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Jan 23, 2010

Happy belated New Year!

Sorry, I haven't posted much. But as you've probably guessed much has changed! For my readers that are concerned, I will never post wholesale costs.  Our tenants officially vacated our property in December, so we were able to get moving with the build out of our office. We are permitting with the City this week and should have an open private practice (*fingers crossed*) by May 1st!!

General Rule: Always add a few weeks extra when general contractors tell you when you're buildout will be complete.

I've been practicing at a private practice $400 a day, for the last 3 months. Although he offered me a full time position, I declined. I've learned quite a few things from the seniordoc. He has an impeccable reputation with patients, and a devotedly loyal staff (unlike my previous employer), and his office grosses around $1.1 million on 4 days a week! I'll have to post more on his management techniques and what he does different.

Along with this, I took a one year lease at Wal-Mart, 2 days a week to "prep" me. I plan on testing out my exam forms, systems, patient flow and figure out how to verify/bill medical insurance before the private practice is open. I've been averaging about $400 day net profit there also.

So far I've:
  1. Hired two employees. Lesson Learned: How to handle W-4's and do payroll www.paycycle.com
  2. Averaged ~10 patients a day (in 3 months). Lesson Learned: How to manage a front desk, schedule appointments, learn what patients commonly ask, learn how patients treat the front desk, maximize appointments. I will make sure in my private practice that when every patient checks out that we ask "Does anyone else in the family need an appointment?" and I always ask patients to refer friends and family to me at the end of an exam: it works!!!
  3. Become a medical provider (BC/BS). Lesson Learned: How to verify and file insurance. I use Availity.com to verify a patients insurance benefits, and to submit claims. The system is confusing and redundant, so I got on the phone and had Availity walk me through it.
You know what makes me sick though? My exam fees are $79, and the private practice doctors around me charge LESS!!!!  
    I will post more on this!

    2 comments:

    1. glad to hear you are back, I was considering the same thing we are looking in to two office spaces we dont have money to buy land yet. I wish we could talk, i have beaucoups of info regarding pt management and attempts to maintain pt loyalty

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    2. Eyemd, I'd love to hear any ideas on patient management and maximizing loyalty. Let's start a discussion, you can always email me at privatepracticeod@gmail.com!

      ReplyDelete