Response to a struggling system
In response to the growing dissatisfaction with the current healthcare system, an increasing number of doctors and patients alike are turning to a new trend in medicine: “concierge” or “boutique” medicine.
“The concept is that the patient has special privileges and receives special attention, usually from their primary care physician,” says Dr. Julie Silver, assistant professor in the Harvard Medical School’s Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. Those special privileges include longer exam times, shorter waits, better emergency services, and even same-day appointments.
The cost of “concierge” care
The only down-side to concierge care is the cost. Patients pay physicians annual retainers for this specialized care. According to an article in the Journal of the American Osteopathic Association, those retainer fees range anywhere between $900 and $20,000 per year.
For older adults, the cost of concierge care can be even greater. Since older adults often have multiple medical conditions, they generally pay higher fees. One Miami practice was caught charging $1,500 annually to patients under age 45, while charging up to $3,000 for people age 65 and older.
An answer for older adults
Fortunately, there’s a way for older adults to enjoy all of the benefits of concierge care without the high price tag. The type of patient-centered care for which some people are paying as much as $20,000 per year comes standard with Erickson HealthSM, the nation’s largest and most completely integrated health care and wellness system for America’s aging population.
With Erickson Health, the doctor-to-patient ratio is five times better than the norm: 400 patients per doctor rather than the average 2,000. At Erickson communities like Monarch Landing, Morris and other experts at the on-site Medical Center call residents back within ten minutes to confirm appointments or answer questions.
Enjoying the benefits
“Erickson communities are keyed into looking at the whole person and making sure they have the facilities to help them stay healthy,” says Barbara Smart of Monarch Landing. “Having a Medical Center on-site is very important. If you have a question or a problem, there’s somebody right there. You don’t have to call and make an appointment or get in the car.”
John
and
Judy Torri have more peace of mind knowing that Dr. Morrisis right downstairs. “Dr. Morris is a wonderful person and a very reputable doctor,” says Torri. “Plus, your medical records are all computerized on Centricity, so that if something would happen during the night and you have to go to the hospital, your records go with you. I can’t imagine anything that would be better for you health-wise.”
Enjoying the benefits
A doctor of osteopathic medicine, Morris has extensive knowledge of the body’s musculoskeletal system. Understanding how an injury or illness in one part of the body can affect another makes him an expert at helping patients successfully manage medical concerns like joint replacements or arthritis.
Since he sees significantly fewer patients at Monarch Landing than the average physician, Morris says he now gets to spend more time doing what drew him to medicine in the first place: building relationships with his patients. “Monarch Landing allows me to concentrate on making my patients’ lives better.”