What is Private practice? What is Concierge Medicine?
When I was growing up, I remember the doctor my mom used to see. He took so much time with her, listened to all of her complaints, and if he didn’t know the answer, he would research it and call her with the information. He made house calls when we were sick. He knew me, my family and even my dog!!
Something happened in Medicine- HMO’s destroyed the field. Plain and simple-some doctors made a lot of money and businessmen decided that they wanted it. So promised were made of cost cutting and better delivery of care. Neither of these has been shown to be true. Instead, doctors spent less and less time with patients, because they were forced by greedy administrators to see as many people a day as they could, because facilities were paid less and less to see a patient. The doctors couldn’t rebel, because if they organized against this madness, they were threatened with anti-trust law. So, the doctor I wanted to be was no the doctor I was allowed to be. Still, the public got lost in this fantasy of “House”…that somewhere a hospital has a team of “geniuses” they keep around to find out “what the problem is” and cost is never an issue. Tests are done, but nobody has to call for pre-approval. House never gets denied the chance to do the MRI he wanted. Mix in some drama, and you have a series. But, it’s just fantasy!
And then one morning, I said “why not”? Why not do it the way I think it should be done. I know more about medicine than the President, or a Senator, or a lawyer, or an MBA administrator. So, I decided to leave all the insurance plans and open up a “Private Practice”. The model is simple. I dedicate myself to each one of my patients and invest in the resources they need to keep them healthy and informed. They pay for my time and skill. They know they will see me at their bedside if they are home sick and it will be ME calling them with the latest research on their disease. No 6 week waits, no getting blown off in the waiting room for 45 minutes, no rushed appointments!!
One of my strengths has always been the difficult diagnosis. It’s a challenge. A test. It’s invigorating to have to think about what the problem might actually be. Medical detective, diagnostician, what ever you might want to call it. Is it a perfect model? No. Is it for everyone? But it’s a choice. An option. …and that is what it should be for everyone!