A mysterious rash shows up on your arm. It started as just a red, slightly itchy spot, but after a few days, it became very itchy and irritated. I really should get in to get that checked out. With a toddler hanging off one hip, you finally call your doctor, only to hear, “Our next available appointment is in two months.” Cue the deep sigh. OK, maybe Google can tell me what’s going on. Yikes! Never mind! Closing Google stat. Another sigh.
We’ve all had experiences like this. Sometimes it feels like there’s not much “care” in “healthcare.” In fact, modern healthcare can feel like being on an assembly line: sign in, pay up, wait, explain what’s wrong, wait, explain what’s wrong again, get rushed out, only to realize later that you had more questions to ask.
Enter something different: concierge medicine, a membership-based model where patients pay an annual fee for services. Patients typically receive unlimited visits, direct access to their doctor, longer appointment times, fast scheduling and one person overseeing their care, without the maze of insurance.
While concierge care isn’t mainstream yet, it’s growing quickly. Why? People want acute and preventative health care, quicker access to their physician, less hassle with paperwork and multiple specialists, and ultimately, to have a relationship with their physician and not a 30-minute appointment once a year.
That desire for meaningful, relationship-driven care is exactly what inspired Dr. Loree Koza to reshape her career entirely.
For years, Dr. Koza felt like an operator on an assembly line: patient in, patient out, next! Serving as the primary care doctor for over 2,000 patients, the constant pressure and little time for meaningful conversation left her feeling exhausted and as if she’d failed her patients. “I felt like I wasn’t serving my patients well. I knew I could give better care if only I had the time.” She even thought about exiting medicine altogether.
After much reflection, Dr. Koza knew she wanted to build a practice where patients feel seen and heard. “I wanted to get back to the overall care of patients and focus on preventing illness instead of reacting to it,” she explained. “I needed to serve a smaller population to do this well.”
That vision became Manifest Health, her Lafayette-based concierge practice built on authentic doctor-patient relationships that drive better health outcomes. In Dr. Koza’s approach, healthcare means personalized attention with longer appointments, direct access to her, comprehensive care from preventive screenings to complex health management and a holistic approach that considers all aspects of physical, mental and emotional health. Concierge care is an investment in your complete healthcare journey, and a variety of membership types are available.
While anyone can benefit from this model, it tends to be especially valuable for people like:
- Moms! Why? Women are usually the ones taking care of everyone and scheduling all the appointments, while thinking, “I really should schedule mine too,” only for the thought to be interrupted by a crying child. Concierge care makes it easy to finally put on your own oxygen mask first.
- Busy professionals, whether you’re a CEO, teacher or a soccer coach — anyone juggling a schedule that makes squeezing in medical visits challenging. With appointments often available within 1-2 days or before/after hours, care happens on your timeline.
- Anyone who has ever had questions still swirling in their head as the doctor is already halfway out the door.
- Those who have a complicated history, whether it’s an autoimmune disease, allergies, chronic pain or multiple surgeries. It’s for those who feel like their physical life is a puzzle with too many pieces and no time to put it all together.
- People who are really motivated to stay on top of their health. If you thrive with a doctor who knows your goals, coaches you through your habits, helps you make a plan, and keeps you accountable, this model gives you a true partner.
No matter what brings patients through her door, it’s the way Dr. Koza personally oversees each patient’s health journey that makes this model truly different. She now cares for 150-200 patients, allowing her to spend more time on each one’s care. Dr. Koza views her role as the quarterback of care. In her model, quarterbacking means overseeing every part of a patient’s health journey. As the healthcare lead, she manages the specialists, requests records and talks directly to providers. Whether you have a young family navigating your child’s first years or are a patient requiring complex treatments, Dr. Koza is your constant advocate.
That advocacy becomes especially clear in more complicated situations. One example patient of Dr. Koza’s is an adult with a notably complicated medical history and multiple chronic diagnoses that require ongoing care. After the patient moved to Colorado, she needed a primary care physician to help her establish connections with several specialists, review her extensive records and coordinate her care and medications. After an initial 90-minute visit, the patient returned for follow-up visits nearly weekly at the beginning. Even now, the patient can call and be seen the same day or the next as new needs or questions arise. In addition, Dr. Koza speaks directly to specialists when the patient can’t get through.
When urgent situations come up, the difference is tangible. Recently, a patient reached out needing help before Dr. Koza left for a trip. Her schedule was full, but she brought him in at 7:30 a.m. the next morning. In a large system, that would’ve been impossible. Here, it’s just part of how she cares for people. The patient’s needs were addressed, and Dr. Koza felt like she truly helped someone.
Healthcare doesn’t have to feel like an assembly line. For patients seeking deeper relationships, quicker access and someone genuinely invested in their well-being, concierge medicine offers a refreshing alternative.
So the next time a rash pops up, instead of researching it on Google or bracing yourself for days of waiting to be seen, imagine reaching out to your doctor directly and getting an answer the same day! It’s possible in a concierge model like Dr. Koza’s.
Sometimes it feels like there’s not much “care” in “healthcare.”
People want acute and preventative health care, quicker access to their physician, less hassle with paperwork and multiple specialists, and ultimately, to have a relationship with their physician and not a 30-minute appointment once a year.