If you need to see a traditional primary care doctor as a new patient you are often waiting an average of 24 days.
This isn't even the worst part, when you arrive, you only get about seven minutes of face time[2].
So how do you find a concierge doctor near you? Here is a step by step guide to finding the right fit for you and your family.
Step 1: Start with your geography, not the practice name
The single biggest mistake patients make is searching for a famous concierge brand first. Brand-name programs like MDVIP, SignatureMD, or Concierge Choice Physicians operate in many cities, but they are not the only options, and in many metros they are not the best option.The exception is if you already know a doctor or practice you want to work with. However if you are a looking for someone new this is the best way.
Start with your zip code or city. NextMD's directory is organized by geography first. You can search by metro on the NextMD search page, browse by state on pages like nextmd.ai/state/fl or nextmd.ai/state/tx, or jump straight to a metro page like nextmd.ai/city/nashville-tn or nextmd.ai/city/nyc-metro.
Our directory currently lists more than 4,700 physician-led concierge and DPC practices across every U.S. state, including the District of Columbia[3].
What you should see on a metro page is a list of practices, the lead physicians, the model type (concierge, DPC, or hybrid), and the membership fee where it has been disclosed. That is your starting list.
Step 2: Match the tier to what you actually need
Concierge pricing is not one number. The NextMD marketplace groups practices into three tiers, each serving a different patient profile.
Tier | Annual Cost | Who It Is For |
|---|---|---|
Entry Level | $Up to $5,000 | Patients who want longer visits and same-day access without paying a luxury price. Examples: The Cove Concierge Medicine (Castle Rock, CO); James Wallstrom, MD (Glendale, CA). |
Premium | $5,000 to $15,000 | Busy professionals and families who want the full concierge experience, including coordinated specialist referrals. Examples: WVL Synergy (Naples, FL); Brentwood MD (Nashville, TN). |
Ultra Premium | $15,000 and up, commonly over $40,000 per year | High-net-worth patients, executives, and complex cases needing maximum attention. Examples: MD2, Private Medical. |
Keep in mind most of the higher end concierge doctors do not list their prices.
If your goal is "more time with my doctor and faster access," entry-level concierge or DPC will solve that.
If your goal is "I want my doctor to coordinate every specialist, every test, and every hospital admission for the rest of my life," that is what the Ultra Premium tier is for. Most patients land in entry or premium.
Your geography matters here too. Smaller metros usually have entry-level and premium options. Top-tier markets like New York, San Francisco, and Los Angeles have all three tiers.
Step 3: Verify the physician is an MD or DO
All of the practices on NextMD are led by an MD or DO, this is a requirement for our site, but if you are searching via google, bing or some other search engine it is good to verify.
This is not to say you cannot get good care with a nurse or some other form of doctor but it is our belief that in general this helps ensure high quality service.
When looking at a physician website outside of NextMD, just look for doctors and make sure you find MD or DO next to their name.
A growing number of "private medicine" or "boutique health" practices in the U.S. are nurse-practitioner-led. That is a separate category. NextMD curates physician-led practices specifically because long-tenured MDs and DOs are the ones who can manage complex chronic disease, prescribe controlled medications, and coordinate specialist care across the U.S. health system.
If you cannot tell from the practice page whether a physician is involved, look for "MD," "DO," "Dr.," or a physician bio. If you still cannot tell, that is a red flag.
Step 4: Decide between concierge and DPC
Both models give you long visits, small panels, and direct access. The practical differences:
Aspect | Concierge Medicine | Direct Primary Care (DPC) |
|---|---|---|
Annual Cost | $3,000 to over $40,000 | $600 to $2,400 ($50 to $200 per month) |
Panel Size | Under 300 patients per doctor | Up to 800 patients per doctor |
Insurance Billing | Usually bills your insurance for covered services | Almost never bills insurance |
Best For | Patients who already have insurance and want a private doctor on top of it | Patients who want a flat predictable fee, often paired with a high-deductible health plan |
A traditional primary care doctor, for comparison, typically carries 2,000 to 2,500 patients. That is the structural reason you wait three weeks for an appointment and get seven minutes when you arrive.
Our companion piece, Concierge Medicine vs Direct Primary Care: The Complete Side-by-Side Comparison, goes deeper if you are still on the fence between the two models.
Step 5: Request a meet-and-greet
Almost every concierge and DPC practice offers a free 15 to 30 minute consultation before you sign. Use it. This is the single most useful step in the entire search process, and most patients skip it.
The full question list lives in How to Choose the Right Concierge or DPC Doctor in 2026: 10 Must-Ask Questions. The short version: ask about panel size, what is included in the fee, after-hours response time, hospital affiliations, and whether your medications and chronic conditions are managed in-house.
If a practice will not offer a meet-and-greet, that is likely a bit of a red flag.
Step 6: Sign, transfer records, and start
Once you have picked your doctor, the practice will walk you through enrollment. Most practices handle the records transfer from your old primary care doctor. The first comprehensive visit is usually 60 to 90 minutes, focused on full intake, history, and a real plan for the next 12 months.
If you are switching from a traditional insurance-based primary care doctor, our transition guide How to Switch to Concierge or DPC in 2026: A Step-by-Step Transition Guide covers the records transfer, insurance reconfiguration, and how to keep continuity on prescriptions during the change.
The 2026 reality: "near me" almost always returns a real result
Three years ago, "concierge doctor near me" returned a thin list outside major metros. That has changed. Concierge and DPC have grown into every state, including states the model previously skipped. A 2026 Milbank Memorial Fund report found that primary care now claims only about 4.5% of total U.S. health spending[4], and the concierge and DPC models have grown precisely because patients keep walking away from short, rushed insurance-based visits.
Practically, this means: if you live in a U.S. metro of any size, your search will return at least one MD-led or DO-led concierge or DPC option. Smaller and rural areas may have one practice within driving distance rather than five. The directory is the fastest way to find out.
What a concierge doctor near you actually is
Concierge medicine is a private healthcare model where you pay an annual or monthly membership fee directly to your physician's practice. In return, you get a small panel, longer appointments, same-day or next-day access, and direct phone or text contact with the doctor.
Two important details before you start searching:
Concierge and DPC are different. Direct primary care (DPC) is the lower-cost cousin of concierge medicine. DPC memberships typically run $50 to $200 per month, or $600 to $2,400 per year. Concierge medicine ranges from $3,000 to over $40,000 per year depending on the tier. Step 4 covers the practical differences.
Every NextMD listing is led by an MD or DO. That means a Doctor of Medicine (MD) or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO). Some private healthcare practices in the U.S. are led by nurse practitioners or physician assistants. Those can be excellent care, but they are a separate category from physician-led concierge medicine. NextMD's directory only lists practices with at least one MD or DO physician.
Sources
Robinson-Walker, D. Concierge Medicine. Forbes Health. Referenced for 24-day average wait time for new patients in large metropolitan areas. forbes.com/health concierge-medicine guide (verify exact URL before publishing)
Gottschalk, A., & Flocke, S. A. (2005). Time spent in face-to-face patient care and work outside the examination room. Annals of Family Medicine, 3(6), 488-493. Referenced for the observed seven-minute face-time finding (10.7 minutes observed vs 18 minutes self-reported) for traditional primary care visits. Read on Annals of Family Medicine
NextMD directory data. (2026). Practice census, NextMD marketplace. Internal NextMD database, 4,649 practices across all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia, MD or DO physician-led, as of 2026-04-19 import. Available at nextmd.ai.
Milbank Memorial Fund. (2026). The Health of US Primary Care: 2026 Scorecard. Referenced for the 4.5% primary-care share of total U.S. health spending. Read on Milbank Memorial Fund (verify exact URL before publishing)
Busch, F., Grzeskowiak, D., & Huth, E. (2020). Direct Primary Care: Evaluating a New Model of Delivery and Financing. Society of Actuaries / Milliman. Referenced for the 40.51% reduction in emergency room utilization among DPC patients. Find on SOA research index (verify exact URL before publishing)