Thought I'd follow up. Parents went ahead with this. It cost $1000 (I don't recall whether she said that was what they paid total for both of them, or per person.) That essentially buys them access to "the club". They get this guy's personal cell phone and can call 24/7 (though of course he encourages them wait for regular business hours to call about a suspicious mole, and only use that phone after hours in case of emergency).
Appointments are super easy to get. My mom was especially pleased that after their initial appointment, the doctor called in some refills for my dad and it was fast, and easy. This was a major complaint with their old doc. For refills, you had to call a specific # and, IIRC, leave a message. Then wait. Maybe the called it in, and maybe they didn't. if they didn't, you just had to repeat the process. If you called the regular office # about it, you were directed to the prescription #, even if you'd tried that and nothing had happened. Also, their doctors were constantly leaving, and this person seems more likely to stick around since he has his own business and client list.
He did not order any additional tests, other than the typical things one would get at an annual appointment. Dad is on the brink of needing a new knee, especially because he refuses to give up his 2x/wk tennis games, and he said the doctor definitely didn't push knee replacement. I can't see how the doc makes money on any kind of test or procedure that isn't done by him directly, so it seems that won't be much of an issue. My parents definitely are NOT the type to want more tests, so he isn't going to feel pressure from them to do things he feels aren't necessary.
The doc as a limited # of patients he will take on. For actual treatment, he bills insurance (which my parents have, x2. Retired military insurance, plus Medicare, and they may have Medicare supplemental stuff as well?). So basically, it is a fee to become a patient of a doctor that isn't overloaded and that values customer service and has a staff trained to work hard to serve patients in a timely and effective manner. One who isn't going to make them wait an hour past their appointment time, and who will actually return phone calls and not rush them through appointments because he's only scheduled 15 minutes per patient. Came highly recommended from several of their friends, including one who is a retired MD. In good standing with medical board.
I don't know all the details, but that's what I learned.
All in all, they are thrilled and (though?) it has only been about a month. It seems like they were careful in their selection and consider it money well spent, and I'm inclined to agree (in their case, as people in their late 70s who, while fairly healthy, do have their share of conditions, aches, and prescriptions).
