Physicians Practice - January 2008 - (Page 65)

they’re continually outvoted on critical decisions or they ﬁnd themselves working with physicians with whom they’re clinically incompatible, it becomes too much of a burden to maintain the relationship, Dahl explains. When a well-written contract spells everything out, breaking up isn’t that hard to do. “Physicians tend to work things out amicably,” says Zarin. But bear in mind that even the most meticulously planned contracts can go awry, Conti says, recalling a long-ago legal snafu Another beneﬁt to being part of a larger group is greater access to technology, Nochomovitz says, referring to electronic health records, document imaging systems, and other modern marvels that allow physicians to access patient test results or write prescriptions electronically. Solo practitioners and small group practices don’t have the resources to purchase all the technological bells and whistles. “The dollars aren’t substantial enough for a solo physician or small group to justify their cost, but what Pavluk partnered once again, but it was difﬁcult sharing veto rights. So he went solo and was relatively happy until Nochomovitz came along with a proposal to partner with his unique network. Pavluk signed on and now enjoys greater security. He also has some say, presiding over budget issues and other administrative tasks for his multispecialty cluster of 12 physicians. His decision to go big, really big, was worthwhile for him. THE BOTTOM LINE “I need to bounce cases off other doctors, and I like it when they bounce cases off me. I love the intelligent banter.” MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS Ralph Conti, MD concerning ownership of patient panels after the departure of a partner, and all the usual hassles of paperwork and stress that subsequently ensued. HIGH TECH & SECURE Michael Nochomovitz, president and chief medical ofﬁcer of Cleveland-based University Hospitals Medical Practices, a 400-physician multispecialty practice network, says medical training grooms doctors to make independent decisions. This is a dilemma for solo-practice doctors who are considering a partnership, he says. The group Nochomovitz created, part of the University Hospitals system, embeds private practice culture into a group environment by allowing doctors to govern their individual multispecialty clusters, while still having access to the support of a larger network for issues they may not want to tackle, such as collections and accounting. WWW.PHYSICIANSPRACTICE.COM doctors need more than anything is less paper,” he explains. Hertz adds that larger practices can add ancillary services by purchasing high-tech diagnostic tools and equipment. For primary-care doctors in a group, he says, this can signiﬁcantly augment their income. Charles Pavluk, a Westlake, Ohio, internist with University Hospitals, was searching for security and guidance to help him grow a practice that would provide quality care for patients. “I was in an independent group practice before, and it fell apart,” he says. “We all enjoyed working with each other. But my biggest worry was, what happens when I die?” Pavluk’s father, also a physician, died unexpectedly, and Pavluk’s mother was thrust into running the practice until someone else took over. “As a group,” he remembers, “it was hard for us to address what would happen if one of us became disabled, died, or couldn’t practice medicine any more — what do we do with a buyout?” So the physicians split. Ultimately, each doctor has a mission, says Hertz. Recognize what’s best for your practice and whether partnering is the answer for you. Core values such as family time, patient care, business decisions, and earning potential all come into play. Weigh the issues carefully and write them all down. Proceed with a little caution, a good sense of humor, and plenty of optimism; you’ll probably need it. You may also need some time to get it right. Conti admits to making several mistakes in striving for the ideal partnership, where collegiality thrives and he has enough time to spend with his wife and son. He assists new doctors entering into limited partnerships and gives salaried doctors quarterly bonuses based on production, while holding onto his leadership position. “I want everyone to be happy,” he says. • Jacqueline M. Duda is a freelance writer from Monrovia, Md. She can be reached via editor@physicianspractice.com. JANUARY 2008 | PHYSICIANS PRACTICE | 65 http://WWW.PHYSICIANSPRACTICE.COM http://WWW.PHYSICIANSPRACTICE.COM

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Physicians Practice - January 2008

Physicians Practice - January 2008 Contents The Bigger Picture: Fixing Medicaid Letters Physicians Practice Pearls: You Can Teach an Old Dog New Tricks Noteworthy Cover Story: Fee Schedule Survey: 2007 Results Adding Ancillaries: Bucking the Practice Ask the Experts Idealab: 'How I Got Over My EMR Excuses' Technology: Don't Be Denied The Tech Doctor: Blessing or Curse? The Administrator's Desk: Learning From the Best Coding Career: To Partner, or Not? Management: Controlling Your Inventory Human Resources: How to Fire an Enployee Finance: Beyond Reimbursment - How to Fix Your Mix Classifieds Advertiser Index

Physicians Practice - January 2008

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