Charlotte’s New Concierge Medical Practice offers better access, better focus and – IMO – the odds of better health.

Tired of waiting for your doctor to be able to see you?  Calling months ahead to schedule.  Waiting for the doc who is running at least 30 minutes behind.  Being taken out of the front waiting room, only to wait for another 15 minutes in the exam room. Having to fill out endless forms, which apparently no one ever reads. Calling to speak with a nurse, but having to wait by the phone for her to call back, since you can’t actually call directly to speak with a nurse. And so on.

If you answered yes, we feel your pain.  Not for all our docs all the time, but more often than we’d like.  I’m not going to get into the why’s and wherefore’s on today’s challenging and changing healthcare environment.  I’m going to get into an alternative you might want to think about.

PartnerMD.

A new concierge medical practice in the Arboretum area.
Not just for the Hamptons crowd, and not the exclusive privilege of the lifestyles of the rich & famous.

PartnerMD is concierge medicine for 2015 – and that means it may well be worth it and within reach for you.  It works particularly well for busy executives and their families, for consumers who want more access & attention, for mature patients who don’t have a local family network, and for new Charlotteans who have no idea how to navigate the local medical landscape.

You will invest in a membership fee of about $158 a month, but you will reap the benefits of in-depth, personalized healthcare, 24/7 access to your doctor, no waiting, no rushing and a proactive approach to your wellness.

MORE ACCESS

PartnerMD promises very little waiting.  There are only 4 chairs in their Arboretum waiting room.  And no magazines.  Whereas many primary care physicians see 30, 40 or more patients each day, Dr. Matt Acampora at PartnerMD sees 8. Maybe 10.

Your membership gets you 24/7 access.  And same or next day service. Your appointments with the doctor will be 30 minutes.   You will have a direct phone number for Dr. Acampora.  You will get to speak to him and you will get to meet him at the office if need be.  He can also provide care remotely. As in… “send me a photo of your ankle” followed by…. “yes, that looks like a bad sprain. Let me call in for your x-ray and we’ll talk in an hour, after we know whether it is broken or not.”

MORE FOCUS

From a physician-driven strategy to fitness and nutrition counseling, PartnerMD provides the resources to help you maximize your health and live life better, longer.  You will start your relationship off with a comprehensive health exam, much longer than the standard primary care physical, usually around two 1/2 hours.  You will have a full blood panel done – their lab is right there in the office.  You’ll also have:

• Comprehensive physical examination
• Electrocardiogram (EKG)
• Spirometry with oxygen saturation (when medically necessary)
• Dermatological screening
• Visual and hearing tests
• Risk factor analysis
• Wellness consultation with Catlin, the onsite Wellness Specialist.

Following this exam, the doctor will prepare your comprehensive personal health record that summarizes your results, discusses how these results are impacted by your medical history and lifestyle factors, and outlines the his recommended strategy and goals for maximizing your health.  It’s the opposite of a “treat the symptoms not the root cause” mentality.

How does this possibly work?  Well, at PartnerMD, they see about 85% FEWER patients than a typical primary care doc.  Since you pay an annual membership fee, the cost for their attention and your individual care is covered.  Your health insurance still covers the same things it covered when you went to a primary care physician.  Your membership buys you an advocate for your wellness, an actual personal physician.

MORE WELLNESS

This is my favorite part of PartnerMD Charlotte, and her name is Catlin.  Wellness is what sets this particular concierge doctor apart, and helps close the loop on your healthcare.  Your wellness review will include a benchmark for you to go with your full physical and bloodwork:

• Cardiovascular fitness determination
• Strength and flexibility testing
• Nutritional assessment
• Body composition analysis = % body fat, % lean muscle, % water weight etc.

Weight management, diet and nutrition are special interests of Dr. Acampora, and between Catlin and him, you will have a firm set of recommendations and goals.  And you can visit Catlin throughout the year to monitor and track your progress against these. IMO, this feature is worth the price of your annual membership alone, and isn’t that far off from what you would pay a personal nutritionist each month.  PartnerMD Charlotte is working with current members on things like:

• Blood pressure management
• Travel diet and fitness
• Senior wellness
• Cholesterol management
• Diabetes management and prevention
• Smart grocery shopping
• Functional core stability
• Cardiovascular training
• Flexibility and balance

HOW IT WORKS

You pay your membership annually (or monthly), and you pay your co-pay for individual visits to or consults with PartnerMD.  Yes, you will pay for trips to various specialists that you may need to see, although you should be able to cut those down with the proactive approach and easy access to Dr. Acampora.  Your insurance will cover whatever it covers now.  And probably does not cover the concierge membership fee (although your HSA might).  PartnerMD is in-network with most major insurance carriers and accepts Medicare.

Right now, scoop readers receive a 10% discount for new, adult memberships.

Call PartnerMD at 704-816-2626 or email CharlotteInfo@PartnerMD.com now for more detail.

GREAT REFUND POLICY

Here’s the kicker – while PartnerMD has a 96% retention rate,  you can cancel at any time. You give 30 days advance notice in writing, in order to receive a prorated refund of your membership fees, if you have paid on an annual basis.

If you are looking for something different in your approach to your family’s health, take a closer look at PartnerMD.  I think you might be surprised at how affordable a proactive approach to your wellness can be.

8035 Providence Road, Suite 315 Charlotte, NC 28277
(704) 816-2626…..CharlotteInfo@PartnerMD.com