Add income and don't close your practice!

[Guest guest]

Hello, group. I am new to you and would like to share my experience.

I am reading about the frustrations of the family doctors in private practice. I am one of those who has been frustrated despite being in solo practice for almost 10 years and in group practice for 10 before that. I am located in Cleveland suburbs.

I have been looking for ways to stay in practice by increasing my revenue. A while ago, I added travel medicine to my practice (pre-travel care to those going to developing countries) which is quite lucrative since there is NO insurance involvement. This way I can continue to care for the rest of my patients and not close my practice. I also feel that I am providing a very needed service since 60% of the 11 million who travel to developing countries each year get NO pre-travel care despite being at risk for malaria, yellow fever, typhoid, etc.

Now I started a network of mostly family doctors to who added travel medicine to their practices. This allows us to market as a group and negotiate as a group. I would be glad to share info and help add travel medicine for those interested. Please feel free to e-mail or call me.

Alla Kirsch M.D.

cell

Subject: Re: i am closing my practiceTo: Date: Wednesday, October 22, 2008, 11:11 AM

Larry,Good luck and keep us posted about how you are doing. It's beenseveral years now since we first discussed EMRs. I remember youcalling on the phone about it, and then we set up a remote displayon-line. I know you chose AC over the tkFP home brew EMR, but I stillalways found your insights valuable. You are still a member of thegroup, so keep in touch. I am having a lot of the same troubles makingthe numbers come out. I'm meeting today with the hospital to try towork out something about how to pay the back rent I owe. They arepossibly going to put a neurosurgeon in the building one day a weekwhich would reduce my rent. The other big problem I have right now isthe take over of Medicare reimbursement by Palmetto GBA has resultedin Medicare claims suddenly not going through for me. I've convertedto paper claims temporarily, but don't know if they are processingthem or how long it will be

until I get paid. One can sometimesafford to give away some of your time to provide care for people, butgoing into debt to provide a nice office, supplies and other amenitiesfor them and not getting paid is another thing altogether. Caldwell>> hello all, hope everything is going well.> i am closing my practice, and that's why i haven't been here verymuch lately.> i have done a realistic reassessment of the numbers, and yet againconcluded that my practice does not support me financially with anysignificant degree of stability and/or security, nor does it permit meto even take a vacation, or pay off my medical school debt.> now, with the current economic crisis, things are worse, sincepatients

often have to make decisions between gasoline, food, andtheir copay.> i have been on this list for a long time, and i hope i've been ableto offer some useful advice.> i certainly have received a great deal of information from all ofyou, and find that it's best reviewed in digest form, LOL.> i am selling my equipment, so if there is anyone in the pacificnorthwest looking for an exam table, ekg machine, two autoclaves (onefully automatic with printout), supplies, etc, please email me off list.> i am remaining in the area, and will be continuing to work as adoctor, caring for patients.> i will give more details after i've settled into my new position.> good luck to all of you.> LL> > > ____________ _________ _________ _________ _________ __>