Fine. Call Us Concierge Medicine.

For a long time, I resisted when people called Direct Primary Care “concierge medicine.” I would correct them: “Well, not exactly. Direct Primary Care is different from concierge medicine…” But lately, I've decided I'm willing to concede the point.

Fine. Call us concierge medicine.

Because if by “concierge” you mean having a doctor who knows you, having enough time to actually talk during an appointment, being able to reach your medical team when you need them, and receiving care that feels personal rather than transactional—then yes.

That sounds a lot like what we do. We're just doing it without the concierge price.

Why I Resisted the Word “Concierge”

My hesitation was never about providing a higher level of service. I absolutely want to provide that. It was about what the word concierge tends to imply.

Concierge medicine can sound exclusive. Luxury healthcare. White-glove service for executives, wealthy families, or people willing and able to pay a premium to get a different healthcare experience.

And that's the part that never quite fit what we're building at Direct Primary Care of West Michigan.

I don't believe having a relationship with your primary care physician should be a luxury. I don't think a 30- or 60-minute appointment should feel extravagant. I don't think being able to reach your doctor's office when you have a question should be considered VIP treatment. And I certainly don't think having a physician who knows your history, your goals, your family, and the context of your life should be reserved for people with a certain income.

That's not luxury medicine to me.

That's good primary care.

What If We Made the “Concierge Experience” Available to Everyday People?

That's really what Direct Primary Care allows us to do.

At Direct Primary Care of West Michigan, patients pay a predictable monthly membership for their primary care. That model allows me to keep my patient panel smaller, spend more time with each person, offer better access, and build the kind of physician-patient relationships that are increasingly difficult to maintain in a high-volume healthcare system.

So yes, the experience can feel a little “white glove.” But what does that actually look like?

You can actually reach us.
Your appointments aren't rushed.
We know who you are when you contact the office.
You generally see the same physician.
We have time to talk about prevention, sleep, nutrition, exercise, stress, medications, family history, and the things happening in your life that affect your health.

Sometimes we need medication. Sometimes we need testing or a specialist. And sometimes what we need most is enough time to sit together and figure out what is actually going on.

If that sounds like concierge medicine, I'm no longer interested in arguing about the terminology.

Concierge Medicine for Everyday People

Maybe that's the phrase I've been looking for.

Concierge medicine for everyday people.

For the teacher who can't spend half a day trying to get an appointment.
For the bartender working nights who needs healthcare to fit around an unconventional schedule.
For the waitress who's on her feet all day and doesn't have time to sit in a waiting room for an hour.
For the small business owner who needs to get back to work.
For the parent trying to figure out whether their child needs to be seen.
For the person with a high-deductible health plan who thinks twice before seeking care because they don't know what it's going to cost.
For the 45-year-old who feels fine but wants to stay that way.
For the retiree who wants a physician who knows them, not a different face at every appointment.
And for the patient who is simply tired of starting over every time they need care.

These aren't people looking for luxury healthcare. They're everyday people who want healthcare to work.

The Experience Can Be Exceptional Without Being Exclusive

That's ultimately where I've landed. I'm not interested in building an exclusive medical practice. I am interested in building an exceptional one. Those are not the same thing.

I want healthcare to feel personal. I want patients to feel known. I want them to have time to ask questions. I want prevention to happen before something becomes a crisis. I want a patient to walk into my office and feel like they're seeing their doctor.

If someone wants to call that concierge medicine, fine.

We're concierge medicine at a not-so-concierge price.

For teachers and bartenders. Waitresses and business owners. Parents, professionals, retirees, and everyone in between.

I don't want to make concierge medicine less exceptional. I want to make exceptional primary care more accessible. Because personalized primary care shouldn't be a status symbol.

It should just be good primary care.