Marcus Welby, MD was a fictional television character.
The developer's use of the Welby concept was to convey the goal of paying the physicians an attractive, flat salary so they could hopefully have time enough with the patient to actually learn more about them and their conditions instead of having to see dozens of patients per hour and spending only 3 minutes with them in order to get enough reimbursement from Medicare and insurance to pay the bills of running the practice. Reimbursement is low and going lower, and insurance companies often call "reasonable and customary charges" what Medicare calls reasonable and customary.....and THAT is less than the costs the providers have to pay to keep the place running.
Obviously people are racing to try to get into these practices in TV, thus the length of time to get an appointment.
The good part is that the TV health system is intent upon getting quality primary care doctors, and apparently they are. Any time somebody asks if they like the dr. they have in one of the existing clinics, there are very good reviews of them.
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