Business
Hybrid concierge support company signs 100th practice
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted July 27, 2009
A hundred medical practices in 12 states have signed up with Concierge Choice Physicians, a company that helps restructure offices to offer both concierge care and usual care, according to a statement issued by the organization on July 8.
"A hybrid approach to primary care is the latest evolution in medical practice," CCP President and CEO Wayne Lipton said in the statement. "Doctors today recognize that different patients have different needs. Some want the convenience and extra service found with concierge care, while others are satisfied with the traditional practice of medicine. A hybrid model allows patients within a single practice to select the option that best meets their personal and financial needs."
The company is based in Rockville Centre, N.Y., and provides software and consultation services that allow practices to implement this hybrid model. Physicians can offer patients the option of continuing to receive usual care or paying approximately $150 a month to make same-day appointments and have longer appointments. Physicians also are available to these patients by phone and e-mail 24 hours a day.
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2009/07/27/bibf0727.htm.