the more costly healthcare bill later in life.

What’s Next? Healthy People and Concierge Medicine

Now that you’ve learned a little bit about how concierge medicine can benefit you, even when you’re healthy, you might be wondering what you should do now.

Next, you'll need to find a concierge doctor near you. And once you do that, you'll want to compare your options and get a quote for what the cost of your membership might be. 

At PartnerMD, we have offices in Richmond, VA; Midlothian, VA; Short Pump, VA; Owings Mills, MD; McLean, VA; Greenville, SC; and Sandy Springs, GA. You can find a list of our concierge doctors in each of those offices here

Ready to get a quote for the cost of your membership at PartnerMD? Use our online cost calculator. 

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