Nov. 10, 2015 | Updated 11:47 p.m.
By DEEPA BHARATH / STAFF WRITER
When Greg Smith wants an appointment to see a digestive specialist for his acid reflux problem, all he has to do is text his primary doctor.
All Dr. Marcela Dominguez has to do is text the specialist down the street from her Mission Viejo office to get that appointment for Smith. He gets in and treated without the customary formal referral or waiting period.
“It’s like having your doctor in your pocket,” said Smith, 55, of Laguna Beach.
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That’s how Smith has felt in the last three years he has opted for concierge medicine, a health care system in which a patient pays an annual fee or retainer in exchange for more time, attention and better access to his or her medical providers.
Concierge medicine and other forms of more personalized care are gaining in popularity with patients nationwide. In a concierge network, doctors establish a more intimate relationship with patients – from going on walks together, to working out together or even to grocery shopping as a team.
It’s where old-fashioned family doctor meets New Age life coach, at an average cost starting at about $1,500 annually.
“It really feels like I have a family doctor,” Smith said.
Dominguez came up with a health care plan for Smith, which includes everything from managing his weight and cholesterol to his sleep patterns.
SOURCE: http://www.ocregister.com/articles/doctor-691410-patients-smith.html
