Top 4 Questions Your Should Be Asking a Concierge Doctor
If you’re like many people, you’ve become unhappy with the quality of your primary health care in recent years. You may find yourself waiting weeks or even months for a non-emergency appointment, and when appointments do materialize, you’re rushed through so quickly that you don’t have time to ask your doctor pertinent questions or thoroughly explain your symptoms. You may have also heard the term “concierge medicine” but are unsure how it differs from traditional primary care. Keep reading for more information, including a series of questions to ask concierge providers before deciding whether to use their services.
What Is Concierge Medicine?
Concierge medicine provides personalized care to those who pay an agreed-upon membership fee. Unlike traditional primary care, these practices offer longer appointment times, and it’s often possible to get a same-day appointment when you have concierge care. This service typically also provides members with a direct telephone line to their personal physician, allowing them to ask their doctor about side effects, symptoms, and other basic aspects of their medical condition. It should be noted, however, that just like a traditional primary care doctor, concierge physicians do not offer diagnoses over the telephone.
All concierge care practices aren’t the same, however. Be sure to ask the right questions before making a financial commitment to a concierge medical practice.
Ask About Credentials
Naturally, you’ll want your concierge doctor in Yardley, PA, to have comparable credentials to traditional primary care physicians in your community. This question should be at the top of your list for any health care provider, from primary care practitioners to medical specialists. Besides simply ascertaining that the physician is licensed to practice medicine, ask about years in practice, board certifications, and any existing hospital privileges with local facilities.
Ask About Appointment Policies
Clarifying appointment policies is another initial step in deciding whether to commit to a concierge medicine membership service. Although not everyone needs or wants same-day appointments, part of the reason health care consumers join a concierge medical service is because of shorter wait times for appointments. Ask your doctor for the average wait time, and if same-day appointments are available, ask if these are subject to extenuating circumstances.
Ask About Peripheral Services
Peripheral health care services include health coaching, wellness planning, Type II diabetes prevention and management workshops, weight loss support groups, nutritional counseling, healthy aging workshops, and pain management programs. Even if you don’t have an existing medical condition, these services may come in handy at some future point.
Ask About After-Hours Assistance
You probably already know that medical issues don’t always happen during traditional business hours, so be sure to ask your doctor about their policy regarding after-hours assistance. While many concierge medicine practices offer evening and weekend assistance, few actually offer 24/7 on-demand health care. However, Signature Medicine does allow you 24/7 on-demand access to Dr. Sitapara and the rest of our medical staff.
Contact Signature Medicine for More Information
Whether you’re seeking medical weight loss programs, a family medicine practitioner to provide medical advice and treatment, or are looking for a personal primary care doctor, Dr. Sitapara can help. Contact Signature Medicine today for a free concierge medicine consultation to explore the benefits of this approach to health care.
