Country's largest concierge medicine practice loses lawsuit

New York residents who are members of or are interested in concierge medicine practices may be interested to know that a recent case might result in a change in how those practices do business. On Feb. 10, a jury awarded $8.5 million to the widower of a woman who was not properly diagnosed by a doctor in a concierge medicine practice. The incident occurred in Florida in 2008. The woman's circulatory problems were not diagnosed by the doctor or his staff. As a result, her leg was amputated.

A concierge medicine practice operates by charging its patients a membership fee and by charging its doctors for services like marketing. In exchange for the fee, it promises its patients better access to superior medical care. The jury also found that the concierge medicine practice, MDVIP, did not advertise its services accurately.

MDVIP is the largest concierge medicine practice in the country. The doctor who treated the woman had previously settled out of court with the family. Some experts say that the jury decision may result in concierge medicine practices changing how they choose the doctors they work with and how they advertise by taking more care in both areas.

Those who believe they have been harmed by a negligent doctor may want to speak with a lawyer. All medical procedures carry some risk, but if a person suffers complications as the result of misdiagnosis, failure to diagnose or a lack of proper care, this may constitute malpractice. Both the medical professionals and the facility where the individual was treated might be held responsible. As may be the case in some instances, one result of a lawsuit is that a facility may improve its procedures. A lawsuit may also help pay for the expense incurred by complications.

Source: Physicians News Digest, "MDVIP Becomes First Concierge Medicine Practice to Lose Medical Malpractice Case", Phil Galewitz, Kaiser Health News, Feb. 13, 2015