Direct Primary Care and concierge medicine are reshaping how physicians deliver care — offering smaller patient panels, deeper patient relationships and freedom from some of the biggest frustrations of traditional practice. For licensed physicians ready for a change, retraining in primary care opens the door to these different models.
Primary care in the U.S. is at a crossroads. Traditional fee-for-service medicine — what most of us think of as “regular” primary care — remains the dominant model. But for many licensed physicians, the realities of this system have become increasingly challenging: overwhelming administrative tasks, constant battles with insurance companies and relentless pressure to see more patients in less time. These are just some of the problems contributing to physician burnout and, thus, the growing physician shortage in the United States.
Two alternative models, Direct Primary Care (DPC) and concierge medicine, have emerged as attractive options for physicians who want to continue practicing primary care differently.
For licensed physicians who may be looking to return to practice, extend their careers or simply change how they deliver care, retraining as a primary care doctor through Physician Retraining & Reentry (PRR) opens the door to these newer practice options.
Traditional Primary Care
Traditional primary care typically operates within the insurance-based, fee-for-service system. Physicians are reimbursed for each visit, procedure or test. Generally, the primary care physician experience in the traditional primary care model includes:
- Large patient panels (often 2,000+ patients)
- Shorter clinical visits — often less than 15 minutes
- High administrative burden (insurance paperwork, coding, prior authorizations)
- Revenue dependent on insurance reimbursement rates and claim approvals
While this model ensures broad access, many physicians find the pace exhausting and the non-clinical workload overwhelming — key drivers of physician burnout and the primary care physician shortage.
Concierge Medicine
In the concierge primary care model, patients pay an annual retainer fee (often several thousand dollars) for enhanced access and services. Physicians still bill insurance for covered visits and procedures. In the concierge model, primary care physicians have:
- Smaller patient panels (typically 600–800)
- Longer, more personalized clinical visits
- Revenue from both the annual fee and insurance reimbursements
- Insurance-related administrative requirements
Concierge medicine offers more time with patients and better compensation, but it often caters to a more affluent patient base, and insurance interactions remain part of the daily reality.
Direct Primary Care
Patients pay a monthly or annual membership fee that covers all or most primary care services in the DPC model. DPC practices generally do not bill insurance, freeing physicians from insurance-related administrative work. Primary care physicians who work in DPC typically realize:
- Very small patient panels (possibly 300–600)
- Extended appointment times — often 30–60 minutes
- No insurance billing, prior authorizations or coding requirements
- Predictable income through membership fees
Primary care physicians choose DPC for greater control over patient care and practice operations, as well as benefits like reduced burnout and flexible scheduling allowing for better work-life balance. Importantly, primary care physicians say that the improved patient ability to focus on prevention, chronic care and whole-person medicine leads to better health outcomes.
Why This Matters for Licensed Physicians Considering a Career Shift
For physicians who still have the passion for patient care but want to step away from the high-volume, insurance-driven treadmill, both concierge medicine and DPC offer appealing alternatives.
But here’s the key: to enter these models as a primary care physician, you need to be trained and ready to deliver comprehensive primary care.
That’s where PRR comes in. PRR is an accredited, flexible online program designed for licensed physicians — regardless of specialty — who want to transition into primary care. Whether you’ve been practicing in another specialty, have taken a career break or are looking to shift practice models, PRR equips you with the skills and confidence to step into a variety of primary care models in settings that include clinics, telehealth and private practice.
If you’re ready to keep practicing medicine, or return after time away, in a manner that works better for you and your patients — explore how PRR can prepare you for a new chapter in primary care.
To learn more about PRR, call us at 858-240-4878 or fill out the form below: