Concierge medicine is turning healthcare upside down. In a way, it is to healthcare what private school is to the educational system.
Say goodbye to rushed appointments and long wait times and say hello to 24/7 access to care and proactivity. The rise of concierge medicine was not sudden, but it started accelerating thanks to new technologies like remote patient monitoring, wearables, EHRs, and more.
Telemedicine took over during the COVID-19 pandemic and hasn’t slowed down its growth. In 2024, there have been over 116.5 million users of online doctor consultations all over the world. It is used a lot in concierge medicine to improve patients’ accessibility to care.
How is technology shaping the way concierge medicine is delivered? We’ll talk all about it and more in this blog.
What is concierge medicine?
Concierge medicine, like primary care, is a healthcare model. Now, unlike primary care, it is a boutique service. Patients pay an annual subscription fee or a retainer to receive a higher quality of care.
Not only does concierge medicine offer a higher quality of care, but it offers it with a wider range of services on a 24/7 basis. It has many other benefits such as longer appointments, remote communication with doctors through telemedicine, and more.
Concierge care also has a bigger focus on personalized and preventive medicine with global access.
While it is a great solution for people with chronic illnesses and busy schedules, it is also a strategy for risk management in executive health.
What is concierge executive health?
For executives who pose a key person risk to major organizations, concierge medicine can be a lifesaver. Concierge executive health is a branch of concierge care that is built to fit the lifestyles of busy professionals.
Executives who have demanding schedules and work in high-stress environments need different types of wellness plans and concierge care has the means to achieve it.
From premium executive health programs and customized wellness plans to highly personalized care and discreet medicine, concierge executive health is one of the best wellness solutions. Ultimately, it makes sure that professionals can receive top-tier medical care without compromising their commitments.
3 ways technology is enhancing concierge medicine services
Technology plays a huge role in enabling concierge executive health and concierge medicine. The world of technology is growing at a rapid pace and healthcare is reaping many benefits.
Let us tell you about the 3 main technologies that are making concierge medicine services better by a mile.
Telemedicine
First off, let’s talk about telehealth solutions. It has been adopted in concierge medicine with exceptional speed and range. In short, telemedicine solutions allow patients to connect with their doctors remotely to get a consultation through:
- Video calls
- Phone
- Text
Telehealth technology is beneficial for both patients and doctors in many ways. For patients who live in remote areas, travel often or have chronic conditions, this accessibility is a huge benefit.
Thanks to telemedicine, patients can get same-day or next-day appointments, making sure they can get access to care in a timely manner. When compared to the week-long wait times of primary care, concierge care looks shiny and new.
Lastly, let’s look at the other side of the coin. The work of physicians becomes way more convenient and efficient with telemedicine solutions. From virtual check-ups to follow-up appointments, telehealth gives concierge doctors unparalleled support.
EHRs (electronic health records)
When EHRs came onto the scene and started pushing physical health records out of the picture, the world of healthcare was shaken to its core.
People focused more on how data security was a huge issue with this innovation rather than its benefits. Now that they’ve had the time to understand it better, EHRs have become a hugely widespread technology for clinics worldwide.
With a 4.2% CAGR up until 2032, EHRs are growing in popularity and transforming the way concierge medicine is delivered.
Electronic health records give a solid, centralized platform for storing and managing patient information, including:
- Medical history
- Treatment plans
- Lab results
- Imaging reports
Having all this information in one place that can be accessed by virtually any clinic you may visit is a privilege, to say the least. It saves you time, effort, and eases the workload of everyone involved.
With EHRs, different healthcare providers across the country can be in touch and share patient information with each other whenever needed. This way, the care given to patients becomes consistent even if received from different doctors in different clinics.
Wearables and remote patient monitoring (RPM)
Finally, let’s talk about wearables and RPM technologies. They have played a big role in impacting and powering concierge medicine. In fact, around 50 million people were already using remote patient monitoring devices by 2022.
With wearable devices like health tracking smart watches and blood glucose monitors, concierge care goes to another level. These solutions give both doctors and patients insights into their daily health metrics.
For example, wearables can be as small as fitness trackers that can measure:
- Heart rate
- Sleep patterns
- Blood pressure
- Physical activity
Other data include blood pressure cuffs and weight monitors. With your doctor having access to this data in real-time, potential health risks can be proactively diagnosed and prevented.
Additionally, patients with chronic conditions can have continuous oversight and get timely interventions in case of any complications.
Conclusion
Technology is the catalyst that is transforming healthcare, especially concierge medicine. It continues to make healthcare more personalized, accessible, and convenient.
From 24/7 availability of medical care through video calls and text, telemedicine is one of the leading technologies boosting concierge care. Combined with the power of wearables, EHRs, and remote patient monitoring, concierge medicine has become better than ever.
You receive higher-quality care and are more motivated to take charge of your own health when these technologies are included in your healthcare plan.
It’s obvious that technology will continue to improve and transform healthcare in general as well as concierge services in the future. It will be advantageous for physicians as well as patients.
Author bio
Angel Poghosyan is a content and marketing professional with over 7 years of experience working with startups and businesses across the health tech industry.
