Connie Weiser of Butler Township is on board with the trend and is benefiting from immediate and undivided attention from her doctor. Barry Taylor, who is Weiser’s doctor, is among a growing number across the country and in the Miami Valley trying this new approach to healthcare.
“It’s just a different concept. It’s so nice not being a number,” Weiser said. “It’s great because he has all the time in the world for you now.”
While many doctors average about 2,500 patients, Weiser is one of about 400 patients who now sees Taylor. Prices range from $500 dollars for a dependent and up to $2,000 per year for a patient who is older than 50.
“It’s peace of mind. It’s like an insurance policy,” said Weiser, who still needs insurance to cover special tests, hospital stays, trips to the emergency room or surgery.
Going to the hospital is something Taylor is hoping to help patients avoid.
“I try not to have people go to the ER,” Taylor said. “I can usually take care of them here in the office. Sometimes, I have to go see them.”
Taylor said he wanted to return to the roots of old-fashioned medicine so he started the concierge practice two years ago. He said it allows him to work at a more relaxed pace and no patient is fighting for his time.
“The economic pressure on the physician is to get out of the room and move to the next patient, and that’s it. So, I started this practice to get rid of that,” Taylor said. He calls concierge medicine doctor heaven.
He does not take insurance and every procedure he does in his office at 105 Sugar Camp Circle, or in a patient’s home, is covered under the annual premium.
This means Taylor does not have to have pay for a staff to process insurance coverage and payments.
“It works beautifully. It’s all out of pocket. There’s no bill,” Taylor said.
The purpose, he said, is to remove the insurance company from making health care decisions for the patient — at least to start.
The Association of American Physicians and Surgeons supports concierge practices, said Jane Orient, the organization’s executive director.
Third party insurance coverage, whether through the ACA, a plan through work, or otherwise, may triple the cost of low dollar services and the administrative burdens on processing all those claims is tremendous, Orient said.
“Direct care may be the only way that doctors will be able to stay in private practice or even stay in primary care,” Orient said.
Bryan Bucklew, president of the Greater Dayton Area Hospital Association, said concierge medicine serves a health care niche in the community.
“I think it’s an important niche, but I don’t think it’s the universal solution to health care access in our community,” Bucklew said. “Medical technology is increasing. The way providers are being paid is changing and so you are going to see different initiatives taking place and concierge medicine is one of those.”
Bucklew said whether patients benefit will depend on each patient’s circumstances.
“The one thing people are going to have to do with the Affordable Health Care Act and the changes in health care, is really do some research on what’s the best plan, what’s the best provider,” Bucklew said.
According to the American Academy of Private Physicians, there are eight other doctors who have concierge style practices in the Miami valley, 64 total for the state of Ohio.
Weiser said she has no regrets.
“You can send him things before you get to the doctor’s office. You can send him your questions. Or if you need him in the middle of the night, he’s available. He’s available on weekends,” Weiser said. “It’s just so comforting. You know you can rely on him to be there.”