Concierge primary care is a relationship between a patient and physician in which the patient pays an annual fee, or retainer. In exchange, doctors provide enhanced care, including principally a commitment to limit patient loads to ensure adequate time and availability for each patient. There are many terms that describe this type of practice, including concierge medicine, retainer medicine, membership medicine, cash-only practice and direct care. There are variations on how this model of care is practiced and some nuance in how the terms are interpreted. This type of practice has been around for nearly 20 years and continues to grow at a rapid pace.
From our perspective, good physicians need time for continued self-education and collegial contact. They need time for families, friends and recreation. Difficulties with the current healthcare financing model make it almost impossible for most 21st-century primary care doctors to meet their own needs or their patients’ needs.
The concierge medical practice is an innovative style that provides the opportunity to meet those goals. The concierge doctor can be available virtually all of the time to his/her patients without feeling overwhelmed, because there are far fewer patients in a concierge practice. We provide excellent preventive care and personalized, immediate urgent care, thus minimizing the number of calls needed outside office hours.
Being available to our patients 24/7 is not a burden. When the phone does ring, we can be up and ready to act without hesitation or fatigue. We want our patients, whom we consider extended family, to be able to reach us when they need us. We are confident they will not abuse that trust.
Discover the most attentive concierge medical care or schedule your first visit at our family medicine clinic by calling us at 310.375.1393. Our patients come to us from Hermosa Beach, Manhattan Beach, Torrance, Palos Verdes, Rolling Hills, Redondo Beach and close-by locations in the South Bay.
