Pathways in medicine are designed to improve clinical outcomes by providing a mechanism to coordinate care and to reduce fragmentation, and ultimately cost. Now think about the pathways you’ve selected to improve the financial as well as clinical outcomes for your practice. Are you achieving YOUR goals or have your goals been subverted by the health system or group practice you belong to?
If your goals are to sustain your independent practice, provide high quality care, have control over your own clinical and financial decisions, then consider the pathways that will best help you achieve those goals. I work with many specialist physicians (gastroenterologists, internists, interventional radiologists, plastic surgeons, etc.) and we take the time to discuss the best pathways for each practice. Pathways to independence may include bringing partners into your practice, maximizing revenue per procedure, actively promoting your ability to help patients achieve the wellness they are looking for, setting up your office to perform more procedures there instead of spending hours driving around to multiple endoscopy centers, surgery centers or hospitals.
With the advent of the new year, now is the best time to consider the pathway you’re on and whether that is the best pathway for you, for your long term livelihood and for your patients’ well being. I’m not advocating for all specialists to develop independent practices, but I am advocating for every physician to carefully evaluate the pathway they’re on and whether that’s the best pathway for them. Don’t succumb to the prevailing trends in medicine – consolidation, mega groups, hospital owned practices……………..if that’s NOT where you want to be or what you want to do.
There are many pathways in the business of medicine and it’s up to YOU to consider the options and select the pathways that will work best for you. Hit me back if you care to discuss this further.