Tests and medicines are itemised separately.
Written by Dr Felix Lucian Happich ·
Cost should be clear before you commit to anything, and free of the incentives that quietly distort medical advice.
The four parts of what you pay
Separating these four parts is deliberate. Consultations, investigations, medicines and ongoing care are explained and itemised separately before you agree.
The consultation
A single fee for physician time. The first consultation is long, because a proper history and examination take time.
Investigations
Blood tests, imaging and other investigations are itemised separately and quoted before they are ordered.
Medication
Anything prescribed is itemised separately and quoted before you decide.
Ongoing care
Either individual follow-up appointments, or a membership program covering scheduled reviews and adjustment.
Why exact figures come after the consultation
The honest figure depends on facts nobody has yet. Two patients with the same complaint can need very different work-up. A published figure would be either so wide that it tells you nothing, or a fixed package that pushes everyone into the same plan.
You are never committed to a program at the point of booking. The first appointment is a consultation, and you decide afterwards.
How much investigation your case needs
Complexity, age, family history and previous results all change what is worth testing.
Whether treatment involves medication
Some plans are behavioural and cost little beyond consultations.
How closely you need monitoring
Hormone therapy and GLP-1 medication require repeat testing.
How long the plan runs
One problem resolved in two appointments costs differently from a year of structured care.
How many areas are involved
Weight, hormones and cardiovascular risk together involve more physician time.
The level of access you want
Direct access and priority scheduling sit in the Platinum Concierge Membership.
Three things that will never appear on your invoice
No padded panels
You will not be charged for tests ordered because a longer panel looks more thorough.
No supplements sold to you
Nothing is recommended because the practice earns from it.
No package before diagnosis
Nothing is sold at the first appointment before anyone knows what is wrong.
Ask for a figure for your situation.
The consultation fee is confirmed before you book, so there is no uncertainty about the first step. Everything beyond it follows from what the assessment finds.
“You should understand the reason for each recommendation and its cost before you decide.”