“Sometimes exactly what these Doctors and practices do, the public relations and messaging elements often fall into the category of ‘Totally Misunderstood,’” said Editor-In-Chief of Concierge Medicine Today, “The Concierge Medicine Physician is in my opinion … purposefully more communicative and intentional about blending customer service techniques and social graces into the rhythm of his/her daily medical practice environment which in turn, creates a unique bond between Physician and Patient. Couple that with preventative care conversations and innovative healthcare services and we all have something to lean into.”

According to Concierge Medicine Today, the national online industry publication and organizer of the industry’s annual educational conference held each year in Atlanta, GA, USA, it should be noted that to answer this question, it must be clarified that Concierge Medicine is a subset of a growing free market healthcare delivery marketplace called “Membership Medicine” (author/originator of term unknown) and is a subscription-based healthcare delivery business model. Concierge Medicine is, therefore, not a medical specialty but a subscription-based healthcare delivery business model. Tracking and/or verifying individual programs and practices has proven challenging in this marketplace since the early or mid-2000s. Additionally, there is no federal registry or official national database of these physicians[1] who utilize these subscription-based or cash-only healthcare delivery business models across the U.S. and abroad. Thus, Concierge Medicine Today notes that it is difficult to accurately measure, track, and approximate a precise number.

However, according to Concierge Medicine Today and its multiple sources over the years that it connects with each year to help answer this question, their industry sources note that there are between 5,000 to 7,000 Concierge Medicine programs, practices or other Membership Medicine and subscription-based healthcare delivery Physicians within the U.S.

Additionally, some industry sources say that there are between 12,000 and 25,000 practices, physicians, and/or programs across the U.S. and abroad. IT SHOULD BE NOTED HOWEVER, in the U.S., these figures still only represent a small percentage of the roughly 1,101,555 ‘Professionally Active Physicians’ in the U.S. that actively practice medicine today.[2]

Citations & References

1. Want a Deeper Relationship With Your Doctor? Why More Patients Are Choosing Concierge Medicine; By Castle Connolly Private Health Partners; October 14; https://ccphp.net/blog/want-a-deeper-relationship-with-your-doctor-why-more-patients-are-choosing-concierge-medicine

2. KFF; September 2023; https://www.kff.org/other/state-indicator/total-active-physicians/?currentTimeframe=0&sortModel=%7B%22colId%22:%22Location%22,%22sort%22:%22asc%22%7D

Healthcare is burning out Patients and Physicians. A lot of time, money, and energy is spent on creating conversations around the solutions and thoughts around Physician burnout. Conversely, we all forget that patients are getting frustrated and tired and seeking new ways to connect with a trusted doctor.

Enter Concierge Medicine.

As trust between patients and physicians has eroded over the years[1], a focus on hospitality in healthcare, prevention, and customer service is welcomed by Patients and Physicians alike[2]. Typically, a robust preventative side and customer service focus is discovered inside concierge medicine practices that put the Patient first and at the center of the conversation.

Concierge Medicine practices have become quite normal and far more popular in the past ten to twenty years. This is primarily due to the mainly middle-class and upper-middle-class suburban and metropolitan physician practices opening in these areas and the surrounding communities joining them that desire a more preventive care and hospitality-oriented practice culture.

More often than not, concierge medicine practices have reduced patient panels of 225-550 compared to the traditional, plan-reimbursed practices, which usually boast 2,500-5,000 [3].

Today, in 2024, according to Concierge Medicine Today, LLC., polling 300 Concierge Medicine Physician readers at its online trade publication, a listing of the top six areas practicing within the business model from 2014-2024 who indicated they currently practice within a Concierge Medicine model do so in the following specialties:

Family Medicine: 38%

Internal Medicine: 32%

Osteopathic Physician: 9%

Cardiology: 8%

Nephrology: 3%

Pediatric: 3%

Citations & References

1. Patient Trust in Clinician, Public Health Expert Credibility an Uphill Battle; April 24, 2023; By Sara Heath; https://patientengagementhit.com/news/patient-trust-in-clinician-public-health-expert-credibility-an-uphill-battle

2. Improving Patient-Doctor Communication; Published October 23, 2023; By Stephanie Desmon; Mary Catherine Beach, MD, MPH, a professor in the Department of Health, Behavior and Society and at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine; https://publichealth.jhu.edu/2023/when-patients-dont-feel-heard-by-their-doctor

3. October 19-21, 2023; Atlanta, GA USA; Concierge Medicine Forum, annual industry conference.

CMT Online Poll: 10 Years After Opening Your Concierge Practice, Would You Say That You Are More or Less Satisfied Than Practicing In A Traditional, Plan Re mbursed PractMce Model?

Polling Results: According to Concierge Medicine Today, LLC, the industry trade publication, the polling answers found that 95% of Physicians said "Yes!"

The most notable thing about concierge medicine in the past several years is career satisfaction in concierge medicine online polling. Career satisfaction in concierge medicine remains extremely high given the practices are now focused on prevention and have and that their personal and professional decision to practice in Concierge Medicine is a satisfying and rewarding choice.

FOR EXAMPLE, According to Concierge Medicine Today, LLC, the industry trade publication, the polling answers found that 95% of Physicians said "Yes!" Multiple industry sources have reported these stories, which are also cited here.[1] For example, according to a news release published by Yahoo! Finance on November 27, 2024, it stated that … The two most rewarding aspects of converting to concierge medicine were additional time to develop relationships with patients (90%), and a better work-life balance with personal and family time (65%).[2]

Citations & References

1. Physicians and Patients Report Overwhelming Satisfaction with Concierge Medicine, According to Specialdocs Research; Press Release by Specialdocs Consultants; 08 Nov, 2019, 08:00 ET; https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/physicians-and-patients-report-overwhelming-satisfaction-with-concierge-medicine-according-to-specialdocs-research-300954527.html

2. Thankful for Change: Concierge Physicians Grateful to Practice Medicine Their Way, According to New Survey from Specialdocs; Specialdocs Consultants; November 27, 2023; https://finance.yahoo.com/news/thankful-change-concierge-physicians-grateful-191500896.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAAF9XryYaekBZaBgGwOvVXsbdpm4-wK8OfIuB55mLIMIQ53en1pFp76xlCYIhRSDsWf0VY_aDgPB_mCKAnkXIWQct6r3xaFBrv3l7TyOv0PbZgmrmIEBlNQR7mMBTa2zTE1xrXo9JG1eDexe-XzxL2q88C-tSk7LIeax4nEQzUzM

According to Concierge Medicine Today sources, concierge medicine continues to thrive in metropolitan and suburban markets that serve repeat patients ... whereby patients who utilize such services are visiting the practice more often. Usually, rural primary care and countryside practices are not suitable geographies for concierge medicine practices or programs due in large part to a geographically disbursed patient population within these rural or agriculture settings. Like any business, economic factors must be considered and rural concierge medicine programs and practice have overhead. Therefore, these types of membership or subscription-based healthcare delivery models typically support a frequently served, familial and/or repeat patient population that requires persistent attention and/or continuous management and communication for ongoing chronic conditions vs. those practices and medical care environments that serve acute care issues (eg. the one and done patient visit).

According to Precedence Research, a worldwide market research and consulting organization in December of 2023 in a press release published on Globe Newswire, the U.S. concierge medicine market size accounted for USD 6,633.91 billion in 2023 and grew to USD 6,958.51 million in 2024, expanding at a CAGR of 5.70% between 2023 and 2032.[1] The press release by Precedence Research also said the global concierge medicine market size is projected to surpass USD 34.27 billion by 2032, increasing from USD 19.12 billion in 2023 and is expanding at a CAGR of 6.7% from 2023 to 2032.[1] To read the entire press release, click here.

Citations & References

1. U.S. Concierge Medicine Market Size to Reach USD 10,925.29 Mn by 2032; December 20, 2023 11:20 ET; Source: Precedence Research; https://www.globenewswire.com/en/news-release/2023/12/20/2799479/0/en/U-S-Concierge-Medicine-Market-Size-to-Reach-USD-10-925-29-Mn-by-2032.html

Concierge Medicine is a subscription-based healthcare delivery model primarily in the U.S. since the mid-1990's. It is considered a subset of a much broader free market healthcare delivery term which places it in our opinion, under an umbrella term many are calling "Membership Medicine." (Author unknown)

Over the past two decades (or more), it has been referenced by many names. Those include but are not limited to: Retainer-based medicine; direct practice; direct primary care (DPC); Subscription-based healthcare; and others. However, those terms over the years appear to have each naturally matured and become their own subset under the umbrella term of "Membership Medicine." Today, many blogs, news articles and even Physician events are available to educate and inform Doctors about the subscription-based healthcare delivery models used in the membership medicine marketplace. Some of these articles or events, opinions and press efforts may help those curious about this industry understand the philosophical and/or business operational details surrounding these offerings within the membership medicine marketplace.

According to many reports in the media and by CMT sources, in its simplest form, Concierge Medicine is a subscription-based healthcare delivery model operating primarily in the U.S. since the mid-1990's (or in some cases, the mid-1980’s). According to CMT, Concierge Medicine can be considered a subset of a much broader free market healthcare delivery term which places it under the umbrella "Membership Medicine" (author unknown).

Are you looking to connect with experts in concierge medicine? Maybe you know a peer who really needs a lifeline and possibly, concierge medicine could be one option for them. Whether you’re a Physician curious about how concierge medicine works, a media outlet, journalist of just want to learn more … you should definitely connect with any/all of the companies listed here to learn more! Concierge Medicine Physicians are typically entrepreneurial and highly respected by their peers. They are also usually upstanding members of their local community, both professionally and personally. [32]

In an article by HealthTech written by Brian Eastwood in December of 2022, Grand View Research estimates that the concierge medicine market will grow more than 10 percent annually each year until 2030. The consultancy cites several factors, including a continued increase in patient volume that started during the pandemic, greater financial stability due to limited reliance on insurance reimbursement, and improved quality of life for physicians.[1]

References & Citations

HealthTech; Article, What is Concierge Medicine? How Does it Improve Outcomes?; Written by Brian Eastwood; December 27, 2022; https://healthtechmagazine.net/article/2022/12/concierge-medicine-creates-better-patient-outcomes-perfcon