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When you're sick... what's the chance of you calling and talking directly to your doctor to get necessary treatment? A new medical program offers physician access without all the frustration.
PHONE RECORDING: "to speak with a nurse please press 2 to verify prescription refills or leave a message for the physician.
Charlene says, You leave a message some times it will be two or three days before you get a reply. I didn't like that. Level of accessibility is part of the reason Charlene Lawley and her husband Joe changed doctors two years ago.
Now they have easy access to their physician 24 -7. Dr. David DeAtkine, Jr. says, All of my patients have my beeper number and can page me day or night any time. Dr. DeAtkine values delivering preventive care to his patients, time to talk to them and necessary treatment . In 2003 he changed his 10 year practice and joined a personalized medical service called MD VIP...which offers priority care for affiliated patients and physicians as well as helps relieve frustration I didn't like running behind all the time. I didn't like starting the day with a schedule that already had 35 people on it. His MD VIP affiliated practice went from 4000 plus patients to a limit of 600.
When you start the day with ten people on your schedule you have built in time for an appointment that normally might last 15 minutes to expand to an hour :10. And not be behind two hours for the rest of the day. Linda Mays says, each patient pays a fee of 1500 for the MDVIP program, now that's completely separate from your insurance coverage.
The Lawleys pay the company on a quarterly basis.That yearly fee covers a comprehensive wellness prevention plan and a complete physical. To Joe Lawley who's diabetic, and his wife Charlene, a brain tumor survivor the benefits go beyond... no waiting policy. Joe says, both to referral, both to prescriptions accessibility is extremely important. He said if you need me to come I can be there.
Yes, Dr Deatkine has even made house calls.
He says It's all about proactive and preventive care beyond the patient's current health issue.
By the way, Dr. DeAtkine is at the MD VIP limit of 600 patients.
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