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With most Concierge Doctors, you can call them any time of any day, & they will take your call, or get back to you quickly, 24-7-365. They will see you in a fraction of the lead time as regular docs. They have the best-of-the-best staffs, they recruit away from the Hospitals.
Their patient to Doctor ratio is MUCH lower than in general practice, so you get more time with them, & they dont have to order stupid test after test like most other Docs have to do because they are part of a larger practice that is over-protecting their own legal exposure.
Getting fast medical attention can be the difference between life and death.
Remember the Vets who were dying of cancer, while waiting to be seen by VA Hospitals a few years ago? That is just 1 proven example that cost many lives until it was finally addresed. Canada's medical system is chock full of delayed care tragedies.
Most who die due to delayed medical care, never make the news like the VA Hospital did.
Most affluent American's have concierge Docs, but most Americans cannot afford to have one.
Venice Hospital closing allows our family to obtain Concierge care, which we will do starting September 23rd, 2022.
So you still didn't answer my questions. Why could you NOT get concierge doctors while Venice Hospital was open? Is it something to do with your insurance? And why do you need multiple concierge docs? I thought the concept was to have a concierge as your PCP. I assume you're paying a nice hefty fee to all these concierges.
I don't have any of the problems you cite. My "regular doc" answers their own phone and sees me quickly. They spend a lot of time with me, I don't feel rushed. I haven't had any problem getting tests approved. I don't need referrals. I don't have any co-pays. I have Medicare and AARP/United. Not cheap, but worth it to me to avoid all the problems you seem to have.
So you still didn't answer my questions. Why could you NOT get concierge doctors while Venice Hospital was open? Is it something to do with your insurance? And why do you need multiple concierge docs? I thought the concept was to have a concierge as your PCP. I assume you're paying a nice hefty fee to all these concierges.
I don't have any of the problems you cite. My "regular doc" answers their own phone and sees me quickly. They spend a lot of time with me, I don't feel rushed. I haven't had any problem getting tests approved. I don't need referrals. I don't have any co-pays. I have Medicare and AARP/United. Not cheap, but worth it to me to avoid all the problems you seem to have.
I'm not 65 so I don't have medicare, but down here doctors are picky with insurance, especially with FL Blue. My mom has no issues getting into doctors including specialist. She has medicare. Me on the other hand I do with Blue cross.
Primary doctors these days usually just hand you off to specialist anyway and don't want to deal with complex issues. I'm assuming malpractice is a big reason.
Many northerners I talk to constantly complain about the health system down here and the quality of doctors. Note this might differ in the major cities in FL like Tampa or Miami. Just going by what I hear in this region of FL.
I'm not 65 so I don't have medicare, but down here doctors are picky with insurance, especially with FL Blue. My mom has no issues getting into doctors including specialist. She has medicare. Me on the other hand I do with Blue cross.
Primary doctors these days usually just hand you off to specialist anyway and don't want to deal with complex issues. I'm assuming malpractice is a big reason.
Many northerners I talk to constantly complain about the health system down here and the quality of doctors. Note this might differ in the major cities in FL like Tampa or Miami. Just going by what I hear in this region of FL.
My daughter has a Florida Blue PPO single policy, has has it for 16 yrs, and has never had problems with either finding or seeing providers.
My PCP refers patients to specialists as needed, but there area lot of health issues she handles herself, and does a good job at it.
I still wonder how much first hand experience many of those "northerners" who talk endlessly about how lousy the hospitals, other healthcare facilities, and the doctors are in this area. Or, in the case they do visit our healthcare providers, how civil they are to those they meet? I here those complaints as well, but if you ask among the detractors what first hand experience they have to base their condemnation on, it's obvious from their reaction they have none. Some will even say, "it's what everyone says".
Last edited by Travelassie; 08-30-2022 at 04:13 PM..
My daughter has a Florida Blue PPO single policy, has has it for 16 yrs, and has never had problems with either finding or seeing providers.
My PCP refers patients to specialists as needed, but there area lot of health issues she handles herself, and does a good job at it.
I still wonder how much first hand experience many of those "northerners" who talk endlessly about how lousy the hospitals, other healthcare facilities, and the doctors are in this area. Or, in the case they do visit our healthcare providers, how civil they are to those they meet? I here those complaints as well, but if you ask among the detractors what first hand experience they have to base their condemnation on, it's obvious from their reaction they have none. Some will even say, "it's what everyone says".
I'm a northerner. I can't say I've had any problems with my doctors or hospitals down here. But the thing that I miss is the easy accessibility of the big-city teaching hospitals for serious illnesses or second opinions. (Even for my dogs.) For example, I had cataract surgery here by a well-respected local surgeon in a large practice. After six months, I was still having problems. Surgeon was saying it was dry eye, but it wasn't improving. Up North, I would've been able to go to one of the nearby top eye institutes in the country for a second opinion. Here, the only top-rated eye institute is in Miami (part of University of Miami), clear across the state. Thankfully, they have a Naples branch -- a two-hour drive, but better than four. Anyway, the surgeon there reassured me the surgery itself was done perfectly, it's just the type of lenses I had. A small percentage of people have problems with them and need to have them replaced, and I was one of that small percentage. He assured me I'd be fine having the replacement surgery done by the original surgeon.
Anyway, perhaps that's what northerners are talking about when they complain about the healthcare in FL.
I'm a northerner. I can't say I've had any problems with my doctors or hospitals down here. But the thing that I miss is the easy accessibility of the big-city teaching hospitals for serious illnesses or second opinions. (Even for my dogs.) For example, I had cataract surgery here by a well-respected local surgeon in a large practice. After six months, I was still having problems. Surgeon was saying it was dry eye, but it wasn't improving. Up North, I would've been able to go to one of the nearby top eye institutes in the country for a second opinion. Here, the only top-rated eye institute is in Miami (part of University of Miami), clear across the state. Thankfully, they have a Naples branch -- a two-hour drive, but better than four. Anyway, the surgeon there reassured me the surgery itself was done perfectly, it's just the type of lenses I had. A small percentage of people have problems with them and need to have them replaced, and I was one of that small percentage. He assured me I'd be fine having the replacement surgery done by the original surgeon.
Anyway, perhaps that's what northerners are talking about when they complain about the healthcare in FL.
I can understand wanting to be within a relatively short distance of a doctor or facility for a second opinion, though as you mention there are a number of well known places where a second opinion can be had that are not too far away. I'd head for the Naples branch of the Baskin Palmer Institute if I wanted an eye-related 2nd opinion, IIRC they may also have facilities in West Palm Beach and other parts of the state.,
I know the Miami Sylvester Cancer center has branches in West Palm Beach and other parts of the state, though for cancer-related issues Moffitt in Tampa is fairly close, and I know they also work with our closeby ( and very large) cancer facilities here. Cleveland Clinic is located in Weston, ( western part of Broward county), and Mayo Clinic is located in Jacksonville. Shands hospital, in Gainesville, is associated with the University of Florida. There is also the All Children's hospital in St. Petersburg, which is associated with Johns Hopkins now. And I just learned of the Miami Cancer Institute, located in the Baptist hospital Kendall campus, which is associated with the Sloan Kettering Cancer institute ( I think that's the one).
Maybe your experience has been different, but most of the people I ever heard ( or read their comments in such places as the NextDoor forums), couldn't really point to a specific first hand incident or experience to justify their disdain about our healthcare facilities, they were just pollyparroting what they had heard others say. Or in one of those "two sides to every story"
type situations, perhaps they had had encounters with doctors or facilities here, came with a self-entitled attitude, made unreasonable demands on the doctor or staff, were rude, ( ie, made appointments then didn't show up, then came in unannounced or called, demanding to be seen ASAP, not providing adequate information about their medical history then getting angry when this delayed their care, bringing a relative or two to the appointment and demanding the doc see them too,
wanting excess refills for their pain meds, rudely challenging the doc with their new found "Dr. Google" information,) the list goes on. Thing is, I can't imagine the doctors or healthcare facilties that are "so much better" up north would put up with this behavior anymore than they do here in Florida.
I'm a northerner. I can't say I've had any problems with my doctors or hospitals down here. But the thing that I miss is the easy accessibility of the big-city teaching hospitals for serious illnesses or second opinions. (Even for my dogs.) For example, I had cataract surgery here by a well-respected local surgeon in a large practice. After six months, I was still having problems. Surgeon was saying it was dry eye, but it wasn't improving. Up North, I would've been able to go to one of the nearby top eye institutes in the country for a second opinion. Here, the only top-rated eye institute is in Miami (part of University of Miami), clear across the state. Thankfully, they have a Naples branch -- a two-hour drive, but better than four. Anyway, the surgeon there reassured me the surgery itself was done perfectly, it's just the type of lenses I had. A small percentage of people have problems with them and need to have them replaced, and I was one of that small percentage. He assured me I'd be fine having the replacement surgery done by the original surgeon.
Anyway, perhaps that's what northerners are talking about when they complain about the healthcare in FL.
Up in st. Louis you have Slu hospital and Washington University which uses Barnes. Both teaching ones. I went to slu for a gum issue. Cheaper copays and you have the residency dr. Looking at you but also the professor there in the room looking you over as well who has years of experience.
I'm having a health issue right now and getting the run around and no official diagnosis. If I were up in stl I would be diagnosed by now and at worst I'd be making an appointment at slu or wash u.
Blue Cross sucks though. Even insurance agents I know complain about it. The payouts to doctors are the main thing some don't take it.
Best insurance is having a government job down here. Great insurance I hear.
Up in st. Louis you have Slu hospital and Washington University which uses Barnes. Both teaching ones. I went to slu for a gum issue. Cheaper copays and you have the residency dr. Looking at you but also the professor there in the room looking you over as well who has years of experience.
I'm having a health issue right now and getting the run around and no official diagnosis. If I were up in stl I would be diagnosed by now and at worst I'd be making an appointment at slu or wash u.
Blue Cross sucks though. Even insurance agents I know complain about it. The payouts to doctors are the main thing some don't take it.
Best insurance is having a government job down here. Great insurance I hear.
Might I make a suggestion then, if you perceive a problem with your local providers and are having ongoing health issues that you believe healthcare providers you have identified elsewhere could address better than here? That would be you actually make an appointment with one of those providers in St. Louis and go see them about your issues? After all, if they are so much better than what's offered in your local area, ( including being thrilled to take your insurance), you should have no problem getting an appointment as timely as you want, with one, two, or as many providers as you would like to bounce around second, third, fourth, or whatever many opinions you think you need. I mean, you can speculate as much as you want about how much better you'd be treated in any given location, but you don't know for sure unless you really go there to have your medical issues addressed. I'd hope you'd get the good care you anticipate there, but you might also find that some of the same problems that plague healthcare in this area ( shrinking reimbursements, insurance issues, personnel shortage, supply chain issues, guv'mint regulations, increased demand for that healthcare by the populace- though I don't expect St. Louis sees the sheer number of transplants we see here in FL) also affect the delivery of healthcare in those areas "up north" labeled by some as "so much better."
I know there are many versions of Blue Cross Blue Shield healthcare policies out there and some are much better than others. I know it's also true that some BC policies drag their feet on reimbursements, or reimburse poorly ( though I can't think their reimbursement rates would be lousier than Medicare, which most of the health providers around here do take.) I don't know which one you have, but just a general thought that sometimes a cheaper premium reflects the level of service that will be provided by that policy. My daughter ( who is not a government employee) has had an individual BC/BS policy for 16 years and counting, and has never had any issues with finding providers that will take her insurance, and there have been many as she has ongoing health issues. It's not cheap, but without it, she'd be in the hole for several million dollars at least. She's maintained that insurance despite having the option for employer provided coverage, specifically because her BC is more inclusive and provides better coverage.
I'll admit the federal employee provided coverage ( there are many choices, some provide better coverage than others, partly reflecting that old saw about getting what you pay for) is good. It's also pricey, even just as a secondary insurance to Medicare.
So you still didn't answer my questions. Why could you NOT get concierge doctors while Venice Hospital was open? Is it something to do with your insurance? And why do you need multiple concierge docs? I thought the concept was to have a concierge as your PCP. I assume you're paying a nice hefty fee to all these concierges.
I don't have any of the problems you cite. My "regular doc" answers their own phone and sees me quickly. They spend a lot of time with me, I don't feel rushed. I haven't had any problem getting tests approved. I don't need referrals. I don't have any co-pays. I have Medicare and AARP/United. Not cheap, but worth it to me to avoid all the problems you seem to have.
We could not find ONE real concierge MD who had, or wanted to have, the credentialing to enter Venice Regional to practice there; if we were admitted. We were turned away by a Concierge Doctor because we lived much closer to Venice Regional than Sarasota Memorial. Now that Venice is closing, we are going to go back to him, and try again. I suspect we'll be taken this time.
We both dislike our PCP's, & when something goes wrong, we learned we needed 1 person to coordinate all the labs/results, meds, testing being perscribed, records sharing labors, PCP, & between multiple specialists &, and the proper sequencing of care.
Normal PCP's used to provide this "traffic control" function, but they all have too many patients now to do it all properly anymore....when serious health issues arise. PCP's are normally okay, until you get really sick...then, most are not. They are disorganized, and slow things down to a dangerous pace. That has been our experience.
Most people w/ our financial means have Concierge Docs. Now, we can have one too since Venice Hospital is closing...no more voice mail recordings, not returning calls, calling in scrips to the wrong pharmacy, having to go to the emergency room because its after hours at the PCP, lab results not finding it to the proper docs, and the whole myriad of failures we've encountered.
A Concierge Doctor is like have a general contractor to oversee the building of a large custom home, versus trying to coordinate all the subs yourself. If you have not gotten very ill, or not had the bad PCP care we've had, then count your blessings.
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