EM Docs and Private Practice

Started by docdoc121
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docdoc121

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Can an EM doc open up a private practice clinic (when he/she is not in the ER) and practice medicine similar to a FM or Internal Medicine doctor?
 
This is a frequently asked, and reasked question. In short, sure, one could, but why? EM docs are not trained in chronic primary care. First patient that strokes because their HTN wasn't appropriately managed will sue the pants off the doc. Want to do primary care? Then train in primary care.

On the other hand, EM docs can work in "urgent care", which may provide primary care (like the ED), but not chronically in most cases.
 
Funny, seems like I'm a family doctor in the ER all the time. We get a lot of repeat visits. I don't profess to be a primary doctor, try not to act like one, but a lot of days I feel like one.

Make no mistake, if you run an urgent care clinic, you will have repeat customers. They will make up a good percentage of your business. Don't profess to be a primary doctor, try not to act like one, but don't discourage people from giving you business.
 
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Can an EM doc open up a private practice clinic (when he/she is not in the ER) and practice medicine similar to a FM or Internal Medicine doctor?

Yes, you can with some caveats. Legally, once you are a licensed physician you can practice in whatever way you want from the state's perspective. You would, however, have to keep your license from the state medical board, get any appropriate hospital privileges to perform the service, assume liability of whatever you do (standard of care would be what a reasonable physician providing the same services would do), and receive third party payer reimbursement.

Realistically, private private primary care practice would be the only real option as there are already nurse practitioners operating unsupervised in this role and a number of our primary care physicians aren't even residency trained. You would be expected to provide care equal to that of a reasonable PCP in that area. You wouldn't need hospital privileges, and if third party payers don't want to sign you up you could always just accept cash.
 
This is a frequently asked, and reasked question. In short, sure, one could, but why?...EM docs can work in "urgent care", which may provide primary care (like the ED), but not chronically in most cases.

Why, indeed. Even urgent care is a big waste of EM training.

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This is a frequently asked, and reasked question. In short, sure, one could, but why?

My first thought is that someday I might want to retire from the busy ED setting and "settle down" into clinic/primary care medicine a few times a week. I'm thinking I might actually still want to practice medicine when I'm 60, just not as much or in the ED setting.
 
My first thought is that someday I might want to retire from the busy ED setting and "settle down" into clinic/primary care medicine a few times a week. I'm thinking I might actually still want to practice medicine when I'm 60, just not as much or in the ED setting.

Assuming that you're around 30 right now, give or take five years, recognize that the field of medicine will be unrecognizable when you're 60 in 25 to 35 years. Trying to plan that far ahead is not possible.