July Kicks Off National Concierge Medicine Awareness Month
Atlanta Based trade group, Concierge Medicine Today (CMT), the independent industry trade publication and news information resource, announces nationwide educational initiative.
- (1888PressRelease) June 29, 2015 - National Concierge Medicine Awareness Month is held annually to celebrate the exceptional contribution of Concierge Medicine clinicians and professionals and to bring awareness to a growing industry. An educational and industry-wide national initiative started by Concierge Medicine Today (CMT), the independent industry trade publication and news information resource, has declared July as Concierge Medical Care Awareness Month and welcomes communities surrounding these clinics to learn more about how Concierge Care and how it can benefit the lives and health of loved ones and family members.
Concierge Medicine Clinics (CMCs), physicians and practitioners are encouraged to host community events and staff activities during the week of July 20-24.
Concierge medicine is a relationship between a patient and a primary care physician in which the patient pays an annual fee or retainer. This may or may not be in addition to other charges. In exchange for the retainer, doctors provide enhanced care. Concierge physicians care for fewer patients than in a conventional practice, ranging from 100 patients per doctor to 1,000, instead of the 3,000 to 4,000 that the average physician now sees every year. All generally claim to be accessible via telephone or email at any time of day or night or offer some other service above and beyond the customary care. The annual fees vary widely, from US$10 per month to US$1,500 per year for an individual, with the lower annual fees being in addition to the usual fees for each service and the higher annual fees including most services. Other terms in use include boutique medicine, retainer-based medicine, and innovative medical practice design. The practice is also referred to as membership medicine, concierge health care, cash-only practice, direct care, direct primary care, and direct practice medicine.
Fast Facts About Concierge Medicine
Source: Concierge Medicine Today, June 2015, Trade Publication; www.ConciergeMedicineToday.com
• At this writing, it has been estimated that concierge medicine and direct care physicians number approximately 12,000 physicians and/or physician clinics across the U.S.
• Nearly 70% of current U.S. concierge medicine and direct pay physicians operating practices today are internal medicine specialists.
• A significant number of concierge cardiology, dental and pediatric practices opening across the country.
• The combined average annual income of a typical concierge medicine [and direct pay] patient is between $50,000 to $150,000 per year.
• The typical age of Concierge Doctor is between 40-59 years of age.
• 77% of a concierge [and direct pay] patients are between the age of 40-70 years old.
• A concierge medicine doctor who provides 24/7 cell phone access receives the majority (83%) of phone calls from their patients during normal business hours, Monday thru Friday.
• 62% of direct care and concierge medical offices employ between 1-2 office employees allowing for more personalized attention to address individual and family healthcare needs.
• The most common reason why patients using concierge medicine call their doctor: Prescription Renewals (38%); Cold/Flu Symptoms (19%); Back Pain (14%); and Headaches (13%).
• More than 70% of concierge [and direct primary care] doctors will visit with their patients between 30-60 minutes per office visit, enough time to discuss case history, examination, other symptoms, treatment options and strategy for care.
Concierge Care is proving its vital role in the healthcare landscape - with surging growth to better serve the ever-increasing patient base. Consumers increasingly desire more flexibility from their healthcare providers and want convenient, affordable, high-quality treatment during the evenings and weekends - hours that work best for their schedules. Episodic illness or injury may demand additional medical attention at a time when an emergency room cannot fit the patient in for a visit; Concierge Care serves that walk-in, 24/7 convenient solution to a persons need.
With Concierge Care Awareness Month, Concierge Medicine Today aims to educate consumers - and others in the healthcare industry - about the importance of Concierge Care in the healthcare spectrum.
"We want people to know there are a growing number of affordable, local options for medical situations that require the attention of a primary care physician, but are non-life threatening," said Michael Tetreault, Editor of Concierge Medicine Today. "While Concierge Care will never take the place of insurance or a specialist situation, and is not a replacement for the emergency room in life- or limb-threatening situations, the thousands of Concierge Medicine and Direct Pay offices across the country bridge the gap between these options and provide an affordable, convenient choice for many common medical issues."
*The 2015 Concierge Medicine Research Collective Survey, which addresses other industry topics including differences in Concierge Care centers by region, characteristics of Concierge Care offices based on types of ownership and various revenue correlations, is available for purchase - including media - on the CMT website, www.ConciergeMedicineToday.com.
About Concierge Medicine Today
Concierge Medicine Today (CMT) is a news organization and the Concierge Medicine industry's oldest national trade publication for the Concierge Medicine and Membership Medicine marketplace. Its web site is the online destination for businesses, consumers, physicians, legislators, researchers and other stakeholders to learn about the history of this industry, various business aspects of the marketplace, trends, breaking news and more that drives the conversation that Concierge Medicine and free market healthcare delivery is creating on a national and international level. For more information, visit: http://www.ConciergeMedicineToday.com.
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