SUFFOLK—Dr. Christopher Dowd, formerly of Franklin, has opened Cornerstone Private Practice on Bridge Road, bringing to northern Suffolk concierge medicine — an innovative and relatively new choice in medical care.

Concierge medicine is a more personalized kind of medicine, he said.

“My experience in health care in Hampton Roads over the last decade has included the entire spectrum of care, ranging from traditional office practice to hospital care, from caring for young children to caring for long-term and skilled nursing care patients,” Dowd said. “As a result, I have seen a lot of what’s good in medical care and a lot that needs improvement.”

Concierge medicine has been compared to private education. Patients pay extra to get more of their doctor’s time as well as services that are not traditionally covered by their health insurance, such as comprehensive exams, increased accessibility, longer and on-time office visits and enhanced preventive care.

“This kind of medicine has been called a lot of things,” Dowd said. “But it is best described as personal medicine. I believe it is the best way to provide comprehensive, whole-person health care tailored to the individual.”

His practice will focus on preventive and proactive care, and helping patients achieve a healthy lifestyle.

For more information on Cornerstone Private Practice, call 757-337-4018.

Dowd, who is board certified in internal and family medicine, had his first practice in Courtland. He spent several years at hospitals in Portsmouth and Chesapeake, and is an assistant professor at Eastern Virginia Medical School.

He is married to Cynthia Corliss and lives in Suffolk with their five children.