Your Doctor, On Call 24/7 -- For a Price

You wake up in the middle of the night. Your throat is sore. Your ears and nose are plugged and your head just aches.

But you know you have a big presentation to give in the morning -- a pitch for some new, important business -- and you have to be on top of your game...

So you dial the phone, your doctor answers. You explain your symptoms and circumstance. She phones an all night pharmacy which provides home delivery -- and a few hours later you're up, showered, feeling fine, a wee bit sluggish from your medicine -- BUT! Your doctor saved the day because you could contact her immediately to take care of your advancing head cold.

A pipe dream? For most of us - it's absolutely a pipe dream.

But for those who can afford it -- it's absolutely possible. Doctors, mostly GPs, tired of the insurance mess and up-to-their-eyeballs in the regulations that go with Medicare, are shifting their practices to a relatively new (although it's really just old!) form of practice called Concierge, Boutique or Personalized medicine. And it reaps major benefits for both those doctors and their patients.

Here are the basics: The patient pays an annual fee, ranging anywhere from $1500 to $10,000 a year for 24/7 access to her doctor. That means calls in the middle of the night, immediate, hour-long appointments, hospital visits, even house calls in some cases. Sometimes the fee includes appointment charges, but sometimes those are added on. Tests cost extra. Referrals get paid for separately -- but the doctor who runs her practice this way is positioned to provide care while simply dismissing the entire insurance debacle that plagues so many practices.

Sounds like the old days, right? I see Marcus Welby! And I picture the housecalls our family doctor made when I was a little girl. If only we were all lucky enough to be able to afford this kind of care with the medical knowledge and treatments we have today.

Learn more about concierge medicine from the doctor's perspective from Andrea Santiago, the About.com Guide to Health Careers. Or read some different perspectives and challenges from the American Academy of Medical Colleges.

Can you afford it? Lucky you! My only caution for smart patients...Just because a doctor is available 24/7, doesn't make her a good doctor. Make sure you do your due diligence before you commit to a concierge practice. You don't want to be locked into something that won't truly improve your care.
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