How the Patient Relationship Differs

When we talk about the difference between the care you might receive from a concierge doctor or a primary care physician in Philadelphia, it's important that we state something up front: as a whole, doctors—regardless of the medical model they work in—are smart, caring people focused on helping their patients.

In other words, we're not judging the doctors' medical credentials or compassion. That said, the type of relationship you develop with a concierge doctor would likely be quite different from the one you develop with a PCP.

Here's why…

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

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More and more physicians are embracing concierge medicine, and Philadelphia doctors are no different. Hear from several of our Philadelphia doctors below with amazing stories about how this model has affected the way they practice medicine.

When you become a member of a medical concierge practice, you can expect to experience the following:

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A graduate of Temple University and PCOM and board certified in Family Medicine and Geriatric Medicine, Dr. Pettinelli has been practicing in Mt. Laurel since joining his father’s practice in 1984.

Dr. Pettinelli brings an unparalleled level of experience to both his patients and the Total Access Medical network. As one of the most respected physicians in the South Jersey area, Dr. Pettinelli places a strong emphasis on providing complete and quality care to his patients.

A guest lecturer at The Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, Dr. Pettinelli is a member of the American Medical Association, the American Osteopathic Association, the American College of Osteopathic Family Practitioners, the New Jersey Association of Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons, and the American Academy of Anti-aging Medicine.

Here's Dr. Pettinelli, in his own words.

The journey to concierge medicine is a personal one. Some doctors come to it out of frustration with the current healthcare landscape. Others because they have friends and colleagues who've gone before them and who've shared their positive experiences. Some choose it because they want to return to medicine that's truly "personal," as it was in the old days. Some see the many benefits people receive from concierge healthcare. For others, it's a combination of all of the above.

It's the future of medicine.

And, as of the writing of this article, it's also the law. The Affordable Care Act stipulates, "The new law will institute a series of changes to standardize billing and requires health plans to begin adopting and implementing rules for the secure, confidential, electronic exchange of health information. Using electronic health records will reduce paperwork and administrative burdens, cut costs, reduce medical errors and most importantly, improve the quality of care."

What is concierge medicine, exactly? We've spent a lot of time on our site defining it, but we think it's important to go beyond the basic concierge medicine definition in order to fully appreciate what it is and how it can benefit you.