Critical questions to answer before you transition to a concierge medicine model

Transitioning to a concierge, or membership-based, medicine model presents the opportunity for long-term revenue growth for a private medical practice and a new level of career satisfaction for physicians.

However, making the switch can be challenging, especially if you go it alone. Converting from a traditional (transactional) model to a membership-based model requires thoughtful planning and may require the setup of new systems. If you are a doctor or private practice owner considering transitioning to a membership-based model, there are many complexities to consider. Here are some of the questions that keep physicians up at night:

• How do I keep my patients?
• How do I ease their transition?
• How do I handle patients who can’t afford the new concierge fees?
• How do I explain the benefits of concierge medicine to my patients?
• What questions will they ask about concierge medicine?
• How do I make sure my practice can handle the change?
• What are the legal considerations to make this work?
• How do I price the membership fees?
• How do I determine the best marketing approach to create and grow my concierge practice?

You may now be wondering how you’re going to find the time to handle everything mentioned above. The simple answer is: you’re probably not. You need a team of trusted individuals you can delegate these fundamental tasks to so you can concentrate on what you were meant to do: provide the best possible care for your patients. These are just some things you should be thinking about when “going concierge.”

Fortunately, you don’t have to attempt it alone. You can feel confident taking the great step toward patient-centered care when you let Castle Connolly Private Health Partners (CCPHP) shoulder some of the challenging work behind it. Partnering with an experienced company will not only help you reach your career goals, it also will ensure that your patients get top-notch service and that you can focus on spending more time with your patients, to listen to and focus on their needs.

CCPHP has created a guide with answers to your questions. They have been answered by the industry-leading experts at CCPHP and by our experienced concierge physician partners. Here’s a sample of what’s in the guide.

How would I communicate this transition to my patients?

However you plan to do it, communicating this change should be done with the utmost clarity and consideration. You’ll need to determine how to address all your patient segments, then create the proper materials for communicating your message within a coordinated plan. Successful methods include email campaigns, phone calls, text messages, personal letters and targeted mailings.

How do I set up the business and legal structure?

This may be the most important thing you do to ensure the success and longevity of your new concierge medical program, and it typically involves relying on outside experts. You will most likely need to set up a new legal entity for your program and all the associated paperwork, including a new entity formation with your state, federal tax identification number and a charter.

READ THE GUIDE

To learn more, read through the guide at https://info.ccphp.net/medical-economics

MORE QUESTIONS? WE’RE HERE FOR YOU!

Call (516) 518-9178 or email goconcierge@ccphp.net to learn how Castle Connolly Private Health Partners can help.