An external pacemaker made out of Christmas lights, a chest tube secured with duct tape, or a life-saving tracheotomy at a dinner party are just a few procedures you might have seen while watching USA Network’s original series, Royal Pains, featuring the ‘medical MacQyver’ moments of Dr. Hank Lawson. However, how realistic are these scenarios? Some of the largest misconceptions when comparing Reality versus Hollywood lay within a concierge physician’s scope of expertise.
Dr. O’Neal is a ‘real-life’ expert in concierge medicine right here in Tampa, and in 2002 was the first physician to begin a concierge medical practice from scratch in the United States. Upon completing his residency, Dr. O’Neal won the prestigous Young Physician Leadership Award, awarded by the American Medical Association (AMA) Foundation. This award, consider the ‘Oscar’s of Medicine’ named him one of fifteen physicians under the age of 40 anticipated to be the future leaders within the field of medicine. His credibility as a physician is undeniable, but it was his creativity and entrapreneurial spirit that established him as one of the most innovative physicians of the last 15 years, and a disruptor of the health care system.
Though television shows such as Royal Pains may be portrayed in a more sensationalized manner, Dr. O’Neal’s version of concierge care represents more realistic expectations, albeit often in the comfort of the patients home or office. Through this low-volume, membership practice, Dr. O’Neal regularly prevents ER visits and hospitalizations. He has been known to suture a laceration at someones kitchen table, inject a knee at the office of a busy Executive, accompany patients to other doctor appointments, scrub surgeries, and make 2 AM visits to the home of a sick or dying patient. He has even taken a lear jet to pick up a medically complex patient and tranport her back to her family in Florida. Because of his expertise and credentials, he has attracted clientele from Miami to Beverly Hills, including A-list celebrities and professional athletes, and even served as a team physician for an MLB team for 7 years. Take that, Hank Lawson!
Now here is the beauty of his concierge medical practice: celebrity or not, all patients receive the same level of service and care. Perhaps most importantly, Dr. O’Neal is truly an advocate for his patients, a difficult endeavor for a physician in a traditional, high-volume practice. Dr. O’Neal offers the full spectrum of primary care medicine to anyone interested in investing in their health, regardless of age, but within a more manageable environment whereby all boundaries between the physician and patient are dissolved.
Learn more about Dr. O’Neal’s Concierge Medical Practice, Cooperative Med! Be sure to follow Dr. O’Neal on Twitter or visit its Facebook page!
