What is Concierge Medicine
Part 1 - Definitions and Implications
Concierge medicine is new, so there isn't one exact definition, but the basic deal is this - you pay a set monthly fee, and in return, you get taken care of by a doctor who takes care of you the way it's supposed to be done - the way he learned when he was in school.
And there's no insurance company in sight.
Without the insurance nonsense, your doctor can create a better patient experience, and produce better outcomes than many traditional practices, because your doctor has more of the most valuable medical technology of all - time. He spends his time talking and examining you. He spends it considering and researching your case after you leave. Reviewing your labs and x-rays, making a thoughtful diagnosis, and finally setting out a treatment plan that makes sense.
When your doctor takes more time, you benefit
When your concierge medicine doctor can spend more time with you, being more thoughtful, more careful, he's less likely to make mistakes. Your doctor can read more, stay on top of the latest science. And he can send that knowledge to you and any other specialists you consult with.
Charging for membership creates a context that promotes thoughtful diagnosis, treatment and preventative planning.
Your doctor isn't stifled by insurance regulations, so he can communicate with you clearly and thoroughly. He's able to send you references by e-mail, and has time to talk on the phone. Your visits start on time, so you don't have to waste an entire day looking at boring magazines.
Charging for membership in a concierge medicine practice creates a context that promotes thoughtful diagnosis, treatment and preventative planning, and understanding the individualized stressors and root causes of illness cannot be achieved in a per-visit context. At RiverRock, because insurance companies and employers are no longer calling the shots, we provide ongoing followup care in modern ways, by e-mail, video-chat, phone, and mobile app, all included as part of our partnership with our patients. We do additional research on difficult cases, and we stay up to date with the latest advancements in the field, because we have engineered our practice to allow our elite physicians to achieve these goals.
Our independence from third-party requirements is our greatest asset.
Our independence from third-party requirements is our greatest asset, and allows us to fulfill the original mission of RiverRock - uncompromising focus on our patients' health - your health.
That independence is made possible by having our patients join us as members of our practice. By paying an annual (or monthly) fee, you can gain access to all the strengths and benefits that our practice is able to provide.
Those benefits include things like giving you full access to your medical records, because we believe in transparency, not drowning in bureaucracy. It includes telemedicine and direct email access to your doctor. It includes office visits that are scheduled for an hour and run on time (because we engineer an error margin into our scheduling algorithm).
All that's a great place to start. But those are just the basic benefits of concierge medicine. Even that's not enough.
RiverRock Medical Clinic goes beyond basic concierge medicine
When RiverRock started, its founder realized that a concierge medical structure was the only way he could practice thoughtful medicine, but he also realized that most concierge practices were just focusing on "white glove" services. They were better than traditional doctors, and their patients were happier, but basically they were just doing what doctors should have been doing all along.
Most concierge practices were just focusing on "white glove" services ... They hadn't really "upped" their medical game
They hadn't really "upped" their medical game - they weren't fundamentally practicing medicine any differently. They addressed the patient's chief complaints, did an exam, ran some tests, and made some recommendations. Occasionally, they looked at the appropriate preventative recommendations, and sent those on to their patients. Basic, standard, regular medicine, just more thorough (and less bureaucratic).
RiverRock isn't about just standard medicine.
RiverRock takes medicine ... past the idea of slapping a band-aid on a problem and calling it a day.
Dr. A.T.Still once said "To find health should be the object of the Physician. Anyone can find disease." RiverRock helps you find your health. RiverRock takes medicine past the disease concept, past the idea of slapping a band-aid on a problem and calling it a day.
What RiverRock is really about ... well, actually, before you can understand what RiverRock is really about, you have to understand how we see the entire concept of health differently.