The Boutique or Concierge Physician...

The Los Angeles Times speaks a a physician who has made the transition, and one transition in between.  The practice is becoming more popular as time goes on.  This physician happens to be in the West Los Angeles area, but recently this week I participated in Blog Talk Radio show listening to another physician, Alan Dappen  who has a bit of a different set up.  There's no set rules as to how the Concierge office is to run, thus there are many alternatives as to how to set pricing, respond to patients, what technologies to use, etc. 

Most physicians are trying to have a life and yet continue to care for patients with quality of service and as time moves on and payers and contracts for physicians get to be less in the reimbursement department, I can't help but think this may continue to flourish.  BD  

He refers to himself as Dr. House Call. In glossy brochures mailed recently to thousands of well-to-do households from Malibu to Brentwood, he said he was seeking to be a "caring, old-fashioned Marcus Welby kind of good doctor without the office hassles." Dr. House Call -- a.k.a. Dr. Herbert Rubin -- is an example of a small but growing trend in medicine as physicians cut themselves free from insurance companies and enter into direct relationships with patients who can afford more personalized healthcare

No prices are listed in the brochure. But Rubin's website, Doctorhousecall.md, says he charges $450 for most new-patient visits, $300 for follow-up visits, $400 for hospital visits and $250 for telephone consultations. "I now have about 150 patients," Rubin said, smiling. "I only need to see one or two patients a day to be in the black."

Give the doctor a checkup before ordering a house call - Los Angeles Times