Posted by: AtlasMD

June 24, 2013

LISTEN: Dr. Doug Talks Commonsense Healthcare With Night Talker Radio Network

dougDr. Doug Nunamaker spoke to Michael David McGuire on his Night Talker Radio Network podcast. During the 30-minute interview Doug was met with overwhelming enthusiasm from the host. McGuire extoled our no-nonsense approach to healthcare, celebrated Kansas’ reputation for ingenuity, and had no qualms about asking Doug some personal questions about concierge medicine.

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST HERE

We’re grateful for opportunities like this to spread our message to an even wider audience and clear up the preconceived notion that direct care creates a two-tiered system. It’s the red tape that’s expensive, not the healthcare, Doug explains, and the way a greedy, entrenched system fixes it is with red adhesive sticking to more red tape. In our model, Doug’s able to charge a patient who used to pay $75/month for her medication alone now just $50 for unlimited visits, and a buck for her prescription. That means she’s SAVING $24/mo with her Atlas subscription.

Doug also had a chance to share our new campaign I Want Direct Care. McGuire thought it was brilliant that we’re trying to unite patients and doctors in a reasonable one-on-one relationship. And in doing so, motivate doctors who might consider early retirement or abandonment of the profession to join our movement—if only because the people demand it.

Posted by: AtlasMD

June 22, 2013

How much does a direct care medical doctor make?

How much does a direct care medical doctor make?

Once a direct care doctor is up and running with a full roster, the salary possibilities look really good. We are of the opinion that if a doctor has good standing in his community, a decent advertising budget, and a willingness to take on multiple roles within the office, then he or she can make MORE than their current salary within the insurance-based model. Of course, exactly how much and how much more will depend on their specialty and factors like patient number, monthly fee, and cost differentiation.

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Posted by: AtlasMD

June 21, 2013

TEXAS: Dr. Casad Offers Hybrid OBGYN Concierge Model from Concierge Choice Physicians

Concierge Medicine Today (CMT) posted an article announcing the opening of a hybrid concierge medicine practice in Texas. Dr. Connie Casad is the first gynecologist in the nation to provide the hybrid concierge model for enhanced gynecologic procedures. She too is convinced in the merits of our emerging business model, saying, “Like a lot of my patients, I struggled with issues related to my health and well-being as I aged. I felt like the current healthcare model didn’t provide a system that could provide patients with what they wanted and needed. I conducted considerable research and I believe that the concierge model gives the best option possible for my patients who want to take charge of their health and who are interested in prevention and wellness.”

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Posted by: AtlasMD

June 21, 2013

Breitbart Builds Massive Dialogue After Reporting on Dr. Doug’s CNN Money Feature

Breitbart Builds Massive Dialogue After Reporting on Dr. Doug’s CNN Money Feature

We told you about Dr. Doug’s CNN Money feature last week. Now, in a recent article, Breitbart quotes that “after five years of dealing with the red tape of health insurance companies and the high overhead for the staff [Dr. Doug] hired just to deal with paperwork, he switched to a system of charging his patients a monthly fee plus the price of an office visit or test.” We did want to point out that this line had a bit of an error. Dr. Doug charges extra for things like MRIs, prescriptions, blood panels, but NOT for office visits. But, regardless of the minor oversight, the article generated a massive conversation, with resounding support for concierge medicine.

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Posted by: AtlasMD

June 21, 2013

Revisiting An LA Times Article From Last Year

The byline of last year’s LA Times article reads as follows: “Some physicians in solo practice, frustrated by long hours and less time with patients, opt for so-called concierge medicine. Critics say it could reduce access to care.” We’ve heard this argument before, and although it’s not entirely invalid, it does require a sweeping generalization, something theorists in academia do, or a teacher does when illuminating students to a mathematical law. And in doing so, it positions our field as more of a problem than a solution. They summarize direct primary care as follows: “The model is simple: Doctors charge their patients an annual fee and in turn, give them more time and attention.” While true, this overview is suspect, making us sound like we’re advocating a two-tiered system.

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Posted by: AtlasMD

June 20, 2013

Study Finds Rate Of New Primary Care Physicians Entering the Field to be “Abysmal”

An article from Breitbart said recently that “despite a shortage of U.S. primary care doctors, less than 25 percent of new doctors go into this field, and fewer still work in rural areas.” The lead study author Dr. Candice Chen, is an assistant research professor of the George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services. According to her study, only 4.8 percent of the new primary care physicians set up shop in rural areas.

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Posted by: AtlasMD

June 14, 2013

How many patients should a concierge doctor have?

How many patients should a concierge doctor have?

First off, consider yourself blessed if you’re part of the growing community of practicing doctors who left the insurance nightmares behind. You’re going to have a lot on your plate now, even at less than maximum patient capacity. You’ve got to get your head around new billing processes, new responsibilities (like answering the phone and scheduling your own appointments) and most likely, a new office. However, you’ll want to prepare yourself for some serious patient expansion around the 18-month mark.

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Posted by: AtlasMD

June 14, 2013

Rose Egge Suggests 3 Ways To Get More Face Time With Your Doctor

You know the drill already. Healthcare costs are forcing doctors to see obscene numbers of patients just to keep their lights on, causing many doctors to spend less time with their patients. Rose Egge contributed a reassuring article to Concierge Medicine Today (CMT) going over techniques that some Seattle physicians are adopting to counter this trend. And one turns out just to be concierge medicine. It figures we’d make a list of this nature.

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Posted by: AtlasMD

June 14, 2013

Writer Contributes Op/Ed Piece To Heal Overwhelmed Physicians

Jerry Avorn is a professor of medicine at Harvard and an internist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. He’s also the author of “Powerful Medicines: The Benefits, Risks, and Costs of Prescription Drugs.” He wrote an eccentric and slightly polemic opinion piece in The New York Times that connects Marie-Henri Beyle, pseudonym Stendahl, with the current state of primary care treatment techniques.

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Posted by: AtlasMD

June 13, 2013

How much does it cost to run a concierge medical practice?

How much does it cost to run a concierge medical practice?

Running a concierge medical practice costs a lot less than you’d expect. While a variety of factors (location, space size, clientele, etc.) might push your overhead up or down, we’ve got our head around some numbers that will provide a great benchmark for transitioning concierge medical doctors.

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