Buy in The Mansion on Peachtree, get your own doctor

Talk about a selling point in a tough housing market: Buy a home and get a doctor who makes house calls.

If, that is, you have a few million to spend.

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Courtesy of Holly Wolfert

Holly and Rick Wolfert just bought at The Mansion. She said the medical services would be a draw for some.

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City Centre Properties

When residents purchase a home at The Mansion on Peachtree, they receive two years of service from MD on Call.

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Along with butler and concierge service, spa and sauna, buyers who purchase homes at the new luxury high-rise The Mansion on Peachtree receive two years of service from MD on Call, a mobile medical practice that treats patients in their homes.

The Mansion, which opened in Buckhead in May but is yet to be occupied, is believed to be the first residential property in Atlanta and among the first in the country to offer medical services to its homeowners.

“Our resident profile was people who anticipate every service being available to them,” said Clark Butler, president of City Centre Properties, owners and developers of the upscale, 2,500- to 10,000-square-foot residences ranging in price from $2.5 million to $12 million. “It seemed to be a natural fit.”

Neither City Centre, which sought out the partnership with MD on Call, nor other developers or concierge medicine experts contacted knew of any other such arrangements.

It’s a sign of the economic times, said Georgia State University real estate professor Julian Diaz.

“People have got to be very creative in selling real estate now,” said Diaz, noting the economy’s negative impact on even the luxury housing market. To sell to this smaller clientele, developers must differentiate themselves by offering such services. But he doesn’t expect such perks to become a permanent part of the real estate landscape.

“It’s a very specialized market with not a whole lot of players,” he said. “A lot of people would like to sell to that handful, so you’re trying to distinguish yourself among a very select group.”

New homeowners at The Mansion can take advantage of the services, valued at several thousand dollars, once they close on their units. Appointments are not necessary because the physicians group sees patients in their homes, offering everything from a throat culture to an EKG.

Holly and Rick Wolfert received details about the amenity last week when they closed on their new residence at The Mansion. The couple, who moved from Connecticut to Lake Oconee in 2007, plan to maintain their primary residence in Greensboro, so they do not anticipate utilizing the medical services often. Still, they said the service should attract other homeowners, especially retirees and the less mobile.

“It’s a great convenience for people who don’t like to make appointments and go to the doctor,” said Holly Wolfert.

Concierge medicine practices — also called “boutique” or “executive” medicine — are rapidly growing among patients and doctors who seek a higher level of medical service. Doctors charge patients an annual fee ranging from about $1,500 to $20,000 for 24/7 availability by cellphone and e-mail, total body exams and same-day visits. After paying their annual fee, patients can use their insurance plan, in some instances.

An estimated 1,100 concierge practices exist nationwide, most formed by small groups of doctors who limit their practice loads to several hundred patients or fewer, compared to a typical practice’s 2,500.

Atlanta emergency room specialist Ellen Frauenthal founded MD on Call 11 years ago. Her partnership with The Mansion is a new wrinkle for her practice, she said.

MD on Call focuses on preventive medicine, wellness and healthy lifestyles to ensure that patients are not ignoring the things that keep them well, said Frauenthal, who refers to her practice as “health care without the hassle.”

MD on Call services are not covered by insurance, and each annual retainer covers a specified number of hours, depending on size and needs of the family. Her practice’s three physicians limit their patient load to fewer than 100 and conduct lifestyle assessments of their patients to help personalize their medical treatment.

“We become patient advocates,” said Frauenthal, who said her practice has grown mainly by word-of-mouth. “Just like people have financial advisers, we are the equivalent in terms of health care.”