Concierge Medicine - The Luxury of Time and Access

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NCH Healthcare Groups

For more information about the author, click to view their website: NCH Concierge Medicine

Posted on

May 13, 2024

Book/Edition

Florida - Southwest

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Utilizing the services of an NCH concierge physician provides you with the luxuries of access and time. While all NCH physicians provide excellent medical care, concierge doctors are able to focus their services on a much smaller number of patients and take a deeper approach to their health.


Your concierge physician becomes, in effect, the quarterback of your healthcare team, and patients can reach the doctor on short notice in a way that is not possible in the traditional medical model. Concierge physicians offer their patients personalized care and direct access. In most cases patients are able to get in for an appointment the same day or next day. Additionally, if a patient has a healthcare issue or crisis, they have someone they can call. 


Patients who would like to see a concierge physician are charged an annual membership fee. This financial model allows the physician to focus their attention on a much smaller number of patients. Usually, the physician limits their patient load to about 300 patients per physician, versus 2,500 to 3,500 in traditional medicine.


The concierge model has proven popular in affluent Southwest Florida. Many NCH Concierge Medicine physicians have reached their practice’s maximum patient count and prospective members are added to a waitlist.


The newest addition to the Concierge Medicine team, Tameca Bakker, MD is currently accepting new patients. Tameca Bakker, MD also holds an MBA. Dr. Bakker works primarily at the Moorings Park Community location(s) in downtown Naples.


Dr. Bakker previously practiced as a hospitalist and is board-certified in internal medicine. She said she finds concierge medicine to be rewarding for the physician as well as the patient.


“The reason I went into concierge medicine was to have a better physician/patient relationship,” said Dr. Bakker. “Concierge medicine allows for ample time spent with patients to listen to their concerns, perform a thorough examination, diagnose and formulate and manage a plan of care with time for questions at the end of the visit. It’s a better way of practicing, taking medicine back to what it used to be. I give my personal cellphone to patients. I do courtesy hospital visits and even home visits – I take care of my patients. Even if you’re traveling, you can reach me from anywhere, and I can call a prescription in.”


As the “quarterback” of her patients’ medical team, Dr. Bakker coordinates with specialists including cardiology, neurology, gastroenterology and others, and sets up labs, imaging, and ancillary care as needed. And like all NCH concierge physicians, she has additional concierge doctors backing her up as part of the team, so her patients always have a doctor to connect with.


NCH concierge physicians emphasize preventative care with nutrition and fitness counseling, treating the whole person rather than just a particular symptom or illness.


“I take a holistic approach, treating the patient as a whole; incorporating mind, body and soul as I care for my patients,” said Dr. Bakker.


Participation in NCH concierge medicine includes complimentary and discounted membership in the NCH Wellness Center, and personalized coordination of care for patients in NCH hospitals. Patients at the three Moorings Park locations also enjoy access to the spa and the gym at Moorings Park, plus the services of their personal trainers and physical therapists.


“Sickness doesn’t happen on a 9 to 5 basis,” said Dr. Bakker. “Having the peace of mind that they can connect to their doctor at any time is very reassuring to patients.”


To learn more about the program, and schedule a meeting with Dr. Bakker, call NCH Concierge Medicine at 239-624-1120



Tameca Bakker, MD

NCH Medical Group | 132 Moorings Park Drive, Naples, FL 34105

239.624.1120

https://nchmd.org/services/concierge-medicine/

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