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Concierge medicine (also known as direct care medicine) is fast becoming popular across the United States. What was once a form of private care reserved typically for high income earners is becoming more accessible to those with middle income pay packets.

Concierge medicine differs from mainstream medicine in that a physician is paid an annual fee or retainer instead of being paid per visit. Sometimes this retainer is the only fee a person pays the physician, whilst other time other costs may be additionally charged.

Those medical professionals operating as concierge physicians are able to provide a higher level of service to patients than standard direct care physicians. It is because of this that concierge medicine is sometimes referred to as “boutique medicine”. A concierge doctor caters for fewer clients and is available 24/7 to be contacted for any type of concern.

Concierge medicine is becoming more accessible as a lot of the practicing physicians do not accept insurance of any kind, preferring to be paid in cash. This keeps many of the overhead costs associated with being a medical professional to a minimum, thus enabling some physicians to charge very reasonable prices. For those families who, for whatever reason do not have medical insurance, this is a welcome relief from the stress of worrying about what they will do when they need a doctor.

Concierge doctors are not only general practitioners; they can also be specialized physicians, such as dentists and pediatritions. Although the concept of concierge medicine has only begun developing in the last decade, it has quickly become a popular method of receiving medical treatment.