Dr. Michelle Becker

My “Concierge Medicine” Philosophy

Prior to my opening my own concierge medical practice, I worked for almost four years as an employed concierge doctor. This means that I worked in the role of a concierge doctor for a company owned by someone else. In the beginning, I enjoyed the benefits of my being able to spend much more time with each of my patients, as compared to my previous physician roles as a paid employee in a traditional insurance-based large group and in hospital practices, where I would see up to 30 patients per day.  Despite the luxury of being able to spend some extra time with my patients as an employed concierge physician, I was still very much working for a company – one that I did not own. I learned very quickly that “my” practice was still not *really* my own, and I was truly still just another paid employee under the thumb and direct instructions of a company.

My “Concierge Medicine” Philosophy of Care

Diamond Cove Concierge Medicine was created to provide high quality medical care in a comfortable and comforting setting, where modern, evidence-based medicine and technology meet a back-to-the basics “mom and pop” private practice, where Dr. Becker has learned that the key to providing the ultimate in primary care resides in having enough time to get to know her patients in great depth, enough time to obtain a meticulous and comprehensive history and perform a detailed physical exam, with enough time to coordinate care and serve as her patients’ foremost advocate in all situations of medical care and wellness. By accepting a limited number of patients, Dr. Becker is able to spend as much time as necessary with each and every one, which affords Dr. Becker the time to provide extremely personalized, patient-centered preventative medicine. Dr. Becker treats acute and chronic conditions and people of all ages throughout their lives–from childhood to young adulthood through and including the senior years.

Limited Practice Size = More Time with Patients

Many full-time, traditional primary care physicians who accept insurance will care for a panel consisting of 3,000-5,000 patients, which is why they are only able to spend maybe 5 to 10 minutes at the most with each patient. Some will see 30-35 patients every day. Typically, they have quotas to meet and the more patients they see, the more money they make. They are usually incentivized to see as many patients as possible and are financially penalized for seeing less patients per day than the companies want them to see. They are often double-booked, extremely stressed, and always rushed.

While full-time employed concierge physicians may not be as pushed to the limit as the traditional primary care physician, they are still paid employees with a similar pay structure, typically earning a baseline salary, rewarded with bonuses based on productivity, encouraging them to see as many patients as possible. They have huge overhead, dozens of corporate employees, management and administrators to pay, so they will need to have as large a patient panel as possible in order to succeed. They will often have a panel of 300, 400 or even 500 patients.

At Diamond Cove Concierge Medicine, we limit our patient panel to 150 patients, which allows Dr. Becker to spend up to 2 hours for an initial visit, annual history & physical, and at least 30 minutes for an acute illness visit or chronic care follow-up, although she will schedule whatever amount of time is necessary for each patient on an individual basis. We believe that we have an obligation to spend as much time as is necessary to fully invest in your personal wellness, manage your medical issues and concerns, and address any and all health issues and questions you might have.

24/7 Access to Your Physician

Dr. Becker is available to her patients 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for urgent issues and emergencies. Nonurgent and routine issues are addressed with medical care provided during regularly scheduled office hours. Acute routine illnesses and “sick visits” are treated with either same day or next day appointments in the office. Dr. Becker’s patients are provided with her personal cell phone number and email address, as well as the email addresses of the practice manager and nurse.

Preventive Care

We at Diamond Cove Concierge Medicine firmly believe in the power of prevention as per the proverb, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Through personalized lifestyle interventions as well as evidence-based screening tests, Dr. Becker can help keep you healthy. As your primary care provider, Dr. Becker will get to know you extremely well, first by conducting a thorough health history and extensive physical examination, including an electrocardiogram (ECG), towards identifying potential health risks based on her findings, previous illnesses, and/or family history.

Coordinated Care

As your medical advocate, Dr. Becker will coordinate all of your healthcare needs, including lab tests, diagnostic imaging, specialist care, and hospitalizations. You can rely on Dr. Becker for the information you need in order to make decisions about your healthcare. Dr. Becker is happy to help each one of her patients learn as much as they would like about their medical issues and enjoys promoting patient education as a fundamental part of motivating patients towards attaining their best health.

Complimentary 60-minute Introductory Meeting

We offer an initial meet-and-greet, at no cost or obligation, so that you can meet Dr. Becker and our staff, share what you’re looking for in a concierge practice, learn in greater detail about Dr. Becker’s philosophy of care, and ask any questions that you might have.

At Diamond Cove Concierge Medicine, we want you to be sure that our practice is right for you. We appreciate your sharing what you are seeking in a concierge physician, and our sharing with you the principles that guide Dr. Becker in her practice of medicine. We want you to have every confidence that the membership fee you pay is worth what you will get in return. Please take a few moments to read our philosophy of care so you can learn about what we are and what we offer.

Thank you for reading. Below are some final facts about Dr. Becker and her concierge medical practice.

• Through reading medical journals, attending continuing medical education conferences, and consulting specialists, Dr. Becker strives to stay abreast of the latest advances in medicine and to evaluate those advances critically. Sometimes the “latest and greatest” in medicine turn out not to be so great over time.
• Dr. Becker appreciates that medical studies, no matter how extensive, well planned and well-performed, did not involve you. Sometimes the medical guidelines may not apply to your specific and unique medical situation or philosophy of healthcare.
• Dr. Becker believes that her role as your concierge primary care physician is not only to be an expert in preventive medicine, a premier diagnostician, and expert in the treatment of disease, but also to know the unique personality and circumstances of each patient. Having medical knowledge is only part of being a great physician. Knowing how to apply that medical knowledge on behalf of a specific patient is at least equally as important.
• Dr. Becker strives to handle as many of your healthcare needs as possible and to minimize referrals. By spending time with you, she can often reveal the diagnosis and treatment faster while preventing unnecessary testing and referrals, although she also knows her limits and knowing when to consult specialists is actually a respectable and very important skill.
• Dr. Becker believes that less is often more in diagnosis and treatment. She will begin with obtaining a careful history and detailed physical exam and will order tests judiciously. She appreciates that tests can have risks, can cause anxiety, and can lead to false positive or false negative results, although certain health screening and health maintenance tests are recommended, which she discusses with her patients as well.
• Dr. Becker appreciates the risks, potential side effects, and costs of medications. For certain medical issues and diseases, lifestyle interventions are almost always preferred as a trial before she decides to prescribe medication, if appropriate. Dr. Becker is also receptive to discussing “natural” treatments, although just because something is “natural”, doesn’t mean they don’t have risks and potential for side effects and interaction with other drugs and/or supplements.
• Dr. Becker learned long ago that patients usually know their body best and that illness can present in atypical and even in unusual ways. When a patient expresses a concern, no matter what it is, Dr. Becker respects their concern, takes it seriously, and approaches it nonjudgmentally, and with an open mind.
• Dr. Becker believes that you should be notified of all test results, even when normal. She does not subscribe to the “no news is good news” approach.
• Except in the case of a clear-cut medical emergency, Dr. Becker wants to be the first person that you call, and ALWAYS wants to be informed of all that is going on regarding your health, including when specialists are involved.
• Dr. Becker knows that the healthcare system, in all its complexity, bureaucracy, and compartmentalization, can often inflict just as much, if not more, suffering than your actual illness; therefore, Dr. Becker believes that sometimes the most important thing that she can do for you is to be your main advocate.
• As she learned from her mentor so long ago, Dr. Becker views herself as an educator and advisor. In sickness and in health, her role is to present and explain to you the available options, the pros and cons of each, and a recommendation about which option she believes is best for you personally with the explanation of why. Dr. Becker believes that there are often many right ways to approach an issue, and as long as you are well informed, understand your options and the potential risks and benefits of each, she will fully respect your decision, even if it is different than what she recommends.

Thank you for reading.

If you have specific questions, please contact our office.

As well, you are welcome to schedule an in-person complimentary “Meet & Greet” with Dr. Becker.