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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Winged Scapula" data-source="post: 6549190" data-attributes="member: 4288">For most of us, I think it was a process learned on the job. Physicians are notoriously bad business people because we don't have the time or interest to spend learning about it.During residency I picked up a vague understanding that the concept of coding and billing existed by looking at our check-out/billing sheets and some of the attendings would let me fill them out.My fellowship PD was much more interested and knowledgeable about this aspect of practice and took the time to teach me. I took the ACS Coding and Billing Courses as well. The SSO, ASBS and some vendors generally offer coding courses or practice management classes. I just came back from a "Modern Breast Practice" conference in Dallas paid for by Ethicon and it was extremely helpful in understanding how to run a practice...the lecturers were some of the best known PP breast surgeons in the country and it was a small group (only 10 of us). These types of things are around, but are generally easier to access during fellowship when your schedule is more flexible than during residency.I often recommend a book called "Finding the Right Job After Residency" to understand some basics about job contracts, employment models, etc. My partner is very understanding and helps me when I have questions, but I've obviously made a lot of mistakes and keep learning. My next project is to figure out if I can afford to buy into an ASC and whether its a good idea at this point in my career.Its not hard to understand; it just takes time and interest. And when you realize that knowing more about it can make you more money, well the interest isn't hard to drum up. <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite192" alt=";)" title="Wink    ;)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=";)" />You HAVE to develop some business skills if you are running a breast center (because your cost centers will be monitored) or in PP. People will try and rip you off; so unless your mother is doing your books, you need to be aware of what you bill, how much it should pay and what you are getting, as well as what funds are coming in and out of the office.Outside of PP, it behooves even academic surgeons to be aware of this and to use it to their potential. For example, my fellowship PD is very knowledgeable and as such, he bills more than any of the other surgeons in the Surg Onc department. So when he wants more time off or more money, he only has to show that he more than "earns his keep". Junior faculty also need to show that they are worth the salary they are being paid, so by learning ways to maximize income for your employer (the hospital) you keep your position more stable than the guy who is being paid more than he bills and collects. More and more employers will start to keep on surgeons on a pay for performance measure and the low producers may find themselves with a pay cut or no job at all.You shouldn't be daunted as its easy to get started learning this stuff; keeping up with the constant changes (like recoding a majority of the breast CPTs last year, after I had memorized all the old ones) is hard.</blockquote>

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