I’m considering switching to concierge care for my primary care and hoping they will also sign off on all of my diabetes needs. It seems like my endocrinology office thinks I’m taking good enough care of myself - I have to go in so they can look at my feet and send me along, while charging for tests that weren’t done and spending about 10 minutes with me. I don’t need a lot of hand holding for my diabetes care, so it’s frustrating to have to go in for these appointments.
Anyone have luck with a concierge PCP? It’s a big investment. I’m pretty healthy otherwise, so I’m not 100% sure it will be worth it. I’m just tired of dealing with “the system.”
We had concierge care when my husband worked for a larger biotech company that paid for it as part of his benefits package. I hate to say that it truly wasn’t worth it, at least to us. The model may have been different than what you are looking at – they handled all referrals and all after-care, but it was more frustrating than just doing it all myself. My husband did use their in-house PCP and I stayed with my long-term (beloved) PCP and just used the service for referrals. I would not have paid the $$ out of pocket for the service. If you go this route, definitely make sure that ALL of what you need can/will be addressed by the PCP (and still covered by your insurance). Totally hear you on being tired of “the system.”
@allison We’re doing likewise…looking at concierge medicine. The wife and I had trusted docs for years…nearly 25! But mine mis-dx’d me as T2 (forgivable…its common…but questionable) but has become increasingly unavailable when needed. Wife’s doc moved away and she’s stuck seeing whoever is available. Not expected when “Family Practice” is in the name. The groups EHR (electronic records) is NOT user friendly and not compatible with other orgs/specialists they refer you to which means having pickup/transport imaging, fax (really?!) or download/scan hand in, or frequent duplication of lab tests. Referrals based on old out-of-date lists. @JessicaD’s experience is good to know about, though not a rousing endorsement
Anyone with advice in the Leesburg/Ashburn VA area would be welcome!.
I was looking for an endo in my area. I found one who was concierge only. I was seriously considering subscribing, but my 1st consultation he wanted to change my wording therapy for a new type 2 drug.
Maybe your experience will be better. Just as my experience with my endocrinologist is different than yours. Thanks to him and his quarterly blood and urine tests the bladder cancer was caught before it spread.
Also he gives me more than 10 minutes of his time. I hope he will find an NP with CPE certification. That would be a plus for the practice.
@ allison I know it can be very frustrating. Keep your head up & keep moving forward. I pray good things will come your way. I hope you will be able to surround yourself with people you can appreciate. A ray of sunshine to brighten all of your days.
@TomH Sorry friend no help here. I am south of you near (small market) Columbia, South Carolina. Best Wishes in your search.
Oh my another case of an Endoist wanting to put you in their D box :head shake: <like that I made my own)
Now that’s what I am talking about Got to be able to appreciate your Endo for that help!
Just got to step back & find some things to appreciate < this is sobe stepping up on his soap box. what sobe needs to do is go talk to himself in the mirror >
@allison,
I finally found a great endo. It took me a while to find one after my previous one - who was also really great - had retired.
But…in the meantime (several years worth!) I found an internal medicine / internist doctor. He was simply a prescription machine for me!
He required me to go in for an appointment only once a year and he did A1C and lipids. (That was his only checkbox requirement for filling the 'betes scripts.)
If I wanted any extra tests I would ask for it. And he wrote all my scripts without looking at my pump or BG meter data.
Pump, insulin, Dexcom, test strips - he wrote them all!
He probably could not answer any 'betes stuff for me, but I never asked any!. He just filled scripts, which is all I needed.
This is kind of the same setup @JessicaD had with her PCP.
Also, my previous PCP wouldn’t fill my diabetes-related prescriptions because the endo office was literally upstairs from them, and they wanted me to see them. My current PCP is a physician assistant - I haven’t ever asked her if she would fill them but I would be surprised if she did.
Haha. I do have a doctoral degree, but I never use it. I only get salty when I get mail addressed to me and my husband as “Mr. & Mrs.” instead of “Dr. & Mr.”
I’ve thought of going past my Masters to get a Doctoral in Information systems just so that I can yell “Yes!!” if someone shouts, “I need a doctor! Is there a doctor in the house???”
I was with a PCP for long time and he would write my D scripts. He retired and seems like most PCP don’t want to write them.
I found a busy endo and their appointments are every 8 month’s. If you go in with good numbers they really don’t have much to talk to you about. So it pretty painless.
The wait time as a new patient to get on an endo’s schedule is crazy long. At this point in my D career I kind of think it good to have access to an endo.
I hope you will be able to surround yourself with people you can appreciate. A ray of sunshine to brighten all of your days.
Got to be able to appreciate your Endo for that help!
My current PCP is a physician assistant - I haven’t ever asked her if she would fill them but I would be surprised if she did.