How Doctors Transition to Concierge Medicine

You’re a primary care physician in internal medicine or family medicine, and you love caring for patients. But the traditional model is wearing you down.

• You’re tired of rushing through 20+ patients a day, worried you might miss something important.
• You’re tired of spending more time on paperwork than with your patients.
• You’re tired of not truly knowing the people you care for.

This isn’t the career you envisioned. You want to deliver the kind of care your patients deserve and that you can be proud of.

The reality is, the traditional system often makes that impossible. Concierge medicine creates space to focus on each patient and build the meaningful, long-term relationships you went into medicine to provide.

For more than 20 years, PartnerMD has helped physicians move from frustration in the traditional model to fulfillment in concierge medicine.

We’ve supported doctors through every stage of transitioning into our practice so they can focus on delivering the kind of care they always envisioned.

Here are the most common ways to become a concierge doctor today.

1. Join an existing concierge medicine practice.

This is the most common path and often the simplest. You leave your current employer or independent practice to join an organization that already operates under the concierge model.

Why it works:

• The practice has already built the systems, hired the staff, and refined the patient experience.

• Transition support is in place, from credentialing and marketing to patient outreach.

• You can often retain many of your existing patients if they choose to follow you.

At PartnerMD, for example, we dedicate extensive resources to onboarding new physicians, from transferring records and hiring staff to marketing your arrival and introducing you to patients. Most transitions take a few months, depending on notice periods and credentialing.

Things to know:

• Not all patients will follow, but if you’ve built strong relationships, many will.

• You’ll need to adjust to the culture, systems, and expectations of your new organization.

2. Convert your current practice.

If you own your practice or are part of an independent group, you may choose to convert your existing model to concierge medicine.

Steps to consider:

• Assess your market. Understand your local demographics, income levels, and competition.

• Choose your model. Full conversion, segmented (concierge tier plus standard patients), or hybrid.

• Set your ideal panel size. Concierge practices typically have 300–600 patients per physician.

• Prepare your operations. Upgrade scheduling, billing, patient agreements, and office workflow.

• Train or hire staff. Concierge-level service requires a highly engaged, patient-focused team.

• Plan your communications. Announce the change early, explain your reasoning, and provide clear answers to patient questions.

Challenges:

• Emotional conversations with patients who choose not to transition.

• Balancing business operations while continuing patient care during the shift.

3. Merge or sell your practice to a concierge group.

For some physicians, merging with or selling to an existing concierge practice is an attractive option. You keep caring for patients, but no longer manage the business side.

Why it appeals:

• Relieves you of administrative and ownership burdens.

• Brings in experienced operational leadership.

• Allows your patients to access concierge-level care without you starting from scratch.

What it involves:

• Gaining partner buy-in if you’re in a group.

• Evaluating compatibility in vision, operations, and culture.

• Negotiating a deal, often with attorneys and valuation experts.

• Potentially rebranding, relocating, or integrating with new systems.

4. Consider other models.

While less common, these approaches may fit certain situations:

• Segmented Model: Maintain your full patient panel but offer concierge-level services to a select group for an additional fee.

• Hybrid Model: A portion of your panel is concierge; the rest remains traditional. Provides revenue stability but can increase workload.

• Direct Primary Care (DPC): Similar to concierge in patient panel size, but typically does not bill insurance and has lower monthly fees.

Key legal and business considerations

No matter which path you choose:

• Get legal guidance. Ensure compliance with Medicare rules, anti-kickback statutes, and patient abandonment laws.

• Develop a business plan. Include pricing strategy, staffing needs, and financial projections.

• Invest in your space. Patients expect a premium experience, from your waiting area to your technology.

• Prioritize communication. Early, transparent messaging helps retain patients and staff.

Explore your options with PartnerMD.

Physicians can join PartnerMD to become part of an established concierge practice. We provide the support, resources, and patient-focused model you need to succeed.

Many are mid-career internal medicine or family doctors ready to focus on prevention, longevity, and patient performance.

We welcome new doctors to the practice and are also open to mergers or acquisitions. You can keep caring for your patients while we handle the business side.

With over 20 years of experience helping physicians move into concierge medicine, PartnerMD makes the process smooth, supportive, and rewarding.

Visit our website to learn more and start the conversation. No strings attached.

Visit our website to learn more and fill out one of the forms to get the conversation started. No strings attached.