What Does a Concierge Doctor Actually Do?

May 19, 2026

A female healthcare professional smiles while using a stethoscope to listen to the chest of an older woman in a medical office, demonstrating the personalized care often provided by a concierge doctor. What is a Concierge Doctor?.

What Does a Concierge Doctor Actually Do?

Topic

Concierge Medicine

There’s nothing worse than feeling ignored, especially when it comes to your health. Yet in the current medical system, that’s often what happens. Many people bounce around from specialist to specialist. One healthcare provider tells them to take a certain medication, another diagnoses it as a different condition than the first while a third specialist says it’s just “in their head.” If your healthcare experience feels fragmented or like you’re not getting to the root cause, you may benefit from seeing a concierge doctor. But what is a concierge doctor, exactly?

Concierge medicine is a healthcare model where a physician sees fewer patients. Because of this limited patient roster, concierge doctors can provide more comprehensive appointments, same-day care, quicker access to healthcare expertise, and preventive care services.

If we go back to the example above where a patient sees multiple providers, all of whom offer different diagnoses and treatments, this concierge model could finally connect the dots. “What really is happening is that no one has the time to put all the pieces together in order to figure out what’s actually going on,” says Jay Luthar, MD, DipABLM, concierge doctor in Boston, founder of Lutanen Health, and faculty at Harvard Medical School, “The concierge model does just that, and it gets to the root of an issue.”

What is a concierge doctor?

A concierge doctor is a trained medical professional, usually in internal medicine or primary care medicine, who provides individualized care to a select number of patients. Because they work with fewer patients, they can be proactive instead of reactive, often catching cancers, heart disease, and other health issues earlier than other healthcare providers. 

This model originated in the 1990s and has since grown in popularity, because it boasts high patient and doctor satisfaction rates and is associated with improved health outcomes. 

Who is concierge medicine for? 

There’s no minimum level of health or sickness someone needs to see a concierge doctor. Plus, this healthcare model is suitable at any stage of their life, from people in their 20s just starting their careers to those wanting to increase their healthspan as they enter retirement.

That said, there are some signs you might really click with the concierge model:

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You want to increase your healthspan (aka the years you live in good health)
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You have mysterious symptoms that aren’t getting the attention they deserve
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You have a diagnosed chronic condition that could be managed better
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You are actively working to feel better, more energized, and vital

Benefits of visiting a concierge doctor

Raise your hand if you ever felt a bit off or had a mystery symptom that made you anxious (my hand is up!). When mystery symptoms pop-up, a concierge doctor can take the time to truly dissect it and help you figure out what’s a normal part of living and what is an underlying medical problem. 

The comprehensive look at symptoms leads to more targeted treatment options that someone might otherwise receive. Dr. Luthar has a patient, for example, who came to him fatigued and with persistent digestive complaints. Before working with him, she had tried everything from prescriptions to detoxes and just felt worse and worse. 

Dr. Luthar completed a deep dive into her medical history and lifestyle. Turns out, she was deficient in iron and B12, due to an imbalance in her microbiome, which was simple enough to correct. After the nutrition adjustments, her energy returned and she got back to living life again.

Along with testing, he also provided education on overall nutrition,and the education component is an often overlooked perk of concierge medicine. “Patients crave education about their own bodies and health, and that makes them feel more comfortable in their own bodies.,” says Dr. Luthar. 

The main limitation of concierge medicine 

Like any healthcare structure, concierge medicine does have one weakness: there aren’t standardized credentials for concierge doctors. These professions do need a MD or DO behind their names, which indicates someone attended a med school program, but there aren’t other concierge-specific credentials. 

Fortunately, you can assess a concierge doctor’s approach by related board certifications, such as a Internal Medicine speciality, Diplomate of the American Board of Lifestyle Medicine or DipABLM, for short, or via their experience in longevity-focused primary care and preventive care. You might also look for concierge doctors with faculty standing at academic medical centers.

Traditional primary care vs concierge care

In theory, primary care providers (PCPs) are the go-to person to provide initial diagnoses, coordinate care with specialists, and act as longitudinal guides for a patient’s health. In practice, a primary care doctor is responsible for 2,500 patients on average. I’m not great at math, but even I know that’s probably a few too many patients to provide all those services to.

Dr. Luthar lived that challenge for years before switching to concierge medicine. Reflecting on the traditional PCP model, he said that most appointments focus on patients who are sick, and even then there’s a long wait time (both in office and to get an appointment in the first place). “In the standard model, there’s a lot of friction in actually getting the care that you need,” he says.

Plus, more and more research supports individualized and preventive care, yet the traditional care structure doesn’t have the capabilities of providing it. 

That’s where concierge medicine comes in. Concierge doctors see fewer patients, can offer more attention and personalized recommendations. They provide care that helps a patient feel healthier, not just less sick. 

Traditional Primary Care Concierge Care
Patients per doctor 2,500 on average 300–600 on average, but at Lutanen Health, fewer than 150
Wait time (in office) Can be more than an hour Ranges from zero to thirty minutes (Zero at Lutanen Health)
Wait time (to book an appointment) Weeks or months Hours or days
Communication style in appointments Short, time-sensitive Thorough with fewer time constraints
Communication between appointments Patients often end up communicating with nurses and administrative staff. Patients typically talk to a physician when they reach out.
Insurance coverage Most services covered if a patient has health insurance Same services covered, though the annual membership fee is not covered
Time with doctor Typically less than 30 minutes Over an hour on average
Specialist referrals Common, though PCPs don’t always have the time to think through the best referrals or coordinate care When necessary and thoughtfully made with careful coordination
Care model Quick and reactive Comprehensive and preventive

How a concierge doctor appointment works

In concierge medicine, the first appointment probably looks different than any you’ve had before. When a new patient visits Lutanen Health, their doctor blocks off two hours. They sit down and really understand the patient’s medical history and look at all aspects of well-being: mind, body, social health, environment, and more.

Lutanen Health also runs comprehensive tests, including bloodwork that looks for specific biomarkers, on top of the routine tests. They assess a patient’s VO2 Max, grip strength, cognitive health, genetics, and more.

Together, this intake process provides a big picture look at your health and increases the likelihood of picking up on risk factors for conditions like heart attacks, strokes, and dementia.

Plus, this process is all customized to the patient and what they need. “We take the latest advances in medical science merged with traditional healing wisdom, and individualize it to the patient based on their preferences, and what we think is going to be most impactful for their health and wellbeing,” explains Dr. Luthar.

From there, patients can schedule quarterly check-in appointments (this could be more often if desired). Patients can also call a concierge doctor between these check-ins, and most concierge doctors offer same- or next-day appointments for anything ranging from treating pneumonia to removing stitches, asking about if there’s any truth behind a new health trend, and, of course, navigating the difficulties of life transitions and new diagnoses.

Concierge doctor cost and insurance coverage

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What isn’t covered by insurance: Concierge doctors typically charge an annual membership fee. According to Mass General Hospital, that fee typically hovers around $10,000 a year. This fee is not covered by Medicare, Medicaid, or most private insurance companies. 
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What is covered: All services that would be covered at any other providers, such as medication management, medically necessary surgeries, routine vaccines, and more. 

What the concierge medicine cost doesn’t capture is how much money the model might save in other healthcare costs. “For some patients, we’ve saved them more than our membership fee by advocating for medications and treatments with their insurance,” says Dr. Luthar, “We actively help all patients get the most from their insurance as possible, whether it’s writing prior authorizations or doing peer to peer advocacy.”

And for a true cost-benefit analysis, we have to stack these savings against the cost of being sick (spoiler alert: the latter is expensive). Each month that conditions go undiagnosed is another month of hidden costs, whether that’s money spent on supplements that aren’t what you need, the productivity drag caused by symptoms, social events you had to miss, or the credit card charges for that new health product you saw on social media that may (but probably doesn’t) work. 

The Pros and Cons of Seeing a Concierge Doctor

When making a major decision, I’m a big fan of writing a pros and cons list. The one below may help you decide if seeing a concierge doctor is the right choice for you. 

Advantages of Concierge Medicine Programs

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Smaller patient-to-doctor ratios: Concierge doctors care for 300-600 patients on average (and some, like Lutanen Health, have an even smaller number). Primary care providers see 2,500 patients on average. That difference has a ripple effect on quality of care, access to your doctor, and more.
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Shorter wait times: In one study, patients saw a concierge doctor 30 minutes faster on average than a traditional PCP. 
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More time with your doctor: Plus, patients in that same study spent 30 minutes more per appointment with a concierge doctor than with a PCP.
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Integration of many healthcare approaches: Thanks to a smaller patient load, concierge doctors can pull from more healthcare approaches and apply evidence-based practices, customized to the individual. At Lutanen Health, for example, providers combine integrative health approaches, longevity science, nutritional optimization, mind and body medicine, and lifestyle medicine.
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Get to the root cause faster: The concierge model is designed for thorough diagnoses, customized treatment plans, and personalized care. “We’re not just trying to put a band aid on symptoms,” says Dr. Luthar, “We’re getting into their root cause.”
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Coordinated care: Concierge doctors have the time to make sure the different pieces connect if you need to see specialists. This improves care outcomesand removes stress from your plate, because none of us really want to spend time navigating a confusing healthcare system.

Limitations of Concierge Doctors

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Costs not covered by insurance: A big limitation of concierge medicine is that the annual membership fee. It is not covered by insurance providers. The ROI on that cost, of course, is worth it for many patients. Plus, some healthcare systems, such as St. Thomas in New Orleans, are finding ways to bring this care to more patients, including those on Medicaid.
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Varying levels of experience: Not all concierge doctors are equal. Ideally, you want to work with one who is an expert at their approach, which might be demonstrated by medical papers they have co-authored, symposiums they designed or spoke at, and industry awards they have won. 
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A wide range of patient-to-doctor ratios: While most concierge doctors see fewer patients than PCPs, there isn’t a set ratio for all concierge practices. When possible, see a concierge doctor with a smaller ratio.

How to find a concierge doctor

Where can you find this doctor in the first place? Try:

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Asking for a referral: A specialist you already see or a loved one might have a concierge doctor that they would recommend. 
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Looking local: Alternatively, you could ask a hospital or healthcare system near you, such as Mass General Brigham if you’re in the Boston area.
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Searching online: Most healthcare searches these days start on the internet, and that may include for a concierge doctor.

Concierge medicine is an investment, so it’s worth taking the time to make sure you’re working with the right doctor. Before choosing, get on the phone or visit the practice to make sure you’re comfortable with their approach and can envision a long partnership with them.

Is working with a concierge doctor actually worth it?

For many patients, concierge doctors are worth it because they provide preventive care instead of reactive care. That means your healthspan may increase, you can feel more comfortable in your body, and any chronic illnesses, cancers, and other health concerns may be caught earlier. 

Dr. Luthar, for example, had a patient who had been bouncing around between specialists, with limited primary care involvement. As soon as he began working with Lutanen Health, Dr. Luthar looked at his family history, bloodwork, current lifestyle, and more. He then recommended a colonoscopy, something that a PCP wouldn’t recommend based on the patient’s age. 

Turns out, he had stage one colon cancer, and Lutanen Health referred him to a colorectal surgeon. “Otherwise, that would have been missed for a while,” says Dr. Luthar, “Concierge doctors have more time to catch things that could be life threatening.”

Key takeaways

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A concierge doctor sees a small number of patients, allowing them to provide more comprehensive primary care. They also advocate for patients, whether that’s with insurance companies, relevant clinical trials, or local specialists.
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Because concierge medicine is more personalized and thorough, patients often feel more comfortable with their health, report having more energy than before, and may even receive interventions at earlier stages of diseases like cancer or heart disease.
A dark green diamond shape inside a white square with rounded corners, outlined by a dark green border—reflecting the trusted care of Boston Concierge Primary Care and Dr. Jay Luthar.
While concierge medicine is a great model, do your research to select the right practice for you. For many people in the Boston area, Lutanen Health fits the bill because of the low patient-to-doctor ratio, longevity-focused care, and experienced concierge doctors. 

Med Reviewer: Jay Luthar, MD, DipABLM

About the Author:

Angela Myers is a healthcare journalist who has covered longevity and preventive healthcare for outlets like Forbes, AARP, and Physician’s Weekly, among others. Before her writing career, she worked as a public health communication researcher. That experience ignited a passion for making healthcare content engaging and accessible.

Angela Myers

Angela Myers

May 19, 2026

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