For annual wellcare visits, most practices now tell you there’s a separate charge if you bring up any other medical issues. If you bring up a list of health issues during a wellcare visit, you are delaying other patients’ visits. I remember waiting past an hour for my appointment. That’s why most doctors now want you to make another separate visit if you have other issues. I think a concierge doctor who doesn’t need to rely on insurance reimbursements may be your answer.
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cbreeze - Interesting about the extra charge! Not in the med field, but I thought that stuff was inter-related? Like, if I just got prescribed a high blood pressure med by my cardiologist, wouldn’t my GP treating me for some kind of infection want to know b/c meds could interact? Note: in my plan, I can jump to specialist w/out GP referral.
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At every visit to my doctor, I have to list all my meds so the doctor should be aware of it. You can ask for med interaction just to make sure. Just don’t do your list at the annual preventative visit. 
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Neither my nor my daughter’s insurance will cover it in association with a yearly physical. We have separate insurance.
Of course virtual or visual (pics or videos) are only good for some things. One size fits all NEVER works for medical issues! 
My point (bringing about the counterpoint to any negative changes on the thread) is that virtual/visual is a welcome valued added plus when applicable!
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Dh did that recently, and the dr had his staff block out more time on the schedule.
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Your EMR should list all of your medications. For me, a nurse always asks what medications I’m on and if there are any changes. Does this not always happen at your visits?
The issue is if the doctor reads the information. Also they are not always well versed in medication reactions.
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For some EMR programs, the office can pull over your prescription history from the pharmacy. This might also include that antibiotic you took for a UTI a year ago! Unless the nurse, or physician asked what you are currently taking, that antibiotic, or other meds, will stay on your chart.
Most of my physicians have a portal, and/or pre visit questionnaire where you can update your medical history before the visit. All fine and good if someone in the practice actually looks at it. I took a peek at one of my mother’s portal prior to a visit; she still has two different lipid medications listed and she hasn’t taken either in years! I could add new medication, but could not remove one. I know from working with an EMR that this is just a quirk of the program, but still annoying.
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My doctors use MyChart. I can delete meds, and the prescribing doctor has to approve the deletion. This happened recently when I saw my PCP. She mentioned in passing that she was deleting a med that was prescribed months before.
My doctors, especially PCP, have been pretty good about giving me the time I need, and calling me as I request.
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My parents’ doctors do use an electronic portal, but not all the specialists do, so we are limited in being able to ask for clarification if it is a specialist (so then I have to call). The GI says don’t take prednisone. The Pulmo guy says absolutely take this prednisone. The PCP says he can’t comment on other doctors’ prescribing.
DH and I used tohave the same PCP, but that doctor never seemed to see me, only appointments with the PA. The one thing I do notice is doctor’s proclivity to say stuff like “what would you like to do”. Not helpful. But I agree that the virtual visits can be a great help for triage and mundane issues.
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Seems like you need to get all three of them on a conference call…
This may be an appropriate question after describing the various options and their risks, benefits, and costs. But is that the case when you hear that question?
Oh I used to hear that from docs alot with my parents and it was aggravating and unacceptable (I didn’t get the medical degree!).
I’d say: “Please let me know the pros and cons of doiong this, and also the pros and cons of not doing this, and share the significance of the risks/benefits in all categories.” (said much more nicely). How is a layperson supposed to do that analysis without even that baseline info?
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My answer before I read all the answers and saw I slightly misinterpreted the question – I do a lot of thinking and research ahead of time and know exactly what I want to point out and prioritize what questions I want to ask and then I make sure to speak up. I didn’t used to be like that. My H went to the doctor and never asked the specific thing he wanted to know about when he made the appointment and when I asked why not he said he started with some minor things and chit chat and then the doctor seemed ready to leave.
I do like the FP doctor I finally found a couple of years ago after my previous doctor went concierge and a couldn’t afford it and there aren’t a lot of drs especially taking new patients in the area where I live. But he’s young and I do feel like I have to guide him. He does like to print out info from the internet and explain things in more detail than I may need. When he was recently removing a sebaceous cyst from my back he asked if I wanted to see what he removed. That was a quick, loud “NO!!” from me.
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A concierge doctor is not necessarily better in certain situations. My 85 year old mother-in law had one she loved, who spent lots of time with her, and was available after hours. In summer 2020, MIL was traveling out of town and fell. (She did not tell us that she fell.) She was in a lot of pain but could walk. Concierge doc prescribed muscle relaxants and narcotics after a virtual visit. Two days later, FIL drove MIL home. The next day, I went to check on her. She could barely move and was delirious. Scary! We got her to the hospital. As soon as the meds wore off, she was lucid, but still in pain, and it turned out she had broken her tailbone.
The concierge doc never should have prescribed such heavy duty drugs sight- unseen and without insisting on follow up. Thank goodness MIL didn’t fall again or worse. DH made her switch to a regular doctor. Concierge doc had also been telling MIL what she wanted to hear about her blood pressure, weight, and alcohol consumption.
A cautionary tale! Like all types of doctors, I’m sure some are wonderful.