If there is anything doctors across different specialties can agree on, America’s health care industry is long overdue for reform.
The traditional, fee-for-service health care model has ceased to be in favor of doctors and their patients for at least a decade and counting. As a result, patients are forced to spend on exorbitantly expensive health care costs for services that do not necessarily have their best interests at heart. Physicians have grown tired of such a complicated, problematic system.
This has led to more and more patients having little to no access to quality health care – a dangerous situation (and medical experts cannot stress this enough). Patients who have no access to reliable primary care are more prone to ER trips, hospitalization, and higher health care costs.
A study by Commonwealth Fund reveals that the United States has a 50% higher rate of hospitalization for ambulatory conditions in comparison to other high-income countries. Mobile diseases are sensitive, chronic conditions that can be managed with routine care, such as hypertension or diabetes.
Enter the COVID-19 virus – the traditional, insurance-based health care model, which was already looking a little worse for wear before the pandemic, is now bursting at the seams.
It took a pandemic for American health care to receive the overhaul it needed. But, given the threat of the virus to their and their loved ones’ health, patients are now demanding health care they can rely on in their time of need.
Thankfully, physicians have taken matters into their own hands by thrusting membership-based models such as Concierge Medicine into public consciousness.
Concierge Medicine has played such an important role in ensuring that patients receive quality health care despite lockdown restrictions throughout the pandemic.
Counterpart, among many other things, is its use of technology in its day-to-day communications. Telemedicine is such an important facet of Concierge Medicine in a way that it strengthens that crucial relationship between doctors and their patients – something the traditional, insurance-based model has failed to accomplish.
A Concierge doctor who used to have an independent family practice, firmly believes that making the switch to Concierge Medicine was one of the best decisions he ever made.- Dr. Zev Cohen, MD
For patients who are coping with chronic conditions, it is tremendously comforting to know they can connect easily and frequently with me. The outreach goes both ways, as I check in often with my most vulnerable patients to see how they are faring, not just physically, but mentally and emotionally.
Eliminating medical third parties such as insurance companies and corporate hospitals has given doctors and their patients the freedom to communicate back and forth. Significant studies show that this does wonder to improve the quality of health care patients receive.
Having doctors on speed dial has averted thousands of medical situations from ending up in the ER. In addition, it makes patients feel a lot more secure knowing that their Concierge doctor is just one text message or phone call away.
Telemedicine has not only been a huge help to primary care but has also helped other areas of specialization, such as cardiology, pulmonology, and so much more.
In an interview with HCP Live, Bob Gold, CEO of GoMo Health, shares that their Concierge Care platform uses telecommunications to elevate the patient care experience.
In the tech world, it is what they refer to as a ‘bot.’ [The role of the bot is to] learn about a patient, engage them, address their behavioral and physical issues. Then, when it discovers what could be an adverse event, [the bot] escalates it to clinical care.- Bob Gold, CEO of GoMo Health
Innovative tech solutions such as push notifications have also helped doctors engage with their patients more consistently, less disruptively.
Josh Ginsberg, MS, Executive Director of The Heart House, explains that push notifications help them relay test results, upcoming appointments, medical reminders, and more to heart failure patients. In The Heart House, a Concierge cardiology practice, telemedicine has helped reduce readmission and ER rates among their patients from 22% to 9%.
A simple exchange of text messages between doctor and patient can reap a goldmine of feedback. Concierge doctors use these important data to adjust the care they extend to their patients accordingly.
Concierge Medicine maintains constant communication between doctors and patients by ensuring that patients take the prescriptions they need to watch out for early warning signs among their patients. This communication fosters early disease diagnosis and a precise, individualized level of patient care that is unique to Concierge Medicine.
Above all, what Concierge Medicine deserves to be recognized for is how it gives patients the feeling that they are well-taken care of and like family to their doctors. There is no greater value than that, especially during a pandemic.
Now, isn’t that such a comforting thought? Making exceptional healthcare accessible to patients like you is our ultimate goal. Enjoy the best that healthcare has to offer, and find a concierge doctor in your area.
