Unsure about Obama's Health Plan Initiatives?

I need some help here. Hopefully someone can explain the implications of Obama’s proposed health plan changes to me in such a way that 1.) I understand, and 2.) Doesn’t cause me to go all “post office”. Surely the American Medical Association and other groups who represent doctors (especially doctors in private practices) won’t sell our soul for chicken feed. As a group we never recovered from allowing “managed care” manage the care we provide to our patients. Not to mention the reimbursement. I’m still a bit envious of my dentist friends who practice a much purer form of healthcare. And peoples’ teeth are looking ever whiter to me all the time! Not sure about their coronaries, but their teeth do shine.

Please share your insights about the changes Obama’s universal health plan will bring to our lives. Will we be better off, never giving away “free” care again, or will we be working even harder but for less pay and satisfaction? Will patients be better off, as an aggregate, or just the one’s who had minimal care in the past? Will we be able to emphasis preventive medicine with government support? Will Obamacare be coupled with national Tort reform? I’m trying to be optimistic, but deep down I’m getting that sick feeling again. Please share your comments!

Purchasing Medical Supplies and Services

Depending on the nature of your specialty, a large amount of supplies may be consumed by your medical practice. These items range from tongue depressors and table paper, to medications such as lidocaine and Penicillin for IM injection. Then there are the special purchases such as the flu vaccine, tetanus shots and the myriad of immunizations that pediatricians and family practitioners need to administer on a regular basis. Read more

Buying or Selling A Medical Practice

One way to jump start your own private practice is to buy one already operating. Many practicing physicians hope to sell their medical practice when they retire, either to their current partners or to a physician or group of physicians finishing their training. Buying or selling a medical practice is not like selling a car, or even a house or typical business. Usually only attorneys and licensed brokers can be used, not just for the sale, but even to determining a fair valuation for the practice. Read more

Improve Outcomes in Private Medical Practice

It’s all about “outcomes” these days. I’m referring to all the initiatives to measure and compare the clinical care we provide against the results. Much of medicine can be measured with datapoints, but because medicine is as much an art as a science, in my opinion, these new initiatives probably miss the benefits obtained with the “soft” stuff. Read more

Book Review: Start Your Own Medical Practice

Start Your Own Medical Practice by Judge William Huss and Marlene M. Coleman is a concise, straight-forward read that provides a good overview for a doctor beginning to plan a new private practice. It can be read in one or two sittings, and provides links to many other useful resources. The authors do not go in depth about any specific aspect of getting started, but they do provide a simple stepwise plan for action. For the price, it’s an excellent value.

Critical Office Staff

Every doctor in private practice knows how important their Practice Manager is to the overall business vitality of their medical practice, but I’d argue that maybe the next most important person you hire is your receptionist. Your patients may love you but if they are not warmly and professionally received in your office or when they call, they will paint your whole practice as “rude” and may eventually decide to look elsewhere for their care. Read more

« Previous Page — Next Page »