Informal Visit with Group -- Rules??

[Robert Loblaw]

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I will be informally visiting with a group in the near future and I was trying to get a feel for what, if any, are the out-of-bounds questions. They are in a location that I'm interested and have indicated a strong likelihood for need in the next year or two, however, I will not complete my training until July 2012. The following are a list of questions that I can think of asking, can any of the partners comment if some of the questions should be left to a more formal visit or if I'm leaving any important questions out?

(1) OR Volume/OB volume? Direct provide/supervision ratio? Typical concurrency?
(2) Typical day schedule?
(3) Practice finances -- payor population (private/medicare) and average blended unit? average RVU/physician?
(4) Contract status with hospital (renewal/review)?


Thanks, everyone, in advance...

 

[IlDestriero]

Discussing money during an informal visit to look at a practice that is not even currently hiring would be considered inappropriate unless brought up by one of the partners. When the (rude) residents make inquiries about my salary, vague or specific, I just say, "we're well paid for the hours we work, unlike our friends next door (at the adult hospital)." If they want to know, they need to do a fellowship and apply. Broad group finance issues may be ok. For example, is there a subsidy, how long is the contract with the hospital for, is call compensated or evenly split, gross partnership structure, years to partner, locations covered, growth (both recent and planned), etc.
Benefits, compensation, vacation, etc should wait for when they invite you to interview for an actual position. Some groups are quite secretive about compensation, etc.

I will be informally visiting with a group in the near future and I was trying to get a feel for what, if any, are the out-of-bounds questions. They are in a location that I'm interested and have indicated a strong likelihood for need in the next year or two, however, I will not complete my training until July 2012. The following are a list of questions that I can think of asking, can any of the partners comment if some of the questions should be left to a more formal visit or if I'm leaving any important questions out?

(1) OR Volume/OB volume? Direct provide/supervision ratio? Typical concurrency?
(2) Typical day schedule?
(3) Practice finances -- payor population (private/medicare) and average blended unit? average RVU/physician?
(4) Contract status with hospital (renewal/review)?


Thanks, everyone, in advance...

 

[Robert Loblaw]

Discussing money during an informal visit to look at a practice that is not even currently hiring would be considered inappropriate unless brought up by one of the partners. When the (rude) residents make inquiries about my salary, vague or specific, I just say, "we're well paid for the hours we work, unlike our friends next door (at the adult hospital)." If they want to know, they need to do a fellowship and apply. Broad group finance issues may be ok. For example, is there a subsidy, how long is the contract with the hospital for, is call compensated or evenly split, gross partnership structure, years to partner, locations covered, growth (both recent and planned), etc.
Benefits, compensation, vacation, etc should wait for when they invite you to interview for an actual position. Some groups are quite secretive about compensation, etc.

Great, thank you--much appreciated advice. I hadn't thought that I would get into more specifics of whatever package I might potentially be looking at in the future, but was unsure about whether questions regarding general practice finances (blended units, RVUs/physician, etc.) were off-limits.

 

[militarymd]

Discussing money during an informal visit to look at a practice that is not even currently hiring would be considered inappropriate unless brought up by one of the partners. When the (rude) residents make inquiries about my salary, vague or specific, I just say, "we're well paid for the hours we work, unlike our friends next door (at the adult hospital)." If they want to know, they need to do a fellowship and apply. Broad group finance issues may be ok. For example, is there a subsidy, how long is the contract with the hospital for, is call compensated or evenly split, gross partnership structure, years to partner, locations covered, growth (both recent and planned), etc.
Benefits, compensation, vacation, etc should wait for when they invite you to interview for an actual position. Some groups are quite secretive about compensation, etc.

bul l sh it.....what? you're supposed to just decide if a job is good or not, and not ask what you're going to be paid????..

or what you can expect to earn???

Everything is on the table when you're chatting about a practice....unless someone has something to hide.


OH and btw....have you paid your asa dues yet?

what about our pac?

 

[IlDestriero]

bul l sh it.....what? you're supposed to just decide if a job is good or not, and not ask what you're going to be paid????..

or what you can expect to earn???

Everything is on the table when you're chatting about a practice....unless someone has something to hide.


OH and btw....have you paid your asa dues yet?

what about our pac?

Everything is on the table when you're at an interview. He's not going to an interview. I would think it rude to ask such questions. If they want to recruit him early, I would think they might want to bring that up.

ASA dues?

 

[cchoukal]

Everything is on the table when you're at an interview. He's not going to an interview. I would think it rude to ask such questions. If they want to recruit him early, I would think they might want to bring that up.

ASA dues?

I sort of agree (granted, I'm not a partner in a private group). I feel like at an "informal meeting," you'd maybe want to behave more like you're at a residency interview: be polite, interested, interesting, genuine, and curious, without being overbearing-ly enthusiastic, rather than asking about the call schedule and vacation.

 

[militarymd]

Everything is on the table when you're at an interview. He's not going to an interview. I would think it rude to ask such questions. If they want to recruit him early, I would think they might want to bring that up.

ASA dues?

that's right...asa dues....you paid up yet?


your profile on the asahq site indicates that you are an "affiliate"....

why don't you become a real member?


and also why don't you donate to the asapac?

 

[IlDestriero]

that's right...asa dues...

It's none of your business, but since you're being a dick, I was an affiliate as I was entitled to affiliate membership, per the ASA guidelines.
I actually have requested a change to full membership. Feel free to call and check. I assume that when I get the new bill and pay the additional $300 fee associated with the status change they will change my status on the site. I have yet to receive it. Please feel free to update me, and everyone else, when this happens.
While we are on the subject, WTF is your problem and who do you think you are? I shared my personal information to join the private forum, not for moderators like yourself to go on witch hunts and post this kind of bull Shiite on a public forum. I participate in a helpful way, here and on the military forum. What my membership classification is, and what my annual donation is to ANY organization is none of your business, nor the business of anyone but me. As you know, I am a board certified, fellowship trained pediatric anesthesiologist in academic practice, formerly in the service of the US Navy. Why do you feel the need to invade my privacy beyond that? I work with CRNAs and I don't have a very pro CRNA stance. I value my anonymity, it allows me to participate honestly on touchy subjects in a very political professional environment. I go to some lengths to limit and/or obscure personally identifying information. Your post makes me regret sharing my identity with you at all. Remember, it was shared not because i know you and wanted you to know who I was, but simply to gain access to the private forum, as a verified ASA member and anesthesiologist. Will you be posting a spread sheet for everyone? You can probably locate my base salary online, maybe you can post that as well? Poor form from someone in a position of authority with access to private information.👎. Rereading your post, you seem to be trying to imply, on the public forum, that I am not what I claim to be, yet you know who I am, and know that the above is correct.
I don't know who you are, and I don't care, but please stay out of my personal affairs in the future. If you would really like to ask me something personal, feel free to PM.

 

[Idiopathic]

seriously, mil...cut the cord.

 

[Arch Guillotti]

Although this thread has potential, I am closing it since it has been hijacked and appears close to derailing.

If I were the OP I wouldn't worry too much. Just get to know folks and find out how the practice operates. I would ask as many questions as you feel like although I would tread somewhat lightly when it comes to direct inquiries about salary. You don't want to look like an ass.