Over the past five years, patients have increasingly adopted concierge medicine as a wellness model. This shift, which has seen concierge medicine transition from a niche service to a mainstream healthcare option, reflects the public’s growing desire for more personalized and accessible healthcare services: Concierge medicine offers benefits such as direct access to physicians, extended appointment times, and comprehensive care plans, which have become more appealing amid rising dissatisfaction with traditional healthcare models. Proof of the concierge model’s success lies in the 6 million Americans now receiving concierge medical services, and the continued growth of concierge patient panels.
Konk is a telemedicine platform dedicated to the diagnosis and care of patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA). In a healthcare ecosystem in which concierge care is of increasing importance and prominence, Konk seeks to provide the key healthcare delivery features that concierge patients and practices value most. Below are the five features of a successful concierge model, with examples of how Konk strives for their delivery:
Direct Access to Physicians
Concierge patients value easy access to their physicians, time-efficient exchanges, and little to no wait times. For patients seeking diagnostic evaluation of OSA, Konk offers 24/7 availability to its physician panel by offering “asynchronous” virtual care: the patient and the physician are not required to be in the same place at the same time, or even connected on the same video feed. Konk patients can provide a detailed medical history, with a focus on sleep-related symptoms and illnesses, within Konk’s Digital Clinical Interview – where the information is gathered and then forwarded to a physician licensed in the patient’s state. Konk patients can initiate the journey to OSA diagnosis at any time of day and any day of the week – and Konk physicians pledge to review patient records, confirm diagnoses, and issue appropriate prescriptions within two business days. Compare this to the typical sleep medicine practice, where this journey occurs over 3-6 months.
Care Coordination
Concierge patients desire streamlined referrals, assistance in navigating specialty care, and post-therapy support of chronic conditions. On behalf of the patient, Konk recruits an internal medicine physician, who follows strict diagnostic criteria in the assessment of the patient’s sleep apnea presentation. Konk also takes over the procurement and delivery of the patient’s sleep apnea device, with no need for insurance approvals or prior authorizations. In addition, Konk arranges for a licensed Respiratory Therapist to provide a private 45-minute video teleconference to the patient soon after the device arrives, and at the patient’s convenience, so that the patient is completely comfortable with effective device usage – a step that is often omitted in traditional healthcare models. Finally, Konk provides AI-monitoring of the patients’ device usage for 90 nights, with alerts going out immediately to our Respiratory Therapist team so that they may address all concerns in real time – with the option of extended support plans offered to the patients at their request. In traditional healthcare models, these steps often delay care and frustrate patients as they endure administrative delays and inadequate support.
Convenience and Comfort
Concierge patients seek extended office hours and home visits, minimal bureaucracy, and a non-clinical office environment. Konk’s virtual office is open every minute of every day, and can be accessed from your home or your office – or, for that matter, the beach, a coffee shop, and the sidelines of your child’s soccer game. Konk also eliminates all administrative burden: there is no paperwork for the patient, there is no paperwork for the physician, and fulfillment orders feature all the ease of an Amazon checkout.
Technology Integration
Concierge patients want access to telemedicine and personalized health tracking. Konk offers asynchronous virtual care at the diagnostic stage, where information is stored by the patient and forwarded to the physician, and synchronous virtual care (in the form of video conferences and telephone calls) for at least 90 days after the patient’s sleep therapy arrives. Cloud-based AI-monitoring of the patient’s device usage provides personalized tracking of the patient’s therapeutic response and usage, and is forwarded to a live therapist when intervention is required.
Transparent Pricing
Concierge patients are generally willing to pay out of pocket – but the last thing they want to see is a surprise bill. Konk offers cost certainty through a single financial bundle – a curated package of all the equipment and support services you need within one cost that is upfront and clearly delineated. Konk patients can also purchase their suggested quarterly resupplies through the platform – with a single upfront cost and the option for discounts for those who prefer automatic renewals.
Sleep apnea care that abides the values of the concierge model is available through Konk Sleep. Concierge patients who are suspected of having OSA can start a Digital Clinical Interview, and restore their sleep health with the personalized attention they deserve at Konksleep.com.