SAFETY EXPERT TROOPER STEVE. THIS IS NEWS. 6 AT 09:00AM GETTING RESULTS.
>> JULIE: WITH COVID CONCERNS
STILL GOING ON MORE THAN A
YEAR AND A HALF LATER. IT CAN
BE DIFFICULT TO GET IN TO SEE
YOUR DOCTOR FOR OTHER ISSUES.
AT TIMES. SO NOW WE’RE HEARING
MORE ABOUT THE TERM CONCIERGE
MEDICINE, BUT WHAT IS IT
MORNING ANCHOR AND HEALTH
REPORTER KIRSTIN O’CONNOR IS
ON ASSIGNMENT. SO BRIANNA,
VOLZ IS STANDING BY NOW TO ASK
A DOCTOR.
>> ASK A DOCTOR IS SPONSORED
BY CAN BE PRIMARY CARE FOR
>> WHEN IT COMES TO CONCIERGE
MEDICINE, ONE OF THE THINGS
PATIENTS LIKE IS THE ABILITY
FOR MORE PERSONALIZED
ATTENTION. SO KIRSTEN O’CONNOR
HAD A CALL WITH DOCTOR JASON
LITTLETON OF LITTLETON,
CONCIERGE MEDICINE TO EXPLAIN
HOW IT ALL WORKS.
>> KAISER’S MEDICINE IS
PRIVATE MEDICINE, ITS
MEMBERSHIP BASE, MEDICINE,
UNLIKE INSURANCE BASED
MEDICINE THAT MOST OF
POPULATIONS USED TO MEDICINE
IS WHERE PERSON PAYS AN ANNUAL
FEE AND THEY HAVE DIRECT
ACCESS WITH THEIR DOCTOR. NOW,
LISTEN, NOT TO CONFUSE ANYONE
IS REALLY 2 TERMS IN PLAY.
THERE’S SOMETHING CALLED THE
PC, WHICH IS DIRECT PRIMARY
CARE. AND THAT’S REALLY MORE
WHAT I PRACTICE WHERE YOU HAVE
ACCESS WITH THE PATIENT. THE
PATIENT HAS ACCESS WITH YOU
AND THEY PAY MEMBERSHIP FEE.
MEDICINE ACTUALLY IS A MIX OF
THAT. PLUS, ALSO TAKING
INSURANCE.
>> JULIE: DOCTOR LITTLETON
SAYS IT’S ABOUT SOMEONE WHO
REALLY IS ON YOUR SIDE WHEN IT
COMES TO YOUR HEALTH AND KNOWS
WHAT YOU HAVE GOING ON AT ANY
GIVEN TIME. AND WHEN YOU CALL
HIM, YOU’RE ACTUALLY REACHING
HIM AND ARE ABLE TO GET
FEEDBACK ON ANY ISSUE. IT’S
MUCH MORE ABOUT A PERSONAL
CONNECTION WITH YOUR DOCTOR.
>> AND THAT’S SETTING YOU’RE
SEEING A DOCTOR SEEN ABOUT 25
TO 30 PATIENTS A DAY. YOU
KNOW, I KIND OF JOKE AROUND
AND CALL A CONVEYOR BELT
MEDICINE BECAUSE EACH PATIENT
GETS ABOUT 15 MINUTES FOR A
FOLLOW-UP. 30 PAGE, 30 MINUTES
FOR AN IMPATIENT AS IT WORKS
IN CONCERT MADISON. I SPENT
ABOUT 45 MINUTES TO AN HOUR
WITH MY PATIENTS. AND HERE’S A
THOUGHT. INSURANCE BASED
MEDICINE THAT DOCTORS SEEN
ABOUT 30 PATIENTS A DAY IN THE
MIDDLE OF THAT, THEY’RE ALSO
PROBABLY DOING 17 CALL BACKS
REVIEWING 11 X-RAYS, MAKING 12
PRESCRIPTIONS ALL WHILE THEY
HAVE PATIENTS BACK TO BACK.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT
MAKES CONCERT ABOUT SOME
REALLY IS THAT PATIENTS DO NOT
HAVE TO WAIT TIMES. YOU KNOW,
THEY HAVE AN APPOINTMENT AND
THE SHIP THAT TIME. THERE’S NO
ONE IN FRONT OF THEM AND
THERE’S NO ONE BEHIND THEM SO
THEY CAN REALLY HAVE THAT
TIME. THAT’S DEVOTED TO THEM.
AND IN MY PRACTICE, I HAVE
THIS FOR PATIENTS WERE ALL
ACTUALLY WHERE I ONLY SCHEDULE
FOR PATIENTS A DAY. AND I
REALLY WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT
I GIVE MY PATIENTS THAT
TENSION THAT THEY HAVE. OF
COURSE, WE DEAL WITH
EMERGENCIES AND WE DEAL WITH
URGENT SEAT. BUT WHEN IT COMES
TO THAT BREAD AND BUTTER,
PHYSICAL EXAM, PERHAPS BEING
AN HOUR WITH SOMEONE, I WANT
TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT THE
BOAT ATTACK.
>> CANDACE: OF COURSE, ALL
THAT PERSONAL ATTENTION DOES
COME AT A PRICE. DOCTOR,
LITTLETON SAID TYPICAL ANNUAL
PRICE RANGES FOR CONCIERGE
PRACTICES CAN RANGE FROM $2500
TO $10,000 ANNUALLY. BUT
DURING THE SUMMER, WHILE MANY
CENTRAL FLORIDA HOSPITALS HAVE
SEEN AN INFLUX OF COVID
PATIENTS, DOCTOR LITTLETON
SAYS HE’S GETTING CALL AFTER
CALL FROM PATIENTS RIGHT NOW
WITH BOTH CORONAVIRUS CONCERNS
AND EVERYDAY HEALTH ISSUES.
>> I HAVE PATIENTS LOT WALL
RIGHT NOW. REALLY? I’M GETTING
CALLS EVERY DAY ABOUT PEOPLE
WHO MAY HAVE CORONAVIRUS
CONCERNS OR EVEN OTHER
CONCERNS. AND HERE’S THE THERE
ARE CORONAVIRUS CONCERNS. YOU
HAVE TO ADDRESS THIS
IMMEDIATELY. SOMETIMES WHAT
HAPPENS IS THAT BECAUSE PEOPLE
ARE SO CONCERNED ABOUT THE
VIRUS, UNFORTUNATELY, SOME OF
THEIR CHRONIC CONDITIONS,
THEY’RE NOT ADDRESSING RIGHT
AWAY. SO YOU ALWAYS HAVE ASK
PEOPLE, HOW ARE YOU DOING WITH
YOUR DIABETES? ARE YOU HAVING
OTHER ISSUES THAT YOU MAY HAVE
CONCERNS? WHAT YOU KNOW, WE
HAVE TO DEFINITELY ADDRESS THE
CORONAVIRUS, BUT WE CAN’T
NEGLECT SOME OF THE OTHER
THINGS LIKE CORONARY ARTERY
DIABETES. AND, YOU KNOW, I
JUST REMEMBER EARLY ON LAST
YEAR IN THE PANDEMIC WHERE A
LOT OF PEOPLE AT THAT POINT IN
TIME DID NOT WANT TO GO TO THE
HOSPITAL BECAUSE OF THE
CONCERN HERE GOING TO THE
HOSPITAL. THERE ARE A LOT OF
THINGS THAT WERE NEGLECTED.
>> DOCTOR LITTLETON, AS WELL
AS OTHER DOCTORS WE’VE SPOKEN
TO DURING THIS WHOLE PANDEMIC.
DO URGE YOU TO TAKE CARE OF
OTHER METAL MEDICAL CONCERNS
YOU HAVE AND NOT TO WAIT. THE
PROBLEM IS THE LONGER WE PUT
THINGS OFF, NOT ONLY CAN THEY
BECOME WORSE, BUT DOCTORS AND
HOSPITALS WILL STILL BE
INUNDATED WITH THE RUSSIANS
LATER IN MOST CASES YOU DO NOT
HAVE TO BE WORRIED IF YOU’RE