Why I Chose Concierge Medicine for My Patients (and Myself)

Patients today are weary of the traditional healthcare model. They often find it difficult to schedule time with their healthcare provider, then feel rushed through office visits with little opportunity to chat meaningfully with the doctor.

Traditional practice often feels as if it works against both doctor and patient. I’ve practiced in Charlotte for 12 years, including in a traditional primary care setting where I was regularly required to see 20 or more patients a day!

It’s challenging, even fatiguing, to try to deliver good care to patients with so little time to spend with them. Diagnosing and treating an individual’s ills on the fly is not an optimal solution for long-term wellness.

That’s why I shifted to a concierge medicine practice… and why so many people now explore the benefits of concierge medicine as well.

Chief among those benefits? More time and attention for the individual patient.

In traditional practice, I only had an average of 10 minutes to spend with each patient. But fostering good health or properly managing illness demands more time for a thoughtful connection:

• Time to cultivate the patient’s trust and nurture our relationship
• Time to explore their health history, lifestyle, motivators, goals, and values to understand what’s at the root of any health concerns

For concierge physicians, there’s a tangible difference in our day-to-day work when we can dedicate that extra time to each patient: The patient/doctor relationship goes from basic disease management to a true health partnership.

The Benefits of Concierge Medicine

In our concierge practice at Signature Healthcare, I typically commit one to two hours to your appointment, depending on the visit.

In our culture today, many people don’t truly feel heard, even by loved ones. But with a concierge physician, you find space to be yourself and clearly articulate your thoughts and feelings.

Whether we meet for a regular appointment or a separate visit, I have plenty of time to listen to your true story and pay close attention to your verbal and non-verbal communication. I also learn about lifestyle events or practices that may impact your short- or long-term health or drive certain behaviors — actions that could prevent you from achieving your goals or living life authentically.

Every patient is different, and there’s no “one size fits all.” We focus on your complete journey, and outcomes emerge from that.

For instance, through meaningful conversation, I may learn that you experienced some form of trauma as a child. About two-thirds of adults faced an adverse event in their youth, according to the large-scale Adverse Childhood Experiences Study (ACES).

ACES linked childhood scenarios like abuse, neglect, or household dysfunction with a higher risk of problems in adulthood. Such stressors affect our lives emotionally and mentally, and may correlate with chronic physical illnesses such as diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease.

Your past can take years off your future. Understanding your whole story and the narrative you tell yourself is valuable as we develop a sound wellness strategy for you.

Trust and Continuity in the Concierge Medicine Practice

Among the benefits of concierge medicine, trust and continuity are paramount, especially if a patient feels vulnerable.

The meaning of health is “to heal; to be made whole.” So, your concierge physician looks at all the elements of your life, not just a single isolated event to be “treated.”

The meaning of health is not “let’s fix everything right now.” Consider your life a garden to be nurtured. We patiently cultivate or nourish gardens throughout the year, knowing that fruit or flowers will eventually result.

The same is true of your health. Your concierge physician helps you fortify the garden by applying all the pillars of health: nutrition, movement, sleep, mind, emotion, and spirit.

Together, we clarify your goals, address any obstacles to reaching them, and ensure you feel secure and cared for year after year. We put energy into strengthening the soil so that, over time, your garden reaps the benefits.

Trustworthy Knowledge in the Information Age

We live in a swiftly paced, anxiety-inducing Information Age. Medical knowledge was once projected to double every 73 days by the early part of this decade. We’re regularly inundated with volumes of new information, misinformation, and half-truths.

Typically, physicians in a concierge medicine practice can follow innovation in medical science and treatments more nimbly than doctors in conventional practices.

At Signature Healthcare, we encourage you to bring us your questions about what you read and hear. Let us cut through dense information, find reliable facts, and give you sound advice.

For example, the efficacy of supplements and herbs always generates questions, as do the benefits of I3C (indole-3-carbinol), a chemical compound found in cruciferous vegetables, and EGCG, a compound in green tea. (Quick answer about the latter batch: it’s too early to know.)

But we do know that eating broccoli or drinking green tea or matcha offers known health benefits. Why spend money on supplements when we can help you incorporate beneficial foods into a healthy lifestyle?

We’ve also found benefits in some of the world’s oldest healing traditions, like Chinese medicine and Ayurveda. Modalities like acupuncture are safe and effective and often help a patient flourish, even as a holistic complement to active disease treatment.

Discover the Benefits of Concierge Medicine

At Signature Healthcare, I find meaning and fulfillment in concierge medicine:

• As your doctor, I have appreciated leaving the professional “hamster wheel” of traditional healthcare. Concierge practice enables me to spend more time and provide greater care for you and your family. I value the positive impact I can have on your lives and wellness.
• Personally, I love that I have more energy for myself and my family at the end of each day, so I can honor our own life priorities.
• As a member of the Charlotte community, I respect that our practice purposefully structures its team’s efforts to give back to that community. Through our work in free clinics, we supplement care for many who might not typically receive personalized medical attention.

The Signature Healthcare team is here to build your trust and protect it. Reach out to chat. We’re always ready to listen.