why and how should i choose a concierge doctor?

The Morse Stevens Group at Morgan Stanley Smith Barney
Andrew D. Morse, Senior Vice President
Keith C. Stevens, Senior Vice President
To learn more about concierge medicine and other solutions
for managing your wealth and lifestyle, please contact us
at 610.260.7052.
– Andrew D. Morse
and Keith C. Stevens
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If you have an urgent legal or financial
question and need an immediate answer, you contact your lawyer or advisor and get it. Now imagine receiving
that kind of immediate, personalized service 24/7/365 from a doctor. You have
just imagined a concierge physician.
For our high net worth clients,
whose business schedules are beyond
demanding, the immediacy and accessibility of concierge medicine has immense appeal.
Concierge medicine is also known
by other names such as “boutique
medicine,” “retainer-based medicine”
or “highly attentive medicine,” which
is the description preferred by Dr.
Howard Maron of Seattle, considered
by many to be the founding father of
the concierge concept. And “attentive”
is the operative word.
Most concierge physicians are internists or primary care doctors, and
many specialize in fields such as disease control or pediatrics. From our
experience, most concierge physicians
practice independently, not in a group.
Whatever their structure, nearly all will
put a cap on how many patients they
see. For many physicians, the allure of
the concierge concept is that it enabled
them to take generous amounts of time
with each patient. To appreciate what
that reduced patient load can mean to
you, consider today’s general practi-
tioners who, in our opinion, spend less
than 10 minutes with most patients.
“Right-now medicine” could also
join the list of monikers for the
concierge method of care, and it is
usually global as well. If you injure
yourself skiing in the Alps, you can
call your concierge physicians when it
is 1 a.m. in the States. They will then arrange to have you in the care of an Italian doctor. In a less dramatic scenario,
let us say your allergies act up when
you get up one morning. You need a
shot to get them under control, so you
call your concierge physicians and tell
them you can see them only on your
way to work, and so that is when they
will administer your injection.
In terms of finding a concierge
physician, the majority of new patients come from referrals. So, if you
decide this is for you, perhaps the best
place to start is with associates, friends
or family who currently engage a concierge doctor. There are also organizations such as the original MD Squared,
founded by Dr. Maron, or one of the
largest, MDVIP, which has affiliated
doctors in every state. It is important
to remember that not all doctors have
the same training and experience, and
the care you receive through a concierge practice will depend in great
part on the skills of your physician—
choose carefully.
Private health advisory is a field
related to concierge medicine. Rather
than actually provide medical care,
firms such as PinnacleCare complement the services you receive from
your concierge physician. PinnacleCare’s in-depth research capabilities,
electronic medical records, global
reach and response, and aid in followup care help ensure that patients of
concierge medical practices have
every advantage. Private health advisory firms can also research the
backgrounds of concierge doctors for
you. Morgan Stanley Smith Barney
Reserve clients have unique access
to PinnacleCare’s resources, such as
expedited appointments at Centers of
Excellence.
Concierge medicine is retainerbased, which means that instead of
paying your physician on a visit-byvisit basis, you pay a fee, usually on
an annual basis.
In stories about concierge medicine,
physicians admit that if they had not
switched to this style of practice they
may have left medicine altogether.
These are doctors who tired of 30, 40
appointments a day. As one physician
put it: “Now I can have a deep understanding of each of my patient’s needs
and can have a genuine relationship
with them. Just as they can have a relationship with me.”
PinnacleCare is not an affiliate of Morgan Stanley Smith Barney (MSSB). Any reference to PinnacleCare is neither a solicitation nor an endorsement of
PinnacleCare by MSSB. There may be other service providers who offer this service, and you may wish to contact such other providers for comparative
purposes in order to make your own independent decision. Andrew Morse and Keith C. Stevens are wealth advisors with The Morse Stevens Group at
Morgan Stanley Smith Barney in West Conshohocken, Penn. The views expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of
MSSB, or any subsidiary, affiliate, joint venture, partnership or other business arrangement, or any of their officers, directors, or employees. All opinions
are subject to change without notice. © 2012 Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC, member SIPC.
Andrew D. Morse
Keith C. Stevens
About The Morse Stevens Group
The Morse Stevens Group believes a great reputation must be earned and, once earned, can be relied upon
for generations. The founding members, senior vice presidents and wealth advisors, Andrew D. Morse
and Keith C. Stevens, focus their efforts on comprehensive, long-term, tax-efficient wealth management
solutions. The team has grown with the addition of financial advisors, Brandon Knox and Joshua Spitzer,
who complement the team in all aspects of business development. The client experience is complete
with the talents of registered client service associates, Jennifer Raines and Cynthia Perl. Together, they
manage account administration, performance reporting and team marketing. They add value to our clients’
relationships by offering top-quality professionalism, world-class experience, and the personal approach
our clients deserve.
illustration by kevin sprouls
By Andrew D. Morse and Keith C. Steves
The Morse Stevens Group at Morgan Stanley Smith Barney
Why and how should I choose a
concierge doctor?
Assets Under Management
$830 million (as of 12/2011)
Primary Custodian for Investor Assets
Morgan Stanley Smith Barney
Minimum Fee for Initial Meeting
None required
Professional Services Provided
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Minimum Net Worth Requirement
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Website
http://fa.morganstanleyindividual.com/themorsestevensgroup/
Compensation Method
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Email
andrew.morse@mssb.comjoshua.a.spitzer@mssb.com
keith.stevens@mssb.com jennifer.raines@mssb.com
brandon.t.knox@mssb.com cynthia.murino@mssb.com
The Morse Stevens Group at Morgan Stanley Smith Barney
One Tower Bridge, 100 Front Street, Suite 600
West Conshohocken, PA 19428
worth.com
610.260.7052
February-March 2012
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