By Dr. Marcia Hootman, Author and Fitness Expert, Huffington Post
DECEMBER 3, 2014 - How long do you usually wait for doctor’s appointment? The average wait in DC is 17 days. If you live in Boston, it could be as long as 72 days. And once you get there, you may have time to go through all the year-old magazines before the nurse comes to take you into another room where you’ll probably wait again.
After hearing years of complaints, two Seattle, Washington physicians designed a program called MD2 (Mdsquared). This new concept of ‘concierge medicine‘ offered families their own private doctor on call. The only challenge they had was the annual retainer –$20,000. Medical care was now more convenient, but too expensive for most.
Finally, in the past few years, more and more membership models have sprung up, making primary medical care accessible and more affordable. Many companies offer fees as low as $100 per month for individuals, to $200 for families.
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As any new concept that arises, the model morphed into different shapes, sizes and products. Today CVS and other pharmacies offer walk-in clinics, where people with minor health problems can immediately see a physician’s assistant or nurse practitioner. If walk in isn’t quick enough, you can find websites advertising online doctors. They say that with a video chat, the doctor can make a proper diagnosis.
The changing face of medical practices show that in today’s busy society, many people not only demand immediate gratification, but convenience as well. Hence, the growing number of distance learning institutions, and now spiritual seekers increasingly clicking online to spend time with their favorite guru.
Dr. Marcy Zwelling, an internist and critical care doctor in Los Alamitos California, thinks I’ve got it all wrong. She charges patients $2,000 a year and takes no insurance. Insurance is for catastrophic illness, she said, and in many cases patients should carry just that and pay for smaller services out of pocket. “They’ll save money if they do,” she said. Mammograms can be had for $75, and an MRI costs $200 cash — tops, she said. According to Zwelling, if you have a copay and deductible on top of a high monthly insurance premium, chances are it is less expensive for you to just pay out of pocket for these and other tests. I wrote about how this was certainly the case with filling prescriptions: It’s often cheaper to not put it through your insurance company but just pay out of pocket. Michael Tetreault, editor in chief of Concierge Medicine Today, a trade journal covering the industry, said that there are about 12,000 physicians in the U.S. who now run concierge medical practices — offices that charge annual fees, generally in the $1,200 to $2,500 range, for providing “enhanced” care.
Some pilgrims will continue traveling to Mecca, Lourdes, and other sacred places around the globe. But millions of 21st-century people would rather have their spirituality delivered — like pizza or books from Amazon. This fact has been proven by the popularity of online spiritual courses and meditation series. Google ‘online meditation’ any day, and almost 10,000 pages will pop up.
Why has this phenomenon recently mushroomed?
1. No missed work or family time
2. No waiting in line at busy airports
3. No expensive hotels
4. No sitting in a room with hundreds of people
Turn on your computer or hand held device and you can bring the greatest spiritual teachings right into your living room. It doesn’t matter if you’re an early riser or night owl. One click and they magically appear — 24/7. Most meditation series are offered free, with the option to purchase at the end of two or three weeks. Some of the more popular sites feature four to five series per year, while others repeat their most popular programs.
One company, Mentors Channel is breaking ground by offering a subscription program. Featuring a variety of the finest spiritual teachers in the world, you can purchase a NetFlix type membership and enjoy your favorites for up to an entire year.
You can visit your guru on a remote mountaintop, drive to a doctor, school, restaurant or spiritual workshop, or use a keystroke and have it all brought to you, in the comfort of your own home. The choice is yours.
SOURCE: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-marcia-hootman/4-reasons-why-concierge-s_b_6245246.html
