200 South Broadway, Suite 104
Tarrytown, NY 10591
Tel. 914-631-3283 Fax 914-337-8204
October 1, 2020
To the patients of Comprehensive Allergy & Asthma Care,
In an increasingly impersonal health care environment, there is less time for most practitioners to listen and pay attention to your story and medical needs. I hear your frustrations and understand your concerns, including the herculean effort needed to find medical practitioners who are willing and able to work with you. Unfortunately, the industrial plant of our healthcare system is forcing more and more doctors to opt out of insurance plans, sell their practices to large hospital centers or just close their doors, telling people they have “retired”.
Nowadays, every medical practitioner needs at least 4 staff members to deal with paperwork, authorizations, insurance denials and contractual requirements. Increasingly, doctors are forced to spend most of their time staring at computer screens, rather than speaking with you or the other practitioners involved in your care. In the 21st century, the patient centered, medical home needs major renovation and rehabilitation.
A medical home requires a relaxed, less beleaguered environment, where you feel that you have the time to share your story, in an unhurried fashion, with direct access to your physician. I have cared for you and your families for over 15 years and there is nothing more important to me than continuing to serve as your health care provider and advocate.
My focus is to return to a time and space where doctors are physicians, not “providers”, a space where your care is placed ahead of paperwork, fees for services, and bureaucracy of faceless insurance companies.
After much deliberation and thought, I have decided to start a concierge medical practice. This will allow me to spend more time with you, the patient, and to not only to delve into complex issues, but to also focus on disease prevention, with an eye on a balanced immune system. There is no substitute for a medical practitioner who knows you well; an independent physician, not beholden to corporate shareholders or hospital administrators and critical to your good health.
To be clear, I am still accepting commercial insurance plans and Medicare. Instead, members of Comprehensive Allergy & Asthma Care will pay a reasonable annual membership fee. The fee is, in fact, far less than most other physicians charge for similar programs. Benefits include greater access to me, either with telephone consultations or in-office appointments. You will be seen in an unhurried fashion; and regular appointments will be longer and more relaxed.
Sir William Osler, a giant during the golden age of medicine, once said, “If you listen to your patient, they will tell you their diagnosis.” Over a century later, I have found this simple statement to be astoundingly true, after caring for patients with immune disorders, missed diagnoses or misdiagnosed for years.
With time, in a relaxing space, you will be more comfortable, sharing your health concerns with me. In return, I will have a more solid understanding of your goals and philosophy of care and be better prepared to translate my experiences and knowledge to ask the different questions, help secure a better working diagnosis, with more fine-tuned tests, and design a treatment plan, that is aligned with your philosophy of care. In addition to troubleshooting speed bumps on your road to better health, I will be able to advocate for you, by connecting with other medical practitioners in your medical home, help coordinate and review medical reports, as well as incorporate therapeutics, beyond traditional Western pharmaceuticals.
My mission is to remain in private practice and independent, while striving to provide tailored, personalized patient care. I am now transitioning my practice fully to this modified concierge model. Please know that you will still be able to use your health insurance, since I am not dropping out of insurance plans and will continue to accept Medicare. If you choose to not participate in this program, William Reed, RPA-C, my physician assistant, whom I have had the pleasure of working with for many years, can continue to see you, without a commitment to this program.
All visits are covered by your insurance and are still subject to your co-payment and deductible as per your policy contract. Please note that the cost of the program may be covered by your healthcare/flexible spending account (HSA/FSA). If my participation in your insurance plan should ever change, something I do not foresee at this time, I will provide prior notice. Please remember that even though you join and become a member, you must keep your own medical insurance coverage.
What I am describing is not a new way of medicine, but revisit to the patient centered home, where the patient can share their journey and concerns, and I have the opportunity to practice medicine the way I learned from my father and the great teachers, on both sides of the bedpan - practitioners and patients.
I am humbled by the trust you have placed in me, so, let us continue to work together, as partners, in optimizing your health while maintaining the independence that is so important to both of us.
To join or ask questions, please call our office or through the portal system, and we can speak to you about the next steps to building a better medical home.
To your good health!
Dr. Anne Maitland, M.D., Ph.D.
Please fill-out and sign Patient Concierge Subscription Agreement and email to:
Concierge Service Membership Subscription Letter
Subscription Payment Plans
Concierge Annual Membership Fee - 1 Month Payment $75