New practice and patient numbers --

[JustPlainBill]

Hey all -- for those of you that have started a new practice (employed or not) from the ground up --

About how long was it before you started seeing significant (10 per half day) numbers of patients?

I've been open 3 weeks and saw 30 during those three weeks - one friday we had 12 but a colleague I share the building with went out of town and I got his acute business. Other than that, it's been a max of 4 per day....so far this week, we've had 8....

I'm not yet on Medicare/Medicaid/Insurance plans and have been seeing people for goodwill and copay --

Any thoughts? Been on radio, in the newspaper, mailers sent out, chamber of commerce meetings....

what's the norm?

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[DIce3]

Sounds fine. Build the practice slowly. Patients will come regardless of the market you are in. Keep your overhead low and relax.

 

[EdibleEgg]

That's normal. It took about six months for me, then the flood gates opened. In my opinion, advertising in the newspaper, radio, etc is useless. Word of mouth really builds a practice. Take any reasonable opportunity to do some moonlighting; the exposure to patients is much more valuable than just the wage.

 

[SuckySurgeon7]

bumping to see how it turned out, @JustPlainBill

 

[cabinbuilder]

bumping to see how it turned out, @JustPlainBill

He works urgent care now.

 

[SuckySurgeon7]

He works urgent care now.

Thanks

 

[EdibleEgg]

That saddens me.

 

[Dharma]

Is it becoming much more difficult to set up shop and have a solo practice these days? I like the idea of being my own boss and not becoming a slave to some hospital corporation, even if that comes with a bit of risk.

 

[cabinbuilder]

That saddens me.

Well, he didn't have his own practice, he had an employer and like me had to flee from the hateful bureaucracy called administration.

 

[Dharma]

Well, he didn't have his own practice, he had an employer and like me had to flee to the hateful bureaucracy called administration.

Do you have any recommendations for students/residents interested in starting their own practice someday? Are there any solid go-to resources to learn a bit more about the ins and outs?

 

[SuckySurgeon7]

Do you have any recommendations for students/residents interested in starting their own practice someday? Are there any solid go-to resources to learn a bit more about the ins and outs?

I've posted this before, but it's got a lot of info

 

[cabinbuilder]

Do you have any recommendations for students/residents interested in starting their own practice someday? Are there any solid go-to resources to learn a bit more about the ins and outs?

No, sorry. I would never do that to myself and never had that as a vision for myself.

 

[EdibleEgg]

Well, he didn't have his own practice, he had an employer and like me had to flee to the hateful bureaucracy called administration.

Well, that saddens me too.

 

[Dharma]

I've posted this before, but it's got a lot of info

Thanks!

 

[KnuxNole]

It is disheartening to see that it would be difficult to have your own practice. I don't like the idea of being shackled to a hospital ticking checkboxes

 

[Dharma]

It is disheartening to see that it would be difficult to have your own practice. I don't like the idea of being shackled to a hospital ticking checkboxes

I'm on the hunt to find resources to learn more about making a low-key private practice a reality, regardless of location. This is something that no one talks about in med school and I'm assuming very little in residency as well.

It's disheartening to think that going through all of this (school/training/debt) culminates with neo feudalistic serfdom.

 

[cabinbuilder]

It is disheartening to see that it would be difficult to have your own practice. I don't like the idea of being shackled to a hospital ticking checkboxes

Exactly why I do locums. I have yet to find a perm job that wasn't indentured servitude. However, with EMR most of it is clicking boxes. Unless you are on paper it's pretty hard to get away from.