Experts discuss some of today's most relevant issues at Concierge Medicine Assembly

At the recent industry conference in Atlanta, sponsored by Concierge Medicine Today, panels of informed experts discussed with enthusiasm some of today's most relevant issues. Specialdocs founder Roberta Greenspan offered her perspective on how physicians feel about practicing medicine prior to transitioning to the concierge model. "They often say they are losing their passion, burning out, and the way they are forced to practice is not what they envisioned when they graduated medical school." Still, it's not easy to make the change, she says. Most are anxious about the future success of their practice, and are concerned their patients won't understand that the primary motivation for change is about continuing to provide the best possible care. After the transition, however, "without exception, our physicians are much happier...they even look younger as the stress just falls away. It's an amazing transformation," she told the group.

Agreed Dr. Jeff Puglisi, who worked with Specialdocs to transition his Greenwich, CT group practice to the concierge model last spring: "It's not about the money. I was sick and tired of not being the kind of doctor my patients need. It's about taking control of your future, and being able to be there for your patients for the long haul." The only downside he feels is "guilt for not having transitioned sooner."

Leslie Mitchell, Specialdocs' Vice President of Physician-Client Services, spoke to the importance of messaging prior to the transition, because "there's a lot of misunderstanding in this environment, and some patients may feel confused or upset. We work very hard behind the scenes to create the right message and educate patients so they understand it's not just an unexpected expense. It's an investment in their health. Once you can flip the thought process from expense to investment, they understand the value...after all, what better investment can you make in life than in your health?" she asked.

The conference ended with a thoughtful comment from Catherine Sykes, publisher of Concierge Medicine Today: "You really do have a say in the future of primary care in this country. We believe that some of the models that continue to evolve, continue to change, will make an impact that's going to pave the way for the next generation of doctors and all of the patients that are to come."