Practicing Both General Medicine and Subspecialty

[commonwealth ki]

I'm wondering if its possible and/or common for people to practice both general internal medicine and a medicine subspeciality (not like cardio but rather endo, rheum, ID, etc.)? How problematic are the billing issues, etc.

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[gutonc]

I'm wondering if its possible and/or common for people to practice both general internal medicine and a medicine subspeciality (not like cardio but rather endo, rheum, ID, etc.)? How problematic are the billing issues, etc.

Happens all the time. You bill for what you do, not who you are.

 

[NastyNick45]

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[commonwealth ki]

Great. This is what I was looking to hear. I'm interested in primary care and subspecialist medicine. Do you think its common in private practice for people to do both?

 

[infarct]

Great. This is what I was looking to hear. I'm interested in primary care and subspecialist medicine. Do you think its common in private practice for people to do both?

If you are relying on referrals from gerneralist...then you essentially steal their patients by wearing both hats, why would anyone refer any patients to you as a subspecialist. you would have to get all your specialty patients from your own general practice.

 

[commonwealth ki]

If you are relying on referrals from gerneralist...then you essentially steal their patients by wearing both hats, why would anyone refer any patients to you as a subspecialist. you would have to get all your specialty patients from your own general practice.

I agree that 'stealing' patients from a generalist who is referring would be counter productive but generalist aren't always the gate keepers anymore. But patients are self-referring frequently and specialistists are referring to other specialists.

 

[pntgrd]

I'm wondering if its possible and/or common for people to practice both general internal medicine and a medicine subspeciality (not like cardio but rather endo, rheum, ID, etc.)? How problematic are the billing issues, etc.

It is very common, espescially with cardiology, pulm, nephrology. I have not really seen it with oncology, though I'm sure it is possible.

 

[staup]

It is very common, espescially with cardiology, pulm, nephrology. I have not really seen it with oncology, though I'm sure it is possible.

It does happen all the times, especially with the lower paying specialty jobs as those docs sometime use it supplement your income. I personally have seen it with noninvasive cardiologist and endocrinologists.

 

[afterthought]

Geriatricians are sometimes so hybridized with GIM that they share offices and office staff, even in large academic medical centers. My father's a subspecialist, and he gave up nearly all GIM in order to keep getting referrals. Bottom line: you can do it, but it ain't easy.