In an age when healthcare often feels rushed and impersonal, Dr. Charity Kates and Dr. Gary Klein are betting on something radical: time. Not just more time with patients, but the time to listen, follow up, and truly partner in long-term health.
Since opening WellcomeMD in 2019, Dr. Kates and Dr. Klein have led their Charlotte- and Mooresville-based practices with a distinctly modern approach to concierge medicine—what they call “Concierge 2.0.” They operate independent of the large healthcare systems that dominate the Charlotte market, and with fewer patients per physician than typical concierge models, and a focus on proactive care, they’re aiming to rewire the way primary care works. The result is something surprisingly rare: a doctor who knows your name, your goals, and has the time to help you meet them.
And WellcomeMD’s two clinics offer more than boutique medical services. Theirs is a response to a system that often leaves patients waiting and physicians burned out. By embracing accessibility, health coaching, and advanced treatments that include early cancer screenings and microbiome testing, Dr. Kates and Dr. Klein are hoping to bring back something medicine has been missing: a meaningful connection.
Here, the doctors tell us more about just what makes WellcomeMD so different from conventional primary care, and from other concierge practices.
What is concierge or membership medicine exactly, and what makes it unique?
These days going to the doctor is a hassle. You often have to wait months to just get an appointment, then you wait to be seen, then you wait for tests and results. Concierge medicine offers its members same-day appointments, 24/7 access to your doctor, “waitless” waiting rooms, and a more holistic approach to treatment. Both our physicians are well versed in functional or “root-cause” medicine.
Tell us about why you emphasize functional medicine and what that is exactly.
Functional medicine is an area of medicine that focuses specifically on how and why disease occurs for each individual and allows for a personalized treatment plan. If a patient comes in with high blood pressure our doctor’s immediate response is not always to just put them on a prescription drug. They’re going to ask questions: What are you eating? How much exercise are you getting? What kind of stress are you under? If we can get to the root of what’s giving you high blood pressure, we may be able to manage it and you won’t need to take medication.
What can a new patient expect and who is WellcomeMD right for?
WellcomeMD is perfect for anyone who is currently frustrated with their health care, whether you’re tired of being sent to urgent care when you’re sick, not being listened to, or just need a little more hands-on guidance to help manage your health and wellness.
What might someone be surprised to learn about your services?
We do take insurance. Although we have an annual membership fee that is not covered by insurance, all our appointments are billed to insurance just like in the traditional care model.
Do you see functional and Western medicine as complementary?
Absolutely. Our doctors see functional medicine as another tool in their toolbox. Western medicine has accomplished great things in the form of drugs, procedures, and acute care treatments. Functional medicine puts focus back on things we can affect every day like diet, exercise, and stress levels to optimize our health so we can prevent needing some of these medications, surgical interventions and chronic diseases.
