Dr. Woods, who is board certified in internal medicine, practices at 207-B Stonebridge Boulevard.

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Physician debuts ‘premier wellness’ in practice

Dr. John Woods is forming a new relationship with a growing number of his patients.

It focuses on prevention, he says, and it gives those patients who participate a special relationship in his practice.

Dr. Woods, who specializes in primary care for adults, sees this relationship as a way to provide a level of “premier wellness” in his clinic.

A patient pays him an annual retainer fee of $1,500 ($2,500 for a couple). In exchange he provides …

• An extended wellness review once a year. The patient fills out a questionnaire ahead of time, and Dr. Woods researches and prepares in advance for health topics on the patient’s mind. This could be anything from Alzheimer’s disease to stopping smoking.

• Faster accessibility to him when acute care is needed. Patients, for example, have his cell phone number. If they come to the clinic for acute care, they will be given the next available examination room.

It’s a new, but growing concept in the physician/patient relationship, Dr. Woods says. Other physicians in the country are adopting the concept, but he thinks he is the first in Jackson to do so.

“Patients who are interested in wellness can pay me for my time and expertise and have guaranteed access,” he explained. “At a basic level, this lessens the impact of third party players in the patient/doctor relationship.”

With this premier wellness concept, he said, his clinic still bills for services covered by insurance. He also is continuing to see patients in a traditional relationship.

Dr. Woods started contracting with some of his patients in 2008. He has seen the number of patients participating grow since then.

“This is not an extra charge for medical service,” he explained. “It’s about wellness and having quicker access to me. People are interested in both.”