Concierge healthcare, once a perk reserved only for the elite, has gone mainstream.

Private doctors’ offices are popping up, offering “on-demand” healthcare, longer appointment times, customizable wellness plans, and personalized recommendations for both medication and supplements.

If patients are frustrated with the healthcare system in the US, it should come as no surprise doctors and physicians are growing weary, too. Heavy patient loads and not enough time to truly investigate the root-cause has triggered an exodus of MDs from clinics and hospitals to start their own practices.

Sounds great, right? You can now see your doctor in a beautiful downtown office, where you’ll have ample time to really dig into your symptoms and clinical history. Not quite. Concierge healthcare doesn’t accept health insurance, and in order to make their practice viable (since they typically see ~5% of patients compared to a doctor in a conventional practice) there’s a yearly membership fee which, on average, is around $5,000.

HOW DOES THIS IMPACT YOU AS A HEALTH COACH?

In a number of ways, actually! Concierge healthcare is great for those of you interested in working within a practice. Most concierge doctors base their healing philosophy in the foundations of integrative and functional medicine, understand the true value of a Health Coach, and know the skills and expertise they can bring to their patients and practice.

ALREADY RUNNING A SUCCESSFUL COACHING PRACTICE? THERE’S GOOD NEWS FOR YOU, TOO!

Mindset around paying for health and wellness is shifting – for the better. Think about it – if people are willing to pay a membership fee for something they potentially get through their insurance, the idea of paying for other wellness practices – health coaching, acupuncture, massage – becomes normalized.

As a Health Coach, you have highly specialized skills to offer clients and you should charge accordingly.

SO, WHAT’S THE DOWNSIDE?

Could concierge healthcare damage the health coaching field? It’s unlikely there’ll be any negative consequences for Health Coaches, given the potential for new job opportunities and normalization of appointment fees.

That said, if functional medicine is becoming the new gold standard in healthcare and concierge practices continue to grow, it could create financial barriers for many seeking higher caliber healthcare.

CONCLUSION

Concierge healthcare has the potential to bring positive changes to the health coaching field. Given Health Coaches are already familiar with the process of charging for appointments and working outside the realms of insurance, health providers should look to them for best practice and recommendations.

Concierge healthcare has the potential to integrate disciplines, promoting collaboration between Health Coaches and physicians while creating allied health partners within the healthcare field.

Can you imagine a team of Health Coaches working at your primary care physician’s office? Perhaps you’re one of them? This is the future of healthcare.

What are your thoughts on concierge healthcare? Let us know in the comments.

Want to learn more about the job opportunities you have as a Health Coach? Head here 3 Tips For Becoming A Corporate Wellness Health Coach!