This November marks two years since Encore Concierge Medicine opened its doors in Chicago.
When Encore was created, the goal was simple: build the kind of primary care practice we believe patients deserve and the kind of medicine we believe should be possible.
More time. Better access. Fewer barriers. A physician who actually knows you.
Two years later, that mission has not changed. But we have learned a lot about what patients are really looking for when they search for a concierge doctor in Chicago, and much of it has very little to do with luxury.
Concierge Medicine Is Really About the Relationship
People sometimes hear “concierge medicine” and picture something exclusive or extravagant. What we see every day is much more practical.
Patients want to be able to reach their doctor.
They want enough time during an appointment to ask the second or third question they almost forgot about.
They want someone who remembers why a medication was started, what happened at the cardiology appointment six months ago, and whether the specialist ever followed up on that MRI.
They want primary care to feel like there is actually someone keeping track of the whole picture.
That has been one of the most rewarding parts of building Encore. Because the practice has a limited membership, appointments do not have to feel rushed, and care does not have to stop when the visit ends.
Preventive Care Can Be Much More Personal
Another thing these two years have reinforced is how much patients value proactive care.
For some, that means going beyond a standard cholesterol panel to better understand cardiovascular risk. For others, it may mean discussing coronary artery calcium scoring, weight management, sleep, blood pressure trends, family history, or changes that come with perimenopause and menopause.
Sometimes the most important part of care is not diagnosing a new condition. It is helping a patient understand what their risk actually is and deciding what, if anything, should be done about it.
That is where longer visits and continuity matter.
Instead of looking at one lab result or one symptom in isolation, we can look at how everything fits together.
Your Primary Care Doctor Does Not Have to Be Tied to One Health System
Chicago has incredible medical resources, but patients often receive care across multiple hospital systems.
One specialist may be at Northwestern Medicine. Another may be at Rush, UChicago Medicine, Advocate, or somewhere else entirely.
Being a member of Encore does not mean changing the specialists or health systems you already trust.
Encore is an independent concierge primary care practice, which allows us to help coordinate care across systems, obtain records, review specialist recommendations, and help patients make sense of what happens next.
For many patients, that coordination is just as valuable as the appointment itself.
Primary Care Looks Different at Every Stage of Life
One of the things we love about family medicine is that no two days look exactly the same.
One patient may be discussing cardiovascular prevention, another menopause symptoms, another a GLP-1 medication, and another their child.
Encore provides primary care across the lifespan while also placing a strong emphasis on the areas many adults are thinking about in midlife: prevention, metabolic health, weight management, hormonal changes, sleep, cardiovascular risk, and maintaining health for the decades ahead.
The common thread is not a particular diagnosis.
It is having a physician who knows your history and has the time to help you make thoughtful decisions about your health.
What Two Years Have Taught Us
The biggest lesson has probably been that people are not asking for something complicated.
They want medicine to feel more human.
They want to know who to call when something comes up.
They want appointments that do not feel like a race against the clock.
They want someone who notices when a recommendation from six months ago was never completed.
They want a doctor who can help them decide what actually matters among the endless health information, testing, supplements, medications, and advice competing for their attention.
In many ways, that is what primary care was always supposed to be.
Looking Ahead
As Encore enters its third year, we are incredibly grateful for the patients who have trusted us with their care and helped shape the practice into what it is today.
We will continue growing thoughtfully while keeping the things that make Encore different: a limited patient panel, longer appointments, direct communication, comprehensive preventive care, and a physician who remains involved even when care extends beyond our office.
Two years in, we still believe what we believed when we opened the doors:
Primary care can be better.
And sometimes, better medicine starts with something very simple: having enough time to actually know your patient.