The Business: Dr. Charles Marable This doctor is always in… Dr. Marable practices top-notch patient relations and care By Will Jordan Imagine if you will… a doctor’s office without a crowded waiting room… no sneezing or wheezing… an open phone line that is answered by a human not an automated voicemail service… and getting to see your doctor “on time.” Is it just a dream or does a doctor’s office like this really exist? Dr. Charles Marable aims to make this type of patient care more of a reality in Williamson County. “At MPH (Marable Personal Healthcare), we are committed to preserving that vital patient-physician relationship,” Marable says. “We accomplish this by limiting the size of our practice, allowing me to offer members an unparalleled access to care.” Dr. Marable is following the footsteps of a handful of doctors around the country who are dramatically changing their practices from a “fast-food” approach to health care, shuffling thousands through their offices a year, to what’s known as patient-financed health care (or consumer-driven health care). In January 2007, MPH opened as the first membership-based (concierge) medical practice in Tennessee. “Now I have time to personally focus on each patient’s concerns,” he explains. “Our unique practice eliminates waiting rooms and complicated phone trees. We replace them with prompt, personal service in a comfortable, discrete setting.” Dr. Marable likens his new practice to the family doctors of the past who traded phone numbers, made house calls and built their medical practices on personal relationships with families. When Dr. Marable began to think about this type of “concierge medical service,” he became impassioned about the philosophy but knew it would be very risky to take the plunge. In fact, the day he terminated service with his insurance companies, he lost all of his patients overnight. “It’s very risky, especially in this part of the country, where people are not as aware of their options,” he says. “People are so used to managed health care and insurance. I work for the patient now, not a third-party insurance company.” This means Dr. Marable does not deal with insurance companies. Instead, he accepts an annual fee that covers the medical services he provides. A heartfelt change… Dr. Marable sent out a letter to his patients several months before he changed his practice. In the letter, he explained his “heart and reason for doing this” as well as what it was going to entail. “The feedback I got was overwhelmingly positive,” he says. “Most everybody thought it was a great idea, but some had health insurance provided by their employer and couldn’t make the move financially, which I certainly understand.” But those that made the leap with Dr. Marable say they feel they’ve gotten their money’s worth. “Dr. Marable has been my doctor since I moved here in 2000,” says John Alexander, a MPH patient. “When he went into this, it was not covered by my company’s health plan, but I didn’t hesitate making the move. The phone calls to him are answered almost immediately. He spends all the time I need on any ailment advice he can offer and gives me a level of comfort I’ve never experienced with any other physician.” Nancy Schwartz, another patient, says that she is glad she has Dr. Marable as her physician. “I recently had back surgery, and I couldn’t get the attention I needed from my doctor and surgeon and truly felt abandoned,” Schwartz says. “I read about MPH and consulted with my husband, who’s also a physician. He told me he wished every doctor could do what Dr. Marable is doing. I was here for two hours on my first visit. I’ve never had so much personal attention from a doctor in my whole life. I’m just thrilled about what he’s doing and hope it catches on around the country.” While Dr. Marable can’t actually perform back surgery, he can be a patient’s advocate when dealing with such a traumatic procedure. “I actually even went with one of my patients to visit with a surgeon to ask questions. The surgeon said he never had a family doctor do that before,” Dr. Marable says with a laugh. Knowing his patients on a deeper level… Dr. Marable has a gift for relating to his patients. He speaks in a calm, soothing, careful tone and has a patience that resonates with every visit. His boyish looks and bright blue eyes add charm to his persona, is and he has a genuine passion for medicine and for people’s well being that transcends a typical doctor’s office visit. “This is a perfect kind of practice for Dr. Marable,” says Krystal Husemann, an on-call RN provider who works for Dr. Marable when needed. “He’s the kind of doctor that cares about the whole person – mentally, socially, spiritually as well as physically. That’s pretty rare these days. It’s a whole mind-shift from the traditional way of working with patients.” Dr. Marable says he believes that time is his most valuable tool in caring for his patients. He says he spends as much time as is needed with each individual. The average physician cares for 3,000 to 5,000 patients. These high volumes often limit a physician's time with each patient to eight to 10 minutes. At MPH, an annual fee-based membership allows Dr. Marable to significantly limit the size of his practice, translating into more personalized attention and a higher level of service for each member. He calls it “sublime care.” “Gone is the assembly-line approach to health care,” he says. “At MPH, we provide a comfortable, discrete setting with direct access to your physician. Each appointment is scheduled to allow ample time to address all of your concerns.” Fortunately, Dr. Marable’s family supports his entrepreneurial enterprises.  “Everyone was excited about the changes,” he says. “I’m still quite busy, but my time is more flexible and now I can be at more school events and family outings.” Dr. Marable does get the occasional middle-of-the-night phone calls. “But that’s part of the job – if I can help someone by answering questions they may have about their health, I may save them a trip to the emergency room and at the very least give them peace of mind,” he says. “Solo private practice is on the endangered species list. If we don’t do something quickly, we won’t have it around. Only several hundred out of 800,000 doctors across the country are doing what I do.” About the good doctor… Dr. Charles Marable, his wife Angela and four children, Morgan, 13, Alexandra, 12, Trenton, 9 and Beck, 5, have made Franklin their home for the past nine years. Dr. Marable is a board certified Family Physician who graduated from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in 1991 and completed a residency in Family Medicine at Halifax Medical Center in Daytona Beach, Florida. He then practiced in Little Rock, Ark., for almost five years before moving to Tennessee. Dr. Marable is prepared to provide comprehensive care for the entire family, including pediatrics, adult medicine, women’s health and geriatrics. For those considering membership in MPH, schedule an informal interview with Dr. Marable to ensure that this style of medical care is a good fit. “We would like to personally answer any questions you may have before you make your decision,” he says. “Please call or e-mail our office to schedule a visit.” Marable Personal Health Care (MPH) is located at 2001 Mallory Lane, Suite 202, Franklin, TN 37067. For more information call 615.771.8181 or visit the Web site at www.sublimecare.com.