Total Access Medical - Direct Primary Care Blog

If you've made it to the Golden Years, then you already know how much your body has changed since you were twenty-two. Guess what? It's OK. That's how it's supposed to be. It's the circle of life, after all.

That said, because your body has changed, it deserves a medical practitioner who has a thorough understanding of these changes: what they mean today and what they could mean tomorrow. And that's where a geriatric doctor comes in.

We talked about the many benefits of seeing a geriatric physician in this blog post. Now, let's talk about what you can expect when you work with one.

Imagine an internal medicine practice that truly "gets" you, your schedule, your goals, your fears, even your name every time you walk through the door. This is exactly what happens when internal medicine meets the concierge model.

Raise your hand if you love Thanksgiving. (We do, we do!) There's nothing quite like a day filled with food, family, football, and did we mention the food? :)

OK, so over-indulging on one day won't completely torpedo your personal wellness plan. But if you let Thanksgiving be the doorway to a whole month of over indulgence? Well, that's a different story. So here's how to stay on track during the oh-so-tempting-I-just-want-one-more-piece-of-pie days between Thanksgiving and New Year's Eve.

A graduate of Duke University and The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Dr. Perkins came to Philadelphia to do his internship and residency at Thomas Jefferson University. He is Board Certified in Internal Medicine and is on staff at Bryn Mawr, Lankenau, and Paoli hospitals.

November is American Diabetes Month (also known as National Diabetes Month). According to the American Diabetes Association, diabetes affects 30 million children and adults in the US. Another 86 million have prediabetes, putting them at risk for developing type 2 diabetes. Here are the basics on the disease and a few words from one of our own doctors. 

One of the many benefits that gets people excited about concierge medicine is doctor accessibility.

Having a doctor's cell phone and email address almost sounds too good to be true, but in concierge medicine it's a reality. In fact, concierge MDs want to hear from their patients in between visits, for a variety of reasons:

Being sick can be a frustrating and frightening experience, which is why it's always nice to have someone hold your hand and stay with you when you're hurting and scared.

Of course, MDs working for "typical" medical practices can't provide this level of care (there just aren't enough hours in their workdays). But house call doctors in concierge medical practices? They'll offer you plenty of comfort by your bedside in your home. (Yes, really.)

Your internal medicine physician is someone who can give you great insight into your health. By definition, the job of an internal medicine physician is to diagnose, treat, and prevent diseases in adults. Other doctors often consult internal medicine physicians for help with difficult diagnoses because they’re the kind of doctors who are really good with puzzles.

What this means for you is that you have a very powerful resource in your internal medicine physician, otherwise known as an internist. Take advantage of your fountain of knowledge and ask questions to help you better take care of yourself. Here’s a list of a few things to ask your doctor that can help you live a healthier and better life.

Concierge health care is changing family medicine in Philadelphia. Philadelphia is home to many families who deal with the struggles of a healthcare system that seems to be more about profit than health. Despite the number of family practices throughout the area, making an appointment with a doctor can still be a challenge. Most parents understand the frustrations of flu season, colds, and seasonal allergies and trying to see a doctor during those high-traffic times. More frustrating still are the sudden and unexpected emergencies that all parents experience at one point or another while raising children.

Getting older can be a difficult and scary stage of life. When you don’t know what to expect, everything is going to seem like a sinister surprise. Geriatric doctors specialize in the art of aging, if you will. They are trained know what’s normal and what is not.