title: The cost of care: boutique practices offer an alternative to fast-paced healthcare delivery.
abstract: The healthcare industry is in the unenviable position of having a perception of declining customer service. Reimbursement for professional services continues to decrease while the volume of patients needed to sustain a viable practice increases. As a result, many providers are concerned about not having the time to provide the high level of care they once did, and patients are frustrated with--and focused on--customer service issues that affect the well-being of the medical office, staff and patient relations. To improve the service provided to patients, some offices are turning to the boutique model as an option that will financially support rising overhead and allow the provider and staff to improve the services offered to each individual patient. These practices are met with different opinions, however, and providers choosing to move in this direction need to plan carefully and assess the long-term effects. Feelings can be strong regarding the rising cost of healthcare, yet the boutique model likely is not the right fit for many providers and patients.
authors.affiliation: HuTech Resources, LLC, 650 E. Devon Avenue, Suite 165, Itasca, IL 60143, USA. jrmay@hutech.net
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: May
mesh_terms: D032982:Contracts; D017048:Health Care Costs; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D011216:Practice Management, Medical / Q000191:economics* / Q000458:organization & administration*; D014481:United States