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Concierge Medicine


futureGP

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http://www.cmaj.ca/content/185/2/E105.full

 

Some debates on this one especially in the US.

 

So essentially primary care docs charging a patient $1000~$2000 to accept them into their practice. Gives them 24/7 phone call access + instead of 10min visits, it's 30~80min visits with 2.5hr annual physicals.

 

Whereas private health care insurance on average employer health insurance premium is $13375 for a family, $4824 for a single person(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health_insurance_costs_in_the_United_States).

 

Although that does include coverage in hospitals etc, it seems like concierge medicine can argue that they're not really creating a 2-tier health care system (which already exists in the US anyways).

 

Based on the above article, it could seem like a way out for a lot of PCP in the US into a very lucrative practice that involves practicing really preventive medicine without the hassle of trying to fit patients into the tight schedules.

 

According to the article, most docs carry between 100~425 patients each.

with potential gross income between $100 000 and $850000.

 

 

This is probably not gonna happen in Canada, but still. It's an interesting model to be aware of if you plan on going into primary care

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I can see the convenience of this. I'd totally pay $1000 to allow me to see a doctor whenever I needed to - I put off a lot of health care needs for myself because I am not available during the times the doctors offices are open.

 

I'd hate to be the doctor who's on 24/7 for all these phone calls, though. People will call you for ANYTHING at ANY TIME. GPs I've worked with had patients show up to the small town hospital ER at 2 AM for refills (despite there being evening clinic hours several times a week), call them at 3 AM to ask for advice about constipation, etc. Now imagine if everyone had paid $1000 out of their own pocket to have access to these GPs - the number of people who think it's ok to do it "because I paid for it!" would skyrocket. No amount of money is worth that, IMO.

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I'd hate to be the doctor who's on 24/7 for all these phone calls, though. People will call you for ANYTHING at ANY TIME. GPs I've worked with had patients show up to the small town hospital ER at 2 AM for refills (despite there being evening clinic hours several times a week), call them at 3 AM to ask for advice about constipation, etc. Now imagine if everyone had paid $1000 out of their own pocket to have access to these GPs - the number of people who think it's ok to do it "because I paid for it!" would skyrocket. No amount of money is worth that, IMO.

 

"no reward is worth this" - han solo

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I'd hate to be the doctor who's on 24/7 for all these phone calls, though. People will call you for ANYTHING at ANY TIME. GPs I've worked with had patients show up to the small town hospital ER at 2 AM for refills (despite there being evening clinic hours several times a week), call them at 3 AM to ask for advice about constipation, etc. Now imagine if everyone had paid $1000 out of their own pocket to have access to these GPs - the number of people who think it's ok to do it "because I paid for it!" would skyrocket. No amount of money is worth that, IMO.

 

yeah truee

 

but if u only have ~200 patients... it's not that badd

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