Just wanted to add: For a number of years, I went to a "concierge" doc, before it was cool. As long as I paid the hefty $1800 for the annual physical, I could get into his super special patient group. He was an oncologist turned GP, and he had gotten my husband in to see the city's top kidney specialist in a couple hours because he thought he might have cancer (blood in pee and no obvious kidney stone - turned out there was a tiny stone that had passed). Well, that really turned my head. It was a practice for the super rich of NYC. He had a network of other top docs who collaborated and referred to each other, and he'd call them right there when you were in his office. I couldn't sustain those economics, but it was instructive - it was a particular business model. When I see how much my insurance pays for doctor visits and procedures, I don't know how any practice makes the economics work in NYC, except maybe the volume players. All just to say: Bravo.
I get it. I applaud the transparency and your commitment to your patients and the role family medicine can play. These days waiting for appointments is the norm unless you go full concierge so I appreciate the hybrid model you've created -- and are still tinkering with -- and the principles you're trying to live up to. I can see it's a real balancing act.
Sigh. Reading this post reminds me of everything I hated about my experience of the current state of healthcare and also finding a good reliable doctor in New York City.
As a side note, I laughed when I read “We have nice waiting rooms” as anyone who has visited WFM can appreciate -a long communal bench seat and some old magazines where you spend a (sometimes very) long time waiting would def. Not be considered ‘nice’.
I also grimaced a bit when I read “a salesman walked in to my office “. As if getting some time with you were an easy thing to come by :). As a former patient, I can attest, it’s not.
Like the rest, a fantastic blog! This reminded me of an article I read on the cost breakdown of a $50 (retail) bottle of wine . . . total cost of finished product was approx $10 with less than $2 for the grapes (and of course farmers)!
Just wanted to add: For a number of years, I went to a "concierge" doc, before it was cool. As long as I paid the hefty $1800 for the annual physical, I could get into his super special patient group. He was an oncologist turned GP, and he had gotten my husband in to see the city's top kidney specialist in a couple hours because he thought he might have cancer (blood in pee and no obvious kidney stone - turned out there was a tiny stone that had passed). Well, that really turned my head. It was a practice for the super rich of NYC. He had a network of other top docs who collaborated and referred to each other, and he'd call them right there when you were in his office. I couldn't sustain those economics, but it was instructive - it was a particular business model. When I see how much my insurance pays for doctor visits and procedures, I don't know how any practice makes the economics work in NYC, except maybe the volume players. All just to say: Bravo.
I get it. I applaud the transparency and your commitment to your patients and the role family medicine can play. These days waiting for appointments is the norm unless you go full concierge so I appreciate the hybrid model you've created -- and are still tinkering with -- and the principles you're trying to live up to. I can see it's a real balancing act.
Sigh. Reading this post reminds me of everything I hated about my experience of the current state of healthcare and also finding a good reliable doctor in New York City.
As a side note, I laughed when I read “We have nice waiting rooms” as anyone who has visited WFM can appreciate -a long communal bench seat and some old magazines where you spend a (sometimes very) long time waiting would def. Not be considered ‘nice’.
I also grimaced a bit when I read “a salesman walked in to my office “. As if getting some time with you were an easy thing to come by :). As a former patient, I can attest, it’s not.
Like the rest, a fantastic blog! This reminded me of an article I read on the cost breakdown of a $50 (retail) bottle of wine . . . total cost of finished product was approx $10 with less than $2 for the grapes (and of course farmers)!