With his innovative healthcare model, Dr. Sustache prioritizes patient connection | Business

MARLBOROUGH – The waiting room at Dr. Gilberto Sustache, Jr.’s Marlborough office tells you everything you need to know about his practice. There are only two chairs – a clear signal you won’t be sitting in one long.

After decades in the traditional healthcare system, Dr. Sustache is familiar with the pressure doctors face racing from patient to patient, trying to keep up with the tremendous amount of work. At his new, membership-based practice, Dr. Sustache offers a different approach – one based on connection, conversation, and convenience.

With this new model, gone are the days of the “5-minute physical,” where doctors are forced into less-than-extensive health screenings in an effort to move onto the next patient. Instead, Dr. Sustache offers what most physicians no longer can: time to talk, robust wellness exams, and a real relationship between doctor and patient.

“I talk to 40- and 50-year-olds who are aging and transitioning into different seasons of life. They want to have a relationship with their doctor, and they want to know what their health is like,” said Dr. Sustache. “They want questions answered, they want people engaged with them, and you can’t do that in the traditional healthcare system.”

Dr. Sustache’s practice is affiliated with MDVIP, a subscription-based service that makes booking appointments easy. He sees fewer patients than the average physician, allowing more time for one-on-one connections, medical attention, and an opportunity for a lasting, meaningful physician-patient relationship.

There’s less waiting time – same- and next-day appointments are possible – and Dr. Sustache can be reached after hours for emergencies. Because Dr. Sustache gives you more attention, MDVIP patients generally experience better outcomes. For example, peer-reviewed studies show that patients in similar practices as Dr. Sustache required hospitalization 70 percent less often.

“Some people go to the doctor’s office as a chore, and they just want it to be over,” said Dr. Sustache. “But when you’re invested in something, you’re dealing with people who want to be there. It’s been really nice getting to really know all my patients.”

It also helps that Dr. Sustache is a genuinely caring and nice person. A former shortstop at Brown University, he always knew he liked medicine, but thought it was reserved for geniuses. With some convincing from his three roommates who were looking to go into the field, he decided to take some pre-med classes.

The rest is history. After going to UMass Medical School and doing his residency at Memorial Herman in Houston, Dr. Sustache returned home to Marlborough and opened his family medicine practice. A talented physician, he’s still down-to-earth and easy to connect with.

After all, Dr. Sustache’s first passion was teaching. It’s something he continues to love today.

“No doubt I’m still a teacher, the classroom is just different. Patients teach me, I teach them, and it’s just the University of Life. I don’t feel I’ve missed out in terms of teaching. That’s what’s exciting about my new practice – it gives me the time, and I’m dealing with people who want to be there,” he said.

Dr. Sustache, who also speaks Spanish, is currently accepting new patients in his practice. Learn more by visiting mdvip.com/DrSustache or calling 508-244-4453. His office is located on 65 Boston Post Road, Suite 100, in Marlborough.