AUGUST 29, 2015 – Opinions on whether or not Concierge Medicine or it’s low-cost, monthly companion, Direct Primary Care (DPC) is a good fit for medical residents and physicians starting their career in primary care are split. Analysts say forecasting figures is a difficult task to calculate with any kind of accuracy. Surveys from multiple organizations over the years have even incorrectly conjectured physician numbers. While predicting the future is difficult, it does look bright for the DPC Sector as a Free Market Healthcare delivery solution.
A 2014 survey by the Physicians Foundation found that 20 percent of physicians either practice or are planning to transition to one of these alternative models in the next several years. What those numbers will look like in the months and years ahead is unknown in its relation to DPC specifically.
DPC Journal physician readers who were asked “Is DPC Recommended for Medical Residents, Students Right Out of School? Why/Why Not?” indicated the following:
- 52% of DPC physician respondents said, “Yes, I think it could be a good career choice right out of school.”
- 45% of DPC physician respondents said “No, I do not think it would be a good career choice right out of school.”
- 3% of DPC physician respondents were ‘Undecided.’
Barrier to Entry
Debt is often a deterrent, particularly when the average medical student today graduates with thousands of dollars in debt. When DPC Journal physician readers were asked “Did you go into debt to start your DPC Practice?” 72% reported they assumed a median loan of $120,000 which was used for facility, operation, and startup costs associated with the payment model choice.*
Four More Interesting Facts About DPC*
- 55% of DPC clinics Say “Yes, I include Home Visits as part of the Patients Monthly Fee.”
- 65% of DPC doctors report that less than 25% of their patients pay the monthly fee one-time, and they never return.
- Over 84% of DPC doctors are Internal Medicine/Primary Care (47%) and Family Medicine (37%) Physicians.
- 77% of DPC patients report that their monthly fee is between $36-$99 per month.
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* These percentages, polling data, interviews and surveys were provided to Pri-Med/InLight upon request by The Direct Primary Care Journal (www.DirectPrimaryCare.org), Concierge Medicine Today (www.ConciergeMedicineToday.com), and its research arm, The Concierge Medicine Research Collective (www.AsktheCollective.org), August 2015.
