If you're thinking about enrolling in a concierge practice, here are six things you should keep in mind.

1. Your concierge practice operates much differently from the one you see on Royal Pains.

We're big fans of Royal Pains because it's funny and, at times, quite poignant, but it's still a TV show. Check out our article "Medical Concierge & Royal Pains—What's Real and What's Fiction" to learn more.

2. Your concierge practice wants to hear from you (and more often than once a year).

Concierge physicians typically have no more than 600 patients (compared to 2500 that PCPs typically carry). This means your concierge doctor can spend more time getting to know each patient and his or her specific needs.

One caveat: patients must also make time to engage with their doctors. Because so many of us are unaccustomed to having such easy access to our doctors, it can feel weird—even wrong—to suddenly "demand" regular face time with our physicians. But that's the whole point of concierge medicine. Your concierge doctor wants to hear from you, in good times and in bad.

This regular contact and feedback from you means your doctor can more easily monitor your progress, adjust treatment protocols, and address issues before they become full-blown problems.

3. Your concierge practice is not a panacea.

Your concierge physician practices the same medicine as other physicians. In other words, your concierge doctor won't be able to wave a magic wand and suddenly cure all your ills. That said, because your concierge physician has a dramatically smaller patient caseload and can focus more time on your needs, you might feel extra special. (And that's not a bad thing.)

4. Your concierge practice doesn't cover all of your medical needs.

This is why you'll probably want to continue to carry some form of insurance to cover things like hospital stays and immediate treatment needed after a traumatic event, such as a car accident.

5. Your concierge practice emphasizes preventive medicine.

Now, we're not suggesting that traditional models don't care about prevention. They do, but they don't have the time to invest in as many preventive methods due to unwieldy patient caseloads.

With concierge medicine, on the other hand, your concierge doctor can focus on getting you well…and keeping you well, simply because he or she has much more time to dedicate to you.

6. Your concierge practice wants to know how it's doing.

We can't speak for all concierge practices, of course, but those of us at Total Access Medical (as well as many other concierge practices we're familiar with around the country) do seek feedback from their members. At TAM, we see you as a partner in your medical care. We're always open to hearing from members regarding how we can improve, new services to offer, and so forth.

Debating your healthcare options? Download our free checklist: Is Concierge Medicine Right for You?