Is concierge medicine worth it? Inside the membership model that’s growing in popularity

As patients struggle with long wait times to see a doctor, and the medical industry grapples with a shortage of primary care physicians, doctors and patients are turning to a new model that goes by many names. Sometimes called “concierge medicine,” “membership medicine” or even “subscription medicine” — whatever you call it, it’s a rapidly growing trend.

Research shows that the market for concierge practices was valued at over $7 billion in 2024, and that number is projected to grow more than 10% in the next five years. Sometimes these practices are run by specialists you can call on day or night, or might include free yoga. So how does it work, and is this type of care worth it for the average patient?

Membership has its privileges

In concierge medicine, you pay an annual fee to be part of a certain medical practice, and can use your insurance or out-of-pocket payments for various services. Typically, if you have a problem, you can talk to or see your doctor quickly. The doctor helps manage care, communicates with specialists, and often is able to deal with a wide range of services in the office. This is why many doctors feel they have finally found a new way to connect with their patients and offer the kind of one-on-one communication they say has been lost in recent years.

PartnerMD — a medical practice that has offices in four Southern states — says the concierge fee is worthwhile because it covers “services outside of what insurance reimburses — like 24/7 physician access, longer appointments, and preventative care coordination.”

Research seems to back up the case for this type of care: “Concierge medicine is characterized by smaller patient panels, extended visits, continuous follow-up, and a distinctive emphasis on prevention and wellness,” says a paper in the National Institute of Health library. “These characteristics promote high-quality, individualized care.”

A healthier choice for physicians?

One doctor who specializes in women’s health, Dr. Nicole Tully — a practicing gynecologist for almost two decades — said she never expected to open a solo concierge practice back when she was in medical school.

Dr. Tully spent 16 years as a general gynecologist at a busy practice, but she was so in demand as a physician that patients often had to wait three to four months to see her.

Meanwhile, she was working more than 10 hours a day to keep up.

If a patient had an urgent problem, like a urinary tract infection, they had to see another doctor or head to urgent care. Tully felt like not only was she unable to give as much as she wanted to her patients, but she was also ignoring her family. “I would wake up at 4:30 a.m., do charts from 5-7, see my first patient at 7 a.m.,” she said, “get home after 5, and after dinner, I’d do more paperwork and phone calls until around 10. The next day, same thing: Test results, callbacks, messages, refills. My daughter came home from college and she would say, ‘Can we do this?’ and I’d say I was too busy.”

Indeed, many physicians are leaving medicine because of burnout, worsening the shortage of doctors. But last year, Tully decided to leave the busy practice and open her own concierge medicine practice, which she believes is a solution that benefits her patients and her own family.

Now, in her solo concierge practice located on the Hudson River just outside of New York City, her patients pay an annual fee to see her, and she can limit her memberships to a few hundred people a year — and in doing so, give more personalized care to each patient.

She stays in contact with her patients’ specialists and even helps them get an appointment if they’re having trouble connecting with the right doctor. She invites patients to text or call her if need be, and she has even gone to her office on a Sunday to give a patient a swab for strep throat. As a certified menopause specialist, she’s also a highly sought-after resource for women navigating midlife changes.

Is the concierge route right for you?

One New Jersey-based emergency room doctor, Dr. Vikram Sikand, says he decided in the last few years to use a concierge practice for himself and his wife.

“I have been very happy with my choice,” he said in an interview. “I was sort of blown away by what the concierge practice had achieved in terms of efficiency of care, quality of care, and also compassionate care, which is a big thing. I liked how streamlined the process is, how accessible the providers are, and how efficient the whole experience is.”

He added, “I think the general perception is that concierge medicine is meant for high-end clients with deep pockets, but I think that may be a bit of a misconception. Of course there is some out-of-pocket cost, but it’s not as much as people are sometimes expecting. They also seem to really utilize technology very well in terms of staying in touch, answering questions, even handling billing.”

He noted that the doctors in the practice he goes to have given talks via livestream and offered free yoga sessions as part of wellness and preventative health efforts.

Tully said that her patients are pleased with her new model so far.

“My patients feel like they’re being heard,” she says. “It’s been great so far. It’s been great for patients’ wellness and for my own wellness. I couldn’t be happier.”

The bottom line is whether you’re willing to invest in your own health by paying upfront for more personalized care. As this model gains traction, it could close critical gaps in the system — benefiting both physicians and their patients.

This story was originally published July 3, 2025 at 4:18 PM with the headline "Is concierge medicine worth it? Inside the membership model that’s growing in popularity."