When Jana Feanney, a recent transplant from Europe to South Florida, discovered she was pregnant with her first child, her first step was to go online to search the reviews of local obstetricians.

“Dr. Sam had the highest reviews” was Jana’s explanation for choosing to schedule an appointment with Elite Obstetrics and Gynecology, a concierge-style obstetrics practice.

Concierge-style medical practices are a small but growing trend among certain areas of private medicine. In the past decade, the majority of concierge practices (which are also referred to as personal care, or direct care medicine) have been cardiologists, family practices and pediatrics. It is just now taking hold in the obstetrics community.

Concierge medical practices provide more personalized care. They do so by limiting the number of patients they accept into their practice. The number of patients can be as small as 10 percent of those seen in a traditional practice setting.

Dr. Lanalee Araba Sam, Feanney’s obstetrician, promises each patient she will be present for the entire labor and delivery. She also provides patients with 24/7 access by cellphone, ultrasounds throughout the pregnancy, and no waiting for their extended appointments. This personalized care package, which includes all prenatal visits and the delivery, is not generally covered by insurance.

Nevertheless, Sam’s practice has more than doubled since she began Elite Obstetrics and Gynecology in 2007.

“Millennials get this,” Sam said of the personalized care she offers.

They want someone who will partner with them in their birthing decisions, she said. They also want a personal relationship and connection that a concierge practice offers.

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When Kathryn Robinson couldn’t get in touch with her obstetrician, or even a nurse to answer a question during her second pregnancy, she looked for a different provider. That’s when she discovered Sam.

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“A lot of women hire a doula or a midwife to walk them through the labor and delivery process,” Robinson told LifeZette. “With Dr. Sam, I had all those things rolled into one.”

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Michael Hermosa is co-founder of South Florida-based Concierge Pregnancy, a new program that assists obstetricians in developing successful concierge practices. Hermosa said today’s patients are more informed and educated about their health choices.

“Recent studies show that millennials are unlike previous generations in their spending priorities,” said Hermosa. “Instead of material possessions, they value life experiences more.

“It is time for this,” he said of concierge-style health care for obstetrics.

Obstetrics works well for the concierge model because of the nine-month care commitment for each patient. With pediatrics, the term of care spans birth through the teenage years, making concierge care an even more practical choice for families.

When your pediatrician visits a child’s school instead of just prescribing medication for an ADHD diagnosis, it is easy to recognize the value of that investment.

When Tracey Autry’s Nashville pediatrician, Dr. Eddie Hamilton, sold his traditional practice and opened his new concierge pediatrics office, she was more than happy to follow.

The Autrys have one child, Keelan, who is 4 years old and has autism.

“The 24/7 access to our pediatrician has made a huge difference,” said Autry.

Standard clinic waiting rooms with crowds of people, and longer wait times can be an issue for children with autism, Autry. said With the new concierge model, she has 24/7 access to Hamilton by phone or email and can get same-day appointments with no long wait times.

Hamilton said many of his patients find his concierge membership fees, which cover unlimited office visits, actually lower than their out-of-pocket medical costs. The high quality of personalized care he offers has attracted parents who tend to be more proactive about the physical and mental health of their children. When a pediatrician actually visits a child’s school instead of just prescribing medication for an ADHD diagnosis, it is easy for parents to recognize the value of their investment.

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Dr. Chad Rudnick, a pediatrician in Boca Raton, Florida, said his concierge practice combines modern technology with old-fashioned patient care. His first visit with a newborn will be at the child’s home, not in his office. He also offers virtual care appointments using technology like the Otohome, an iPhone attachment that securely sends inner ear video to his office for frequent ear infection issues.

Dr. Edna Tello, another Florida pediatrician, switched her practice to 100-percent in-home visits 10 years ago, after hurricanes devastated the area and shuttered most doctors’ offices and clinics.

“Neighbors who knew I was a pediatrician would call and ask if I could come to their house because their child was ill,” Tello said.

She loved the relaxed setting and the fact she could take her time, instead of rushing to meet the 6- to 10-minute limits that were imposed on her in other business models.

With 80 percent of family health care decisions made by women, according to a Mindshare marketing study from 2014, and with 66 percent of all women feeling misunderstood by health care marketers, many in the industry are rethinking their model of care. The trend appears to be that, when given the option, many women are willing to choose a higher quality of care over that offered by the traditional medical system.