Choosing a primary care physician is an important step in determining your medical future. Ideally, your primary care doctor will get to know you and your family, helping provide individualized medical care aimed at helping you stay healthy and live your best life possible. If you are searching for a primary care doctor or a concierge doctor in Dallas, here are five questions you should be sure to ask them.
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Do I have 24/7 access to you?
With many traditional medical facilities, it may be difficult to have easy access to your doctor, or be able to get in and make same-day appointments. At Diamond Physicians and other concierge medical facilities, we turn that on its head, with 24/7 access to your doctor, as well as unlimited visits and urgent care procedures. We also have the availability to make use of text messages, video chat, or phone calls to streamline medical care.
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How much do your services cost?
Most primary care offices or hospitals go through insurance, which can significantly increase costs and increase complexity around the understanding of the costs. At Diamond Physicians, we make it easier to understand your costs – $150/month for an adult membership, $75/month for a child membership. By removing insurance from the equation, we reduce healthcare costs and make sure that everyone has the same incentives and goals for the medical care provided.
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What type of services are available to me?
Concierge doctors typically provide more comprehensive medical care than normal, including unlimited visits, an annual physical exam (including EKG), and discounts on labs, imaging, and generic prescriptions. While in traditional offices you may see a primary care doctor for some needs and an urgent care facility for other needs, those are under one umbrella with concierge medical facilities.
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What percentage of your focus is on preventative care?
You may be familiar with a medical model that simply provides care once you become sick or injured. Concierge doctors typically have much more familiarity with their patients, which allows for more preventative care that can keep you healthy and living well. Our approach focuses on the prevention of heart attack, diabetes, and strokes, while being tailored to your individual needs and considering the results of the treatment plan.
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How much do insurance considerations factor into your treatment plans?
When insurance is taken away, everyone has aligned incentives, with no regard for what insurance may or may not cover, and no attempt to game the system to get more money out of insurance companies. A primary care physician and their staff at a hospital or many other medical practices will likely spend much of their time talking to and working through billing with insurance companies, which can raise their costs as well as impact the type of treatment they might recommend. We find that by not taking insurance, we simplify care and create a better relationship with our patients.
If you are looking for a primary care physician in Dallas and the surrounding areas, contact one of our offices today. We focus entirely on providing the highest level of care possible for our patients, helping them live healthy, active lives. Be sure to take the time to make sure that your health care options are right for your situation!