Too young to yearn for the days of Marcus Welby, MD*, but experienced enough to realize that our flawed healthcare system won’t heal itself, younger physicians are quickly becoming the newest champions of concierge medicine. Whether it’s the daily grind of seeing hundreds of patients each week but knowing none of them well, evenings filled with endless administrative tasks, delayed vacations, no time to enjoy activities with their young families or to care for themselves, these doctors are no longer willing to accept the status quo. The Specialdocs affiliated physicians profiled below are part of the new generation blazing an early-career path to concierge medicine, with decades ahead to practice, and live, according to their most cherished personal vision.
The freedom to practice medicine their way is one of the strongest calling cards for these proudly independent physicians. “Working for others means no control over who gets hired, what technology is used, how much money is made, and many other factors that define your career,” says Amy Loden, MD, founder of a St. Louis-based concierge internal and lifestyle medicine practice. “If you don’t make decisions for how you want to live, others will make them for you, and this model enables me to control of every aspect of my practice and my life.”
Spurred by her seven-year-old’s lament that “you love your job more than me,” she made the change to concierge medicine in 2021. Fittingly, her new office was designed with a family focus, including a conference room converted to a comfortable place for youngsters to do homework and watch tv. “We have a child-friendly environment rarely seen outside of a pediatrician’s office, and it’s a great convenience for our patients who know their children are always welcome here,” says Dr. Loden.
While she now has time to enjoy simple pleasures like ice skating with her kids, she also relishes the opportunity to explore root causes during unrushed patient visits. “I dig deep to understand what a symptom like a headache really means – is it from sleep deprivation, or worry that a spouse lost their job? It’s a responsibility and a great privilege to care for the whole patient.”
For 37-year-old John Moultrie, MD, the opportunity to provide more holistic care couldn’t arrive quickly enough. Employed immediately after residency by a large hospital system in Atlanta, his patient panel grew to unsustainable levels, reaching 6,000+ in the last few years.
“I poured my heart and soul into trying to provide concierge-type care,” he relates, ”but I was leaving every appointment wishing I had more time to delve into patients’ issues and implement changes.” He explored his options carefully, ultimately choosing Specialdocs in 2023 as a model “with proven success where I could practice truly independently and care for patients in a much more personalized way.”
After 14 years at a large HMO, Priya Mathur, MD joined a thriving Northern Virginia concierge medicine practice at the start of 2023, and described it as “a world of difference. Before I was always exhausted, frazzled from beginning to end of each day. Now my patient panel is much smaller and growing at a manageable pace. I can fully listen to patients who often don’t feel heard by busy doctors, conduct hourlong physicals, continually follow up on their progress… having time to do this is a gift.”
Also treasured is her newfound ability to take family vacations. “Previously I was never able to schedule time during school breaks, but I’m so thankful to work in a practice where we cover each other’s patients. For the first time in years, I can spend spring and Christmas breaks with my family!”
Collectively, their experience makes a compelling case for making the change now.
“My biggest regret is waiting until I was eight years out of residency,” asserts Dr. Loden. “It wasn’t necessary, the demand is so huge we can’t keep up with it.”
As Dr. Moultrie shares: “I never felt I was too young to do this. The short-term risk is well worth the long-term reward of spending the majority of your career practicing medicine and building relationships with patients the way you always envisioned, and enjoying a personal life.”
*A popular tv medical drama (1969-1976) featuring kindly general practitioner Dr. Marcus Welby, who, according to IMDB, “tried to treat people as individuals in an age of specialized medicine and indifferent physicians.”
Explore the Future of Healthcare with Young Leaders in Concierge Medicine at our Upcoming Webinar on Wednesday, November 29, 2023 8:00 PM EST
Join us on Wednesday, November 29, 2023 8:00 PM EST for a webinar, sponsored by Specialdocs Consultants and hosted by Medical Economics ®, that will highlight these 3 dynamic physicians who are all emerging leaders in concierge medicine. These passionate practitioners are eager to discuss why it is beneficial for young physicians to consider this approach early on in their careers.
Learning Objectives:
- Participate in discussion around concierge medicine and learn why younger physicians are increasingly considering a transition to concierge medicine.
- Learn from physicians under 45 with varying specialties on how they overcame challenges when transitioning with Specialdocs.
- Interact directly with Terry Bauer, CEO of Specialdocs, and doctors recognized as leaders in concierge medicine in a live Q&A session.