How to Choose a Concierge Physician: A Practical Guide

Frame the search

Frame the Search Around Fit, Not Brand

There is no single 'best' concierge practice. The best practice for you depends on your geography, your hospital preference, the specialists you already work with, and whether you want a longevity-forward platform (advanced imaging, comprehensive labs) or a classic relationship-driven primary care practice.

Start by listing what you'd actually use: same-day access, 24/7 phone, integrated labs, executive physical, longevity imaging, family/pediatric inclusion. Match the practice to the list — not the marketing material.

Question 1

1. What Is the Physician's Panel Size?

Panel size is the single most predictive metric. Concierge medicine is supposed to deliver time and access; if the panel has grown to 800–1,200 patients per physician, both have eroded.

Healthy concierge panels: 200–600 patients per physician. DPC panels: 400–800. Anything above 800 starts to look like traditional primary care with a membership fee.

Question 2

2. Who Answers the Phone at Night and on Weekends?

The promise of concierge medicine is direct physician access. In practice, models vary: some physicians personally take all calls, some share an after-hours pool across the practice, some route through a nurse triage line.

All three can work. The wrong answer is 'urgent care or the ER' — that's not concierge access.

Question 3

3. What Is Included vs. Add-On?

Read the inclusions list carefully. Some practices include comprehensive labs (ApoB, Lp(a), inflammation), an extended annual physical, IV hydration, and concierge home visits in the base membership. Others price each of these à la carte.

Be explicit about what you expect to use. A $6,000 membership that includes everything you need is often a better deal than a $4,000 membership with $3,000 in add-ons.

Question 4

4. Hospital Affiliations and Admitting Privileges

If you're admitted to the hospital, will your concierge physician follow you there? Some still round on admitted patients; many now use hospitalists for inpatient care and coordinate by phone.

Either model can work, but you should know which one applies, and which hospitals the practice's specialists are affiliated with — particularly if you have a strong preference (academic center, specific surgical service).

Question 5

5. Specialist Network and Referral Strength

Much of concierge medicine's value is the warm referral. Ask: who do you refer to for cardiology, GI, derm, ortho? Are you a member of any cross-referral network with subspecialists who give your patients expedited access?

A weak specialist network leaves you back in the standard wait-list world for the visits that matter most.

Question 6

6. Communication Style and Response Time

Ask: how quickly do you typically respond to texts? Email? Do you have a personal cell, or does messaging go through a portal?

Match the answer to your style. Some patients want a personal cell; others prefer a structured portal. Either is fine; mismatch is what creates friction.

Question 7

7. How Are Complex Cases Handled?

Ask the physician to walk through a recent complex case (anonymized). The answer reveals more than any brochure: how they coordinate with specialists, how they communicate findings to the patient, how they advocate at appointments, and how they handle disagreements between specialists.

This is the moment to assess clinical judgment and quarterback skill, not bedside manner.

Question 8

8. Commitment to Staying Small

Ask the physician directly: what is your maximum panel size? When will the practice close to new members?

Practices that have a defined cap and have closed to new members in the past are the most likely to maintain the service you're paying for. Practices that 'are always growing' are the most likely to look like traditional primary care in two years.

Final step

Before You Sign

• ·Tour the office.
• ·Meet the physician (not the practice manager). A 30-minute meet-and-greet should be standard.
• ·Ask for one current patient reference — most reputable practices will provide one.
• ·Read the membership agreement carefully. Note the renewal terms, the refund/withdrawal policy, and what happens if the physician leaves the practice.
• ·Confirm whether the membership is HSA-eligible (most aren't) and check our 2026 HSA & concierge medicine guide if that matters for your spending plan.