Health systems and medical groups are navigating a challenging environment marked by declining reimbursements, rising operational costs and growing physician burnout. At the same time, patient expectations continue to evolve. During a Becker’s Healthcare webinar sponsored by Concierge Choice Physicians, Keith Elgart, CEO of Concierge Choice Physicians, outlined how flexible concierge programs can help organizations enhance revenue, improve physician retention and elevate patient satisfaction — without disrupting existing business structures.
Below are four key takeaways from the conversation.
1. Financial and workforce pressures are intensifying across healthcare organizations.
Health systems and medical groups are facing what Mr. Elgart described as a “perfect storm” of financial and operational challenges.
“Each year, reimbursement is lowered and threatened to be lowered even further,” Mr. Elgart said. “So you have a revenue structure based on constant decline.”
At the same time, physician burnout and retirements are accelerating, creating both staffing shortages and recruitment challenges. These pressures are consistent across healthcare organizations of all sizes, Mr. Elgart noted, differing mainly in scale rather than type.
As a result, many leaders are focused on three priorities: enhancing revenue, retaining experienced physicians and recruiting new talent.
2. Flexible concierge programs add revenue while preserving existing operations.
Modern concierge programs are designed to integrate within existing practice structures rather than requiring significant operational changes. According to Mr. Elgart, these models allow organizations to introduce an additional revenue stream while maintaining their current workflows.
“This isn’t about force fitting the systems to change,” he said. “It’s about creating programs that fit the systems.”
In a hybrid model, patients can choose to pay a membership fee for enhanced physician availability and services while continuing to use their insurance. Importantly, core operations — such as staffing, office space and patient flow — remain unchanged.
“It’s not necessary to hire new physicians to deliver concierge care or to build out swanky new offices. The program really operates within the existing structure of the practice,” Mr. Elgart said.
Even small programs can generate meaningful financial impact. Mr. Elgart offered an example: A physician with 50 members paying $2,000 annually can generate $100,000 in additional revenue for the practice. Scaled across multiple physicians, this can quickly grow into a multimillion-dollar revenue stream.
3. Concierge participation enhances physician satisfaction and strengthens retention and recruitment.
Physician engagement is closely tied to both workforce stability and financial performance. Concierge programs can play a key role by allowing physicians greater flexibility in how they practice.
“Concierge medicine is a great way to combat burnout because it really allows a physician to practice a style of medicine they enjoy,” Mr. Elgart said.
He shared an example of a senior physician who reduced their patient panel while transitioning to a concierge-focused model — extending their career and generating significant revenue. Meanwhile, the physician’s former patients were redistributed to newer physicians, helping those clinicians ramp up productivity.
Beyond retention, concierge offerings are also becoming a differentiator in recruitment. Mr. Elgart noted candidates increasingly view these programs as part of a long-term career path.
“Many of our clients have heard during candidate interviews that this type of opportunity is the reason why they’re choosing group A over group B,” he said.
4. Patient choice and flexibility are drivers of satisfaction and care continuity.
A defining feature of concierge programs is optional participation, allowing patients to choose the level of support that fits their needs and adjust over time.
“From a patient perspective, they want to feel in control,” Mr. Elgart said. “There are people all across the spectrum that utilize care differently, and making that available is important — that they can all choose, and they can choose from within the same structure.”
This approach allows patients to maintain relationships with their existing physicians and continue visiting the same locations, regardless of participation. It also enables organizations to serve a broader range of preferences without segmenting care delivery. According to Concierge Choice Physicians’ data, hybrid models are associated with higher satisfaction among both members and non-members.
Looking ahead
As health systems and medical groups continue to balance financial sustainability with workforce and patient demands, concierge programs are emerging as a strategic tool to address all three. By enhancing revenue, supporting physician satisfaction and offering patients greater choice, these models can help organizations remain competitive in an increasingly complex healthcare landscape.
“It really boils down to financially, fiscally sound systems with happy providers and satisfied patients,” Mr. Elgart said.
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