5 Patient Benefits of Concierge Care Medicine

Membership, whether it’s a book club, subscription service, or professional association, brings with it many benefits, from learning and connecting to getting exactly what you need with the least amount of hassle. 

Did you know there’s a patient-friendly care membership model that’s just as popular? Dr. Sharon Gerztman offers concierge medicine to our patients, and they’ve taken to it enthusiastically. Membership as a concierge patient enables her to deliver a level of personalized care that simply wasn’t possible until now. 

What is concierge care?

We described the concierge care model in detail in last month’s blog post, but to review briefly, this is a type of access to your doctor for a flat monthly fee. Membership supports a robust patient-doctor partnership in numerous ways and offers patients:

• 24/7 access to their doctor via every communication channel: text, email, telemedicine visits, and in-person appointments
• Allows patients the luxury of more time with their physician during consultations and appointments
• Removes the insurance “middleman” from the payment equation, patients pay their doctor directly for membership

Concierge medicine is trending like never before, and it’s favored by patients and physicians alike. Medical practices are adopting concierge medicine at a rate of 3-6% per year. 

What can I expect when I join as a concierge medicine patient?

At Serenity Medical, membership in our concierge medical services program allows you unprecedented access to Dr. Gertzman’s extraordinary primary care. As a doctor of osteopathy, Dr. Gertzman believes in the power of treating the whole patient as opposed to an isolated set of symptoms, so the concierge model goes hand-in-hand with this philosophy. 

1. The power of time

Concierge medicine membership offers a rare level of access to care, complete flexibility in how you receive it, and ample time with the doctor — all rarities in healthcare today. These enhancements allow you and Dr. Gertzman to develop a relationship that’s the furthest thing from superficial. 

Since Dr. Gertzman limits her concierge care patients to 100, your care is never compromised due to a large patient caseload. For example, the time devoted to your annual physical is an unheard-of one hour to 90 minutes, while our average follow up appointment lasts half-an-hour, also atypical. 

2. Impressive value

The annual fee for membership in our concierge medicine program is just $2,499, or a little more than $200 per month, and the mixture of great care and privileges you receive are remarkable. 

3. Flat fee convenience

By paying this membership fee directly to us, you bypass the hassles of dealing with your insurance company. We do, however, as a courtesy, send claims to your insurance company, as there’s a chance some of those charges will be reimbursed and can go toward your deductible. 

4. Highly personalized care

Dr. Gertzman first administers a thorough physical exam to concierge patients, which includes reviewing your vaccination history and determining which vaccines you still may need, noninvasive pulmonary function testing, blood work (all done here in-office), and an electrocardiogram (ECG) to assess your heart health.

5. Unequalled access

Membership also means that each year you’re entitled to two sick visits, three follow up visits, and two telehealth appointments, which are ideal if we determine that you don’t need to be seen in person. A telehealth appointment allows you to confer with Dr. Gertzman from the comfort of your home via any electronic device you have, from smartphone to laptop. 

We realize that it’s not unusual to think of additional questions about your treatment plan or most recent appointment well after that appointment. As a concierge member, you can ask your question or voice a concern by calling, emailing, or texting Dr. Gertzman anytime. 

Additionally, you’re prioritized when you need to be seen. If your need is pressing, we schedule you within 24 hours, and you never wait more than a week for a routine appointment — quite different from the weeks- and months-long wait times we hear about in traditional practices.  

Since concierge services are the antithesis of “one-size-fits-all,” we understand that some patients may need additional visits that exceed the number allotted in our concierge medicine plan. For these, we charge a standard visit fee and ask that you pay only 50% of that. 

Concierge membership equals gold standard care

Serenity Medical concierge medicine members get the benefit of Dr. Gertzman’s thorough and compassionate care, whether you need routine care or live with a chronic condition, as well as her watchful eye from a preventive care perspective. She’s also connected to excellent specialists and makes referrals if necessary. 

This is what truly comprehensive care looks like.

Learn how becoming a concierge medicine member at Serenity Medical brings the best in clinical expertise, ease, and flexibility to your treatment. Call our office to learn more or contact us through our website.