How do groups view contacting ex-partners

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seinfeld

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Looking at a group which is ideal in almost all regards but they had multiple partners leave in the last 6 months. When i asked them about it i was given reasonable explanations for all of them, and when i asked other partners in different ways they all gave me the same explanations.

It still makes me nervous that a small exodus had occurred with no unifying explanation. It is reasonable to ask the group for phone numbers of the ex-partners so i could talk to them?
 
Looking at a group which is ideal in almost all regards but they had multiple partners leave in the last 6 months. When i asked them about it i was given reasonable explanations for all of them, and when i asked other partners in different ways they all gave me the same explanations.

It still makes me nervous that a small exodus had occurred with no unifying explanation. It is reasonable to ask the group for phone numbers of the ex-partners so i could talk to them?

Absolutely.

If they have something to hide you don't wanna be there anyway, so you have nothing to lose and everything to gain by asking for departing partners phone numbers.
 
Absolutely.

If they have something to hide you don't wanna be there anyway, so you have nothing to lose and everything to gain by asking for departing partners phone numbers.


I would not be as obvious as to ask for the phone numbers from the group, but see chesterfields post below on how to easily find the names and numbers of ex- employees them without telling the group you are interested in contacting their ex-employees.

Finding some who will tell you the whole story is the key. Current employees and partners can't be trusted to tell the truth. Recruiters are paid liars they only know what the partners told them about the group, even if they know the group is bad news they will hide that from you since their sole motivation is getting you to sign up so they get their fee.

Finding the guy who just left or was forced out is the best way to get the whole story. Locum employees of the group may also know what is wrong with the group. If a person has left the group they are highly unlikely to call the group to report that you are asking about the group. If they rat you out and the group acts on that info by not hiring you have proof that you were about to make a big mistake and join a malignant group.



Quote:
Originally Posted by chesterfield
Keep a copy of every communication you have with the group. Record or immediately write a summary of all oral conversation with any group members.

Use this opportunity to investigate the practice. Before you go check out the hospital web site for the names of the Anesthesia doctor who work there. Your goal is to find the names of all the doctors who have left the practice in the last few years. Google all of those names along with the names of the corporation. Asking for this information from the group will get you labeled as a malcontent but to take a job with out an investigation the backgrounds of your employers is a recipe for disaster.

When you get there try to get as many months of the call schedule as possible. Old call schedules often have phone number of recently departed members of the group, plus they tell you how fair the call schedule is.

While you are in town go to the county court house and look up the names of all of the members of the group looking for lawsuits.

If your interview goes well and you are seriously considering the group you need to contact the people who have left to get the real information about how he group treats its employees.

How to find old employees of a group;

Look up all the anesthesiologist in that town with the state licence database,
http://www.docboard.org/docfinder.html

Look up all the anesthesiologist in that town with the AMA directory, ASA Directories for the last three or four years.

Look up all the anesthesiologist in that town with UPIN number search, great for towns with more than one hospital since it lists the billing address with the name separating out different practice locations.
http://upin.ecare.com/
or
http://www.upinregistry.com/provider_form.asp

Another good database dr-411 since it gives some info not seen elsewhere,
http://www.dr-411.com/default.asp


With all the names you have found you should be able to find a few former employees to contact about the group since this is your best source of unbiased information.

These databases will help you get current names and addresses of former employees.

Google is often helpful.

Searching for current phone number and addresses
http://www.zabasearch.com/

or your favorite directory search database.

Doc board is good for finding some one who has moved;
http://www.docboard.org/docfinder.html
which may give a current address.

If you have no luck you might want to invest a few buck and ask your local detective to search for people you can't locate. They also can search for lawsuits more broadly than the court house.

Now call your names and politely ask them to tell you about there experience at your potential employer.

While this is just the basics, your hospital credential application probably will be ten to twenty pages of invasive questions, many of which will be verified. Why shouldn't you know as much about your potential employer?

If you do not find any skeletons in the closet or areas of concern you need to find a competent lawyer and some trusted friends to look at your contract. Finding a lawyer who knows anything about anesthesia contacts is very difficult many attorneys will claim to be able to review a contact. So just because your buddy and fellow resident used that attorney does not say much about his competence in reviewing anesthesia contacts and providing relevant feedback.

Lastly don't ever buy a house until you have been there at least a year or made partner.
But don't say that to the realtor they force you to take a "tour of the town" with, you can be sure that everything you say to her will funnel back the anesthesia group.
 
My point is that theres no need to try and turn into a private eye to reveal the truth, since if the group you are aspiring to.....if they arent willing to tell the truth up front then you don't wanna be there anyway.

Be direct.

Ask for the phone numbers.

If you receive friction you just got an answer that'll probably save you alotta heartache.
 
Looking at a group which is ideal in almost all regards but they had multiple partners leave in the last 6 months. When i asked them about it i was given reasonable explanations for all of them, and when i asked other partners in different ways they all gave me the same explanations.

It still makes me nervous that a small exodus had occurred with no unifying explanation. It is reasonable to ask the group for phone numbers of the ex-partners so i could talk to them?


And do you think the folks who "left", "had to leave", or "got shown the door" is going to give you the "truth"?

I think you should talk with everyone, but realize that their "story" will be tainted because "they" were shown the door.

I personally recruited 6 MD's into my group (and when I say personally, I mean personally...meaning ME and only ME....no other MD's doing the phone interview, the hospital interview...the recruiting dinner...all ME)....5 are now partners...1 got booted by the other 5.

I felt bad for that guy...I ACTIVELY found him other opportunities nearby, so that he wouldn't have to move his family....They fell threw...he did have to move.....

You should have heard the things he said about me to the other folks in our medical community....you would have thought I was Satan himself. Everything he said about me made it back to me, and NONE of it was true.

So yes...go ahead and ask...., but realize that the story they tell you will be tainted.
 
And do you think the folks who "left", "had to leave", or "got shown the door" is going to give you the "truth"?

I think you should talk with everyone, but realize that their "story" will be tainted because "they" were shown the door.

I personally recruited 6 MD's into my group (and when I say personally, I mean personally...meaning ME and only ME....no other MD's doing the phone interview, the hospital interview...the recruiting dinner...all ME)....5 are now partners...1 got booted by the other 5.

I felt bad for that guy...I ACTIVELY found him other opportunities nearby, so that he wouldn't have to move his family....They fell threw...he did have to move.....

You should have heard the things he said about me to the other folks in our medical community....you would have thought I was Satan himself. Everything he said about me made it back to me, and NONE of it was true.

So yes...go ahead and ask...., but realize that the story they tell you will be tainted.

You point out the exact reason why i have not to this point sought out contact info. I knew people in my cush residency who complained about things, while i thought i was living the high life.

I am trying to balance potentially coming off as a di*k versus potentially getting screwed.
 
You point out the exact reason why i have not to this point sought out contact info. I knew people in my cush residency who complained about things, while i thought i was living the high life.

I am trying to balance potentially coming off as a di*k versus potentially getting screwed
.


Whether you act like a di ck or not...you're eventually going to have to spread your legs/or bend over to see how you're going to get it....just like to 6 folks who joined me.
 
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