Prospective Practice or Partnership Tips

It is important to consider other factors before joining a practice or forming a partnership with other physicians.  The new prospective practice/partner and yourself should have similar ideas, goals, and understanding of how this practice will run.  These are a few topics/questions to ask your potential employer, business partner, and yourself.

Community- Location meet your family’s needs/desires;  Community’s demographics-growing/underserved; Cost of living

Practice characteristics- Working relationship between physicians; Option to work with hospitalized patients; Privileging at the local hospital; Working conditions with specializing physicians in the area

Quality of care- Quality measurement understanding; Consultations and Referrals, Any restrictions?; Medical Records system, Are they available to review?; Evidence-based, peer reviewed guidelines; Clinical policy decision making; Current and future goals for future technology tools

Office management- Patient scheduling; Patient waiting room average time; Office measure patient cycle time and flow; Patient satisfaction/experience measurement; Provider satisfaction measured; Billing/Collection ratio; Staff turnover rate/Staff satisfaction; Adequate equipment for your scope of medicine, will they buy/lease equipment if not?; Is the facility comfortable? Could you work there efficiently?; Type of information and technology systems in place; Your input in office policies.

• Work expectations
• Practice economics
• Practice stability
• Practice costs
• Compensation