TAMPA, Fla. — Florida's healthcare system is currently grappling with a shortage of primary care physicians. By 2035, there will be a shortfall of close to 18,000 physicians, according to a study commissioned by the Florida Hospital Association and Florida Safety Net Hospital Alliance.

Meanwhile, concierge medicine is growing in popularity as a way for patients to get more immediate and personalized care.

Dr. Khalid Saeed started his career nearly 30 years ago in emergency and internal medicine. 

What You Need To Know

  • Dr. Khalid Saeed opened his concierge medicine practice after spending decades as an internal and emergency medicine doctor

  • Patients pay a flat rate for around-the-clock access to Saeed, as well as house visits

  • The concierge medicine model is meant to give patients more immediate and personalized care

“I had an empathy for helping people and so that’s really why I went into it," he said.

Over the years, Saeed started to notice gaps in patient care. In 2018, he decided to transition into concierge medicine and start his own practice, called Tampa Bay Concierge Doctor.

“Medicine has become commercialized, bigger companies are taking over,” Saeed said. “You have to worry a lot about your metrics and your times and this and that. There’s just not enough time to speak with patients. That’s why I said, ‘What if I designed a model or open a practice where every patient had an hour, hour and a half, we didn’t worry about insurances, and we had the time to not have a congested system?’”

Saeed said a concierge doctor is similar to a quarterback on a football team — his job is to guide patients toward their health goals. Currently, Saeed has 250 clients. They pay a flat fee to have around-the-clock access to Saeed and can request house visits. 

Saeed feels the concierge medicine model, blending telehealth and house calls, is more effective for patients. 

“We know that healthcare is not healthcare, it’s really sick care,” he said. “It’s reactive. Whereas what I do because I have more time with patients with concierge medicine, it’s preventive, it’s proactive.”

The most important job of Saeed’s job is building relationships with his patients. He currently has close to 250 patients and spends between an hour to an hour and a half at each appointment. 

Louie Mozas started seeing Saeed in 2020 when he needed a quick COVID-19 test. He soon realized he liked having direct access to his doctor and came to trust Saeed. 

“It’s the convenience,” Mozas said. “Having someone come to your home when you’re feeling bad, it’s a world different than going and waiting in a waiting room, spending an hour or two hours to see a doctor for 10 minutes.”

Saeed feels he’s making a difference by giving his patients individualized care. He believes this model of healthcare could one day become the norm. 

“Now that I’ve gotten in the habit of texting my doctor, I don’t think I can go back to waiting for an appointment or sending an email,” Mozas said. “It’s an instant response.”

Memberships at Tampa Bay Concierge Doctor range from $150 to $800 per person, per month. To Mozas, it’s worth the extra money for the comfort, ease and access.

Research suggests concierge medicine will likely gain popularity in the coming years. The industry is currently valued at $6.7 billion and is expected to double by 2030, according to a study by Grand View Research.