There's a critical shortage of primary care doctors across the country, and long wait times for appointments. In response, there are 12,000 "concierge" medical practices now operating in the U.S. that charge patients membership fees. But is this trend worsening the ongoing shortage of primary care doctors for everyone else?
Due to a primary care doctor shortage and long wait times, some doctors are adopting a concierge membership model, charging patients fees for quicker and longer appointments. This raises concerns about potentially worsening the shortage for those not in the membership system.
