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What is concierge medicine? Concierge medicine (also referred to as luxury medicine, retainer medicine, or boutique medicine) is a form of medical practice that caters to a select population of individuals who insist on the highest caliber of medical service. Started in the mid-nineties, this type of practice returns the forgotten art of prioritizing patient comfort to contemporary times. It returns control of healthcare to the patient and his or her physician. Concierge medicine is recognized by the American Medical Association, the American Society of Concierge Physicians, and by various state medical boards in which you find these practices. Like Q, concierge medical practices are not health insurance entities. (back to top) How does Q Concierge Physicians differ from other practices in the area? At Q, we believe that access to your personal physician is integral to your continued good health. Unlike most primary care practices in the Monterey area who carry heavy loads of patient numbers, we limit our enrollment via membership. Because we see a fraction of the load of traditional practices, we are able to offer our member-patients unique benefits rarely found in surrounding medical settings. House calls, direct physician lines, longer appointments, and long-distance care differentiate Q Concierge Physicians from the regional norm. (back to top) Do I have to have membership to receive your services? Q Concierge Physicians is a membership medical practice designed to optimize patient comfort, support, and satisfaction. To access our physicians and special services, individuals must first become member-patients at Q. (back to top) I have several medical conditions. Can I still obtain membership? Absolutely. Your physician’s first visit to you shall encompass the rigorous annual physical exam, and extensive interviewing for your medical history. Records can be obtained from previous centers of care, and will be used in creating your personal medical folder. From there on, your physician at Q will serve your primary and preventative health needs, enlisting the consultations of specialists if needed. (back to top) Why do you only accept limited numbers of patients each year? New member-patient openings into the practice are limited per year to each physician. Eventually, each Q physician is capped for a grand total of several hundred member-patients (in today’s impersonal healthcare system, a single doctor can have as many as 4,000 patients). This is done to ensure physician attention to detail and personal focus for all of our member-patients. (back to top) If I have full access to my physician, what happens when my physician is on holiday? Member-patients have round-the-clock access to their physicians by e-mail, mobile phone, or pager. In the event your physician is on vacation, absent due to illness, or away due to personal emergency, you will be seen by a substitute physician working for the practice. Even with the circumstances described, the practice itself will have 24-hour phone access to your personal physician should any questions concerning your health arise. (back to top) What health insurance plans does Q accept? You won’t need your insurance plans to receive Q services, as all services are provided under our membership fees. Q’s fees themselves are for non-covered services that are non-reimbursable by insurance companies. We request that you continue to use your insurance for costs associated with labs, imaging, medications, specialists, and hospital treatment, which are not covered in our monthly fees. Because we don’t participate with any insurance companies, we are considered “out-of-network” for all plans. As you will no longer need primary care coverage, your insurance premiums may decrease significantly. Please call your insurance company to discuss specifics of your plan. (back to top) I have Medicare. Can I be a patient? Of course. All our treatment and services are covered in our monthly fees, and you will never pay any additional costs for services rendered at Q. This unique benefit is available to you only because we have elected not to participate with Medicare. You should keep your Medicare benefits, however, for costs associated with off-site labs, imaging, medications, specialists, and hospital treatment, which are not covered in our monthly fees. By law, Q’s membership fees cannot be submitted for reimbursement. (back to top) Where are you located? Our beautiful office is located in prestigious Ryan Ranch, in scenic Monterey, California. (back to top) Are specialist fees covered? Q Concierge Physicians will be the liaison between member-patients and specialists that may be required for optimal care. This will include personally discussing your situation with the appropriate specialist, scheduling your appointment, and coordinating further care if needed. Specialists are not part of Q Concierge Physicians, and thus have their own fees. (back to top) How can I reserve a spot in your patient panel for your next membership opening? At this time, we are openly accepting new patients for membership. Once we reach our limit with the numbers of patients we can accept (several hundred), a waiting list policy will be implemented for interested parties. (back to top) Does Q Concierge Physicians provide other concierge services? We specialize in a unique medical service delivery system where your health is our ultimate and foremost priority. We thus limit our concierge services to medically-related matters. This may include hotel reservations for family members during medical crisis, transportation of family members during emergencies, and other such related matters pertaining to individual circumstances. (back to top) What are your membership costs? General information on membership is provided on this website. For specific questions, please contact our office for assistance. (back to top) Is there any financial penalty for ending membership? Certainly not. Member-patients at Q may terminate membership at any time, for any reason, and there are absolutely no financial penalties for doing so. (back to top) If you have further questions regarding Q Concierge Physicians, kindly contact the administrative offices, and we shall be glad to assist you. |
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