Understanding the Patient Experience: Comparing Time Spent with Physicians in Direct Primary Care and Concierge Medicine

Before we compare Direct Primary Care (DPC) and Concierge Medicine (CM), it is important to know the limits of regular primary care. Data from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) shows that the average primary care visit lasts about 18 minutes. This short time is often not enough when patients have serious or many health problems that require more talk or tests.
A study from the University of Chicago found that doctors would need over 24 hours a day to fully follow all national guidelines for preventive, chronic, and acute care. Many primary care doctors have thousands of patients. This large number limits the time they can spend with each patient. Because of this, visits can feel rushed, patients might be less happy, and doctors can become more stressed.

Direct Primary Care: Membership Model with Extended Visits

Direct Primary Care (DPC) is a membership model where patients pay a monthly, quarterly, or yearly fee straight to their primary doctor. This skips traditional insurance billing. DPC doctors save time by avoiding insurance paperwork. Because of this, they can spend more time with each patient.
Many DPC visits last from 30 to 90 minutes, which is much longer than typical primary care visits. Longer visits help doctors check patients more carefully, talk about health concerns in detail, and make personalized care plans. For example, Starlight Health says DPC doctors spend more time with patients to better manage chronic diseases and preventive care.
Patients usually pay between $30 and $300 monthly. This price can be attractive to younger and middle-income families or individuals who want regular and quick access to care without dealing with insurance claims. Patients also enjoy flexible cancellation rules, same-day or next-day appointments, and communication through phone, text, or video.
DPC does not require doctors to bill insurance, so there are no co-pays or surprise bills for covered services. However, patients often still keep regular insurance for hospitals and specialist visits outside of primary care.

Concierge Medicine: Premium Access and Comprehensive Services

Concierge Medicine works on a high-end membership model with yearly fees from $1,200 to over $10,000. Unlike DPC, concierge doctors usually bill insurance for office visits along with charging membership fees. This gives doctors two income sources.
This model focuses on personalized care with smaller patient groups of about 400 to 600 patients. Doctors can spend a lot of time developing strong relationships. Appointments range from 30 to 60 minutes, with 14% lasting 60 to 90 minutes. Patients get more time than in regular primary care visits.
Patients in concierge care can reach their doctor anytime by phone, text, email, or online. Same-day or next-day visits are standard. This care often includes extra services like health screenings, lifestyle coaching, and chronic disease management.
For example, Pulse & Remedy Concierge Medicine offers in-home lab visits, telemedicine, and VIP emergency access. Concierge doctors also help with seeing top specialists faster, which is helpful for patients with complex illnesses.
This model mainly suits wealthy patients who want convenience, quick doctor access, and full care coordination. But the high fees and insurance billing might make this care harder to afford for middle- and low-income patients.

Comparing Physician Time and Patient Panels

• Patient Panel Size: Concierge medicine usually has smaller groups of 400 to 600 patients. This helps doctors give close and personal care. DPC groups are bigger, sometimes over 2,500 patients, but visits are longer. Regular primary care doctors have much larger groups, so they spend less time per visit.
• Appointment Duration: Both DPC and concierge doctors spend much more time with patients than regular doctors. Visits last about 30 to 60 minutes, with concierge sometimes over an hour. Longer visits allow better exams, personalized plans, and good preventive care.
  Regular primary care visits last about 8 to 18 minutes, which often limits how much doctor and patient can talk and might leave some health needs unmet.

Accessibility and Patient Interaction in Both Models

• Direct Primary Care: Patients get same-day or next-day appointments during regular hours. They can contact doctors by calls, texts, or video visits. This model cuts down on paperwork for patients and doctors. It makes healthcare easier and quicker, especially for routine and chronic care.
• Concierge Medicine: Patients have 24/7 access to doctors through many ways like phone, text, email, and online. This gives quick help for urgent problems. Concierge doctors may also do house calls or urgent care after hours.
  Both models build stronger doctor–patient relationships. This helps build trust and keeps patients involved. This is important for prevention and managing long-term illnesses.

Financial Considerations and Patient Suitability

• Direct Primary Care: Monthly fees range from $30 to $300. DPC makes primary care affordable and costs are clear. It fits younger and middle-income people or families who want care often with longer visits without insurance for primary care. Most patients keep insurance for emergencies and specialists.
• Concierge Medicine: Fees are higher—from $1,200 to over $10,000 yearly. This covers extra services and 24/7 doctor access. Concierge care suits wealthy patients or those with many health issues who want quick access and full care coordination. Memberships usually last a year with no midyear cancellation, which may limit changes.
• Health Reimbursement Arrangements (HRAs) can help pay some out-of-pocket costs for both DPC and Concierge Medicine fees. These include plans like QSEHRA, ICHRA, or GCHRA that employers offer to support health benefits while controlling costs.

AI and Workflow Automation: Enhancing Efficiency in Patient-Centered Care

In today’s world, healthcare needs to be fast and patient-focused. Technology is important. Both Direct Primary Care and Concierge Medicine benefit from AI-powered office automation and better workflows.
For practice managers and IT staff, AI tools help with scheduling, patient communication, and office work. Simbo AI is a company that uses AI for front-office phone automation and answering services. This type of technology lowers work for staff and doctors.
AI can handle phone calls, book appointments, and answer common patient questions. This lets staff focus on medical work and improves patient access and satisfaction. This helps concierge care where patients want quick answers and DPC that values easy communication.
Automation also helps doctors by sending reminders to reduce no-shows, quickly sorting patient calls, and arranging telehealth visits. Using AI well can let doctors spend more time with patients during visits because less time is spent on office duties.
AI analytics also help track how often patients come in, find gaps in preventive care, and manage chronic diseases better. IT staff must balance data security and connect new tools with existing electronic health records (EHR).

Summary

Both Direct Primary Care and Concierge Medicine change how patients get care in the U.S. They fix problems with time limits and access in regular primary care. The time spent with doctors increases from about 18 minutes to 30, 60, or even 90 minutes. This lets doctors give better, more personal care and improves patient health.
DPC is affordable and easy to access, fitting many patient groups. Concierge medicine offers higher-end services and 24/7 doctor access for those who can pay more and want full care coordination.
Technology like AI and automation tools from companies such as Simbo AI help these models run smoothly. They improve office work and make communication better between patients and doctors. Practice owners, managers, and IT staff need to use these tools to keep care efficient while meeting patient needs in modern primary care.
Knowing how doctors spend time and interact with patients gives healthcare leaders important information to design practices that serve their patients well and keep the practice stable.