Orange County Concierge Doctor Practice Creates an Iphone Application – 60-65 Year Old Patients Really Like Their Online Concierge Services

This is one way a boutique or concierge practice is not only potentially increasing business, but making it easier for the patients to interact. The article brings up an important point I feel, one that I make all the time:

Computers work 24/7 – We don’t as we are human and still need sleep.

This is important as access to setting an appointment is not restricted to having to connect only ”during office hours”. The practice also has a list of what they charge for “cash” patients on their site and you can also make a “mouse call”. I like that little bit of terminology myself.

One other smart move here too is they accept “Pay Pal”, pay attention here, this is a good thing. They are local here to Orange County and perhaps I’ll be able to find out more about the IPhone application. Anyone can download even if they are not a patient. BD

Dr. Gregg DeNicola, medical director of the locally owned Caduceus Medical Group, has heard all of the complaints from other physicians about the supposed pitfalls of more doctor-patient interaction online. And he dismisses each and every one of them.

Caduceus, which offers primary, pediatric and OB/GYN care at four locations in Yorba Linda and one in Laguna Beach, this year launched an iPhone application, which is also supported by the new iPad (although at a lower resolution once it’s blown up to 2x size; a “universal” app is on the way, as well as one for non-Apple smartphones). Caduceus spokeswoman Melissa Christian says Caduceus is the only private medical group in the country to have created an iPhone app.

The Caduceus app can be used to access the company’s “online concierge,” in which patients can request an appointment slot, pay a bill, fill a prescription and get a basic question answered by a doctor, usually within an hour. The app has specific features like driving directions, phone links to different offices, info about staff (that’s physician’s assistant Xandi Craig pictured) and a health “tip of the day.” Anyone can download the app, even if they’re not a patient.

DeNicola says people who like the service the most are older patients. “The people who really thank us are the 60- to 65-year-olds,” he said.