Saturday, January 24, 2004
AND YOU ARE THE ONLY DOCTOR AVAILABLE TO CARE FOR THIS PATIENT.....
I must have said that a dozen times yesterday as I tested for the ATLS course. Teaching ATLS is one of those thins that is a great deal of fun for the first day, but at the end of the second day you are glad you only teach twice a year.
Thanks to Dr. Smith in posting my email about poor Dr. Dean. Dr. Smith brings up a good argument for Dr. Steinberg's absence from the campaign trail...
Well, after that Monday night scream you've got to think his personality might have something to do with her decision, but it's still not such an easy thing to abandon a medical practice - at least not one that you own. The difference between Dr. Steinburg and the academic is that the academic's salary is paid by the university. If he chooses to practice part time, he doesn't have to worry about covering the cost of over-head, the university will. A doctor in private practice has to keep earning the money to pay for her rent, malpractice, staff, utilities, etc. The profit margin in medicine is very small. Cutting down by one or two days a week can erase a doctor's income. It also means two days when you're not available to your patients. And that means that a certain percentage of patients will leave and go to someone who is more accessible. (emphasis mine)
Another one being that it is no one's business why Dr. Steinberg chooses not to campaign.
One of the first bits of advice of a non-medical nature related to surgery that I received as a resident was the "Three "A"'s of private practice"
Availability, Affability, and Ability...IN THAT ORDER
Meaning if you are not available to your referring physicians and get along with them you can have the hands of a DeBakey and still have to struggle for business. |
I must have said that a dozen times yesterday as I tested for the ATLS course. Teaching ATLS is one of those thins that is a great deal of fun for the first day, but at the end of the second day you are glad you only teach twice a year.
Thanks to Dr. Smith in posting my email about poor Dr. Dean. Dr. Smith brings up a good argument for Dr. Steinberg's absence from the campaign trail...
Well, after that Monday night scream you've got to think his personality might have something to do with her decision, but it's still not such an easy thing to abandon a medical practice - at least not one that you own. The difference between Dr. Steinburg and the academic is that the academic's salary is paid by the university. If he chooses to practice part time, he doesn't have to worry about covering the cost of over-head, the university will. A doctor in private practice has to keep earning the money to pay for her rent, malpractice, staff, utilities, etc. The profit margin in medicine is very small. Cutting down by one or two days a week can erase a doctor's income. It also means two days when you're not available to your patients. And that means that a certain percentage of patients will leave and go to someone who is more accessible. (emphasis mine)
Another one being that it is no one's business why Dr. Steinberg chooses not to campaign.
One of the first bits of advice of a non-medical nature related to surgery that I received as a resident was the "Three "A"'s of private practice"
Availability, Affability, and Ability...IN THAT ORDER
Meaning if you are not available to your referring physicians and get along with them you can have the hands of a DeBakey and still have to struggle for business. |
