This article originally appeared on Benefit Mall.

Visiting the doctor’s office may not top the list of favorite activities for most consumers, but eliminating common stressors such as juggling one’s schedule to squeeze in an appointment, spending too much time in the waiting room, and then maybe seeing the physician for only a few minutes, can make the experience much more pleasant.

What if the majority of this stress could be alleviated? According to the American Academy of Private Physicians (AAPP), use of “concierge” or retainer-based physicians can be part of the solution. In fact, the number of these types of physician services has doubled in the past two years, according to AAPP.

“Concierge medicine is a new style of practice with old roots, in which doctors limit their patient base in order to provide patients with personalized service, high quality care, 24/7 availability, and other amenities. In exchange for this enhanced personal attention, patients pay physicians an annual fee,” says the Concierge Medicine Association. “The annual fees vary widely, from $600 to $5,000 per year for an individual, with the lower annual fees being in addition to the usual fees for each service and the higher annual fees including most services.” Continue reading →