Building up private practice

[randomdoc1]

So I am 5 months into private practice. I'm billing about $900 worth of expenses a day, a combination of intakes and follow-ups. A little TMS stuff too. So, any advice on how I can get more referrals without coming off like some sort of cheesy telemarketer? I was thinking of approaching some therapy clinics and some private family practices letting them know that I am around and giving my cards if they'd like to refer some patients for med management. One of the prescribers at my practice said that is what she did and it really helped. I'm hoping this will help and I am trying to not recruit too many train wrecks/Xanax seekers/etc. Someone else mentioned that there are some psych inpatient units who have a shortage of outpatient psychiatrists to refer to as well and I can approach them. I thought about it but I've rotated at those sites and generally have not been too keen on taking certain types of cases that end up there. Appreciate the thoughts!

Also, is this an appropriate rate that my practice is building up at or is it kind of slow for a psych practice? How long did it take you guys to fill up? I only do one day a week there. I presume I'd probably fill faster if I had more availability?

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[slappy]

I'm sure that is a difficult question to answer for most people. Surely the rate would depend upon where you're practicing (population, competition, etc)?

Also, you seem to have gotten solid advice so far. Make sure to refer some patients to those therapy clinics in return as well to keep the relationship growing. And the usual gift baskets and stuff. Are you limiting the types of insurances you take? How many hours a week are you working on average?

 

[randomdoc1]

I'm sure that is a difficult question to answer for most people. Surely the rate would depend upon where you're practicing (population, competition, etc)?

Also, you seem to have gotten solid advice so far. Make sure to refer some patients to those therapy clinics in return as well to keep the relationship growing. And the usual gift baskets and stuff. Are you limiting the types of insurances you take? How many hours a week are you working on average?

Great advice! I'll be sure to refer patients to those therapy clinics as well and offer gifts and such. Yes, I am limiting some of my insurances but I am in the big ones like UBH, Anthem, Medicare, Humana, WPS, WEA. Not taking things like Medicaid as I heard the reimbursement is not very good. I work one day week (usually I end up working 4-7 hours that day directly with patients) at the private place and 2 days a week under a health system. I'm practicing in a relatively busy area with lots of medical clinics and it is near a big mall too.

 

[Shikima]

Getting your name out to the various therapists in the community will help a lot. Also develop relationships with the PCPs too.

 

[finalpsychyear]

How many patients are you seeing on the one day?

 

[randomdoc1]

How many patients are you seeing on the one day?

Anywhere from 4-8. Some intakes and some follow-ups. I do half hour follow ups and 1 hour intakes. My follow ups are often 99213+90833. My latest appointment is 3:30pm though. Got kids...

I may just slowly wind down the work I do separately under a healthcare system and keep trying to expand my private practice though. Like I said, the pay can be much better than the system I currently work under and I LOVE the autonomy. It's the trick of getting that consistent flow of patients.

 

[finalpsychyear]

Anywhere from 4-8. Some intakes and some follow-ups. I do half hour follow ups and 1 hour intakes. My follow ups are often 99213+90833. My latest appointment is 3:30pm though. Got kids...

I may just slowly wind down the work I do separately under a healthcare system and keep trying to expand my private practice though. Like I said, the pay can be much better than the system I currently work under and I LOVE the autonomy. It's the trick of getting that consistent flow of patients.

So the patients that are coming to you are they referrals from pcps or patients who found out about you through panels? Just hang in there. I started 2.5 months ish and wanted two full days and I am already there. Before I started I did meet a few pcps and then word gets around.
I signed up for all the panels so that helped minus medicaid. I also live in more of an underserved areas and the psych docs around here are terrible as i am getting their patients. Reputation builds fast. Do good work and def introduce yourself to some pcps/therapists.

 

[Ahamis]

So the patients that are coming to you are they referrals from pcps or patients who found out about you through panels? Just hang in there. I started 2.5 months ish and wanted two full days and I am already there. Before I started I did meet a few pcps and then word gets around.
I signed up for all the panels so that helped minus medicaid. I also live in more of an underserved areas and the psych docs around here are terrible as i am getting their patients. Reputation builds fast. Do good work and def introduce yourself to some pcps/therapists.

Why would you get all the panels if the area is undeserved and the psych docs are terrible there? why not cash practice?

 

[nexus73]

My experience is family doctors love having psychiatrists to refer patients to. Most family doctors are managing much more psych than they want.

 

[medicool]

Dont forget local/county medical societies, I am a resident and their email list is very vast and will have a good reach IMHO. They always have some or the other meetings and you can volunteer to do an educational session.

 

[Shikima]

Why would you get all the panels if the area is undeserved and the psych docs are terrible there? why not cash practice?

Likely are poor and live paycheck to paycheck, heavily relying on whatever insurance they can get.

 

[finalpsychyear]

Why would you get all the panels if the area is undeserved and the psych docs are terrible there? why not cash practice?

this is not an area where you have patients with much money and it would take much longer to fill. Plus an avg 20 min visit with the contracts I have is about 120.00 which isn't bad. Not sure what the cash rates are.

 

[PistolPete]

My experience is family doctors love having psychiatrists to refer patients to. Most family doctors are managing much more psych than they want.

Very true. A close friend of mine is an FP and he hates having to deal with "all the psych patients."

 

[dl2dp2]

I suspect if you do a very minimal amount of marketing (i.e. internet) and call local PMD office and perhaps have lunch with a few, and say you take X Y Z insurance you'll fill to the brim in about 3-6 months.