It is a common fact: as we age, we run into more health problems and therefore require more medical care than an otherwise healthy middle-aged person. However, going to a doctor appointment is not so easy a task for the gray-haired members of society. Most elderly people don’t drive and rely on family, friends or public transportation to take them to their doctor appointments. Often, an elderly patient will have to see a doctor just to get their medication adjusted, or to have their vitals routinely checked. The need to see a doctor is frequent for them. This article will examine concierge medicine as a suitable resource for elderly patients.

 
Comfort and convenience

There is a reason why so many old people buy La-Z-Boy chairs. Simply put, it is hard for them to stay seated for any prolonged period of time and, therefore, they require maximum comfort. When elderly patients have medical concerns late at night their only option is to have someone drive them to the hospital emergency room. We all know that emergency rooms treat people based on their “emergencies”. An old person who feels dizzy can be sitting for hours in a waiting room if a patient with chest pains or a victim of a violent attack is brought in. Sitting in emergency rooms is annoying and a big inconvenience for younger patients, but it is pure torture for the elderly. Concierge medicine brings the doctor to the patient’s door 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. When using concierge medicine as a supplement to one’s health insurance, “waiting” will be a concept, and instant service will be an instant reality.

Patients will have direct access to their doctor’s phone number and can request a house call visit without having to make an appointment. Not only will this give great peace of mind to the patient who can stay at home in the comfort of their own bed or over-stuffed recliner, their family members and friends will be given a break and wont have to drive them to the hospital or to doctor appointments.

 
Quality

The one-on-one attention patients get from doctors who participate in concierge programs are next to none. Doctors actually take the time to get to know you as a person, and not as a forgettable patient. Many doctors have switched over to this platform because they despise the way “personal care” lacks in standard medical treatment, and how doctors are encouraged to get patients in and out of their offices as quickly as possible. When using a physician through a concierge supplemental program, patients are given the time they deserve.

 
Is it affordable?

It is now, but this wasn’t always the case. Several years ago only the wealthy could afford this luxury. However, with political shifts and growing demands for better health care concierge medicine is now so affordable that a pizza delivery boy could easily carry it. Most concierge health plans cost as much as your Internet and cable bill. Although concierge medical plans don’t accept health insurance, the programs are so affordable that insurance isn’t even a big concern.

 
See for your self

Do some research and look into concierge health care as an option for the elderly patient in your life. You will find that this affordable supplemental health care platform will be a godsend to your parents or grandparents.

About the author: Sara Fletcher is a freelance journalist and mother of two, who is researching concierge medicine as an option for her parents. You can follow her on Google+.