By Bill Murphy, MD, Medical Director, Turquoise Springs Medical Spa
Frustration with the medical system is a recurring theme I hear from my patients daily. General complaints are offered about insurance verification issues, scheduling office appointment delays, and phone calls answered by voicemail recorders instead of a “real person.” The feeling of being rushed through an office visit after waiting weeks or months to see the doctor is exasperating. Medical care in the US is the best in the world if you are seriously ill or close to death. There is very little time spent discussing the prevention of illness or chronic debilitating symptoms related to diet, exercise, and sleep. The system has become more and more of a complete mess to navigate……or, should I say, to tolerate.
Much of the blame goes to the way we pay for care. In partnership with hospital systems, insurance companies now control how medical care is provided. Governmental regulation continues to squeeze the ability of doctors to survive as primary medical care providers. This financial squeeze has required doctors to merge with larger and larger groups funded by venture capitalists. These new mega groups cut expenses to increase market value and then sell to hospital systems or insurance companies for a profit. Therefore, the control of how patients receive care gets more and more centralized. The result is care given by doctors and nurses who are given a quota of how many patients they are to see per hour in an 8-hour day. These doctors must practice in offices with too few employees to answer the phone, return calls, or send prescriptions in a timely manner to your pharmacy.
Another issue with our medical care system is the primary focus on “fixing” problems after they happen rather than preventing illness before it happens. We are an obese, sedentary, chronically tired, and achy society. A strong immune system goes a long way toward preventing many problems before they happen and before we need advanced technology or expensive medications to save our lives. Our immune systems are depleted, weak, and overworked by environmental toxins, stress, and fatigue. More effort should be spent strengthening our body’s natural defenses, with less dependence on expensive technology, medications, and vaccines.
One answer to this dilemma, which started at least 10 years ago by many primary care doctors, has been Concierge Medicine. These doctors leave the insurance system and contract directly with their patients. The old-fashioned Doctor-Patient relationship is restored without a middleman bureaucrat. As a specialist, I have been interested in preventing disease by preventing issues causing illness for 35 years. In my medical spa, I have created a Concierge Specialty membership for my patients, allowing me to spend more time with each patient, provide more detailed care, customize care, and spend more time on disease prevention. Outside of the insurance system, my patients pay a fixed monthly amount for this service. I can see them within hours or days instead of weeks or months. They receive the expert care of a specialist to oversee their care without giving up the benefit of their usual primary care doctor. I work seamlessly with their primary care doctor to ensure they receive the best care possible. If medical tests, physical therapy, surgery, or even hospitalization are required, it is usually covered under the patient’s medical insurance in the usual manner. If the care of a specific specialist is needed, I will refer for that service and arrange for a much earlier appointment than would otherwise be possible.
Wellness techniques, improved nutrition, exercise, nonpharmaceutical supplements, vitamins, minerals, and botanicals can prevent chronic illness. My unique experience and training in pharmacy, internal medicine, anesthesiology, pain management, surgery training, and a fellowship in Aesthetics have influenced the formation of this unique Concierge Specialty membership plan within the Turquoise Springs Medical Spa framework.
I am incredibly excited about this new Concierge Specialty membership program concept. I am using my 40 years of experience practicing medicine, a lifetime of exercise and sports training, and years of managing obesity and nutritional issues, hormones, supplements, medications, and Aesthetics to care for the patients in this program.
This membership is for people who wish to take control of their health and appearance and benefit from an experienced physician on their team. I can customize a program to make your life the best it can be physically, mentally, and aesthetically.
If you need help organizing yourself and planning for your health, vitality, and appearance, call for an appointment to discuss. Ask Stephanie or Emily to help you get started at 210-253-3313 and schedule your consultation.
