What is Concierge Orthopedics?
Concierge orthopedics is a specialized care offered by orthopedic physicians to patients that emphasizes personalized, patient-centered care and enhanced accessibility to medical services. This service is offered to patients with musculoskeletal injuries and conditions involving the bones, muscles, and ancillary structures - everything from arthritis to a torn ACL to a sprained ankle. Concierge orthopedics is a subset of the broader concept of concierge medicine, which involves a more individualized and comprehensive approach to healthcare.
In the context of orthopedics, concierge orthopedics typically involves a close physician-patient relationship, expedited access to medical services, and a focus on providing a high level of personalized care. This may include extended appointment times, direct communication with the doctor by phone or email, same-day or next-day appointments, and a greater emphasis on patient education and involvement in the treatment process.
Concierge orthopedics aims to provide a more convenient and streamlined experience for patients seeking treatment for orthopedic conditions, such as hip and knee pain, degenerative joint conditions, and sprains and strains. It often involves a multidisciplinary approach, where the doctor works closely with other specialists, such as surgeons, pain management specialists, and physical therapists, to develop a comprehensive treatment plan tailored to the individual patient’s needs. The result is better outcomes - faster healing of injuries and better management of chronic orthopedic conditions.
How Does Concierge Orthopedics Work?
Most patients have to wait for weeks before being able to see an orthopedic specialist. When patients have chronic conditions, such as back pain or knee pain, waiting that long can aggravate the condition. When you do have your consultation, it may last only for 10 minutes, which is barely sufficient for your physician to talk to you about your symptoms, review your medical history, and perform a thorough physical examination. With concierge orthopedics, patients can bypass the waiting and get the care they need much faster. The concierge orthopedics model emphasizes on personalized patient experiences. Doctors who participate in concierge orthopedics usually have smaller patient panels, meaning they can spend more time with their patients reviewing their conditions and symptoms. Concierge orthopedics care plans make it easy to get same-day and next-day appointments and improve access to advanced screenings and tests, giving you more time to discuss the results with your doctor to create a personalized care plan. If you have a concierge orthopedics care plan, you can contact your physician directly to schedule a visit as early as possible - typically within a few days - to receive the care you need. There is no need to wait weeks to see your doctor, and you can experience more focused care because your physician likely sees fewer patients on a daily basis.
What Conditions Does Concierge Orthopedics Cover?
At your concierge orthopedics consultation, you will receive comprehensive diagnostic services for injuries and diseases affecting all the components of your musculoskeletal system - your bones, muscles, connective tissues, cartilage, and nerves. These conditions include:
- Chronic conditions: Chronic conditions are a major orthopedic problem. They include common causes of hip, knee, and back pain, like degenerative joint disease. One of the common chronic conditions is osteoarthritis, which causes long-term joint pain, stiffness, and weakness.
- Trauma: Trauma from falls, automobile accidents, and other sudden injuries can result in dislocations and fractures.
- Sports injuries: Common sports injuries include labral tears in the shoulders and hips, meniscal tears in the knees, sprains (damaged ligaments) and strains (damaged tendons), and rotator cuff injuries.
- Overuse injuries: Overuse injuries cause small areas of damage that build up over time. Examples include stress fractures and tendonitis.
Benefits of Concierge Orthopedics
Some of the benefits that come with concierge orthopedics include:
- Sooner appointments
- Possible same-day services
- More time with your physician
- More access to services
- Quick access to test results and reports
- Round-the-clock phone and email access to your physician
- Focused personalized care
- Coordination of care
- Remote consultations
- Expedited access to doctors
