As he went to medical school and through post graduate training in Arizona -- he is board certified in both internal medicine and pediatrics -- he began to think more and more about how he could incorporate hospitality into healthcare, believing that one day Las Vegas could grow into an international medical tourism destination.
“You have to remember that in medicine you are in the service industry,” Dr. George says. “In Las Vegas, hospitality is at the forefront of every major business and is the leading competitive factor to success. Every major hotel/casino extensively trains staff, no matter their position, on the attitude and language required to acknowledge guests and create a welcoming atmosphere to set their brand apart from the rest. Why not extend this idea of customer service and hospitality to healthcare? Patients want to feel welcomed and appreciated, especially while seeking medical care. Understanding that patients are truly guests of the healthcare system is the first critical step of incorporating hospitality into healthcare and helping Las Vegas grow as an international medical tourism destination.”
When he returned to Las Vegas from Arizona, he made sure to incorporate the idea of hospitality into his private practice. That philosophy is on display today since his founding in 2017 of EPITOMEDICAL, a medical practice combining both internal medicine and pediatrics, offering concierge medicine 24/7 to family members of all ages. In
addition
, George developed an app, powered by EPITOMEDICAL, called Vedius, which provides patients direct access to the finest medical care from their smartphone. Vedius patients
can be seen the same-day and be treated by a physician in their hotel room, taking the guesswork out of finding quality healthcare for those traveling.
During his career, Dr. George has developed five core values he believes physicians would be wise to include in their practice of medicine. In addition to hospitality, they are:
Humility -- “Being a doctor takes hard work but it is also a unique privilege and you need to remember that..”
Respect -- “Your medical care should always look to the individual patient regardless of demographics. Medical conditions don’t discriminate nor should you as a healthcare provider.”
Integrity --”Be upfront with your patient, follow up with them and keep them updated constantly. Also maintain confidentiality at all times.”
Accountability -- “As a physician you must be reliable and answer to those who trust us, including our patients, colleagues and our community in general.”
His ideas and opinions have resonated across the country and overseas. Last year Reader’s Digest editors sought his insight on questionable health trends and both Reader’s Digest and MSN.Com shared his advice on aging with international audiences..
Dr. George wants to see the UNLV School of Medicine grow into an academic medical center that improves the health of Las Vegas for generations to come. When he shared his ideas about medicine with the school’s founding dean, Dr. Barbara Atkinson, she saw how valuable he would be on the school’s Community Engagement Board, where he is now an important contributor.
When he offered to donate stethoscopes to incoming medical students and share his ideas with students during a ceremony where they would receive the long recognized symbol of the medical profession, Dr. Atkinson was happy to have him do so.
“I want to do all I can,” says Dr. George, “to bring the best medical care to Las Vegas.”
To make an appointment with Dr. Constantine George: (702) 419-3482
