Letters: The ‘concierge’ Rx

Re “Paying for more of your doctor’s time,” July 29

I recently changed a limited portion of my practice to a “concierge model,” in which patients pay an annual fee for better access. Although the financial incentive is certainly appealing to physicians, patients benefit as well.

Most longtime primary-care doctors treasured the time they could spend with each patient. But given the constraints of the present era, providing this level of attention has become almost impossible. Given their frustration, more physicians have adopted the concierge model for patients who see the value in a return to the “old fashioned” style of personalized medicine.

We all wish we were not forced to choose between adding to the cost of healthcare with “concierge medicine” and providing less-personalized care. But given the current options, there seems to be little choice.

Robert Davidson, MD

Los Angeles

ALSO:

Letters: Let the NRA give something back

Letters: Targeting Obama conspiracy theories

Postscript: Coal-generated electricity -- a burning issue