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Getting Down to Business: The New Doctor's GuideDuring medical school you've bought dozens of books. Regardless of your book "personality" – huge comprehensive tomes, short review books – you take something from each book. There's a new classic on the block – Getting Down to Business: The New Doctor's Guide. Why is this book unique? There are only a couple of books available that help you to negotiate your career at this point. They are more focused on the mechanics of starting a practice – how to bill, how to set up an office, dealing with insurance carriers, hiring and firing, and the like. Why this book? These days, most docs go into an established group, clinic, or HMO. This is the first book that helps you find the way through this process. It's easy to read, entertaining, and focused. There are excellent resources listed in the back (and links on this website). It is loaded with hundreds of tips culled from nearly 20 years of practice experience. I've been an employee, a chief, I've been fired and I've hired; I've negotiated with insurance companies, recruits, and administrators. I haven't done it all, but I've done a lot. I have sat at my desk and interviewed hundreds of people just like you as they considered a job with my group, my hospital, or a group in my community. I realized that there were common questions they all had, and common areas of ignorance. This book is a compendium of the questions, answers, and advice. I've gotten input from others – an attorney, medical subspecialist, surgical subspecialist, quality control and medical affairs administrator, pediatrician – to make this book and website more applicable to docs just like you. Information you can trust Why not just hire a lawyer? The book covers lawyers – you'll need one - many of the issues in your contract or job offer may have little to do with the law but may be critical to your success and happiness. Examples? Malpractice insurance. What's a tail? What will your call obligations be? What group factors can affect partnership? A contract lawyer may not know much about helping you stay out of trouble or what to do about licensure or credentials. Why not ask your mentors? Your mentors may not have the experience to really guide you. If they are in academics, they may have no idea what a clinical community practice is like. If they have been in a stable practice for a decade there may have been changes in licensure requirements that they do not know about. They may not have negotiated a contract in 15 years. Your peers, as they interview, are a source of good current trends, but they may be prone to urban legends and misinformation. They may only be able to tell you about a certain type of practice or a certain State. One may be joining the military to pay back tuition; one may be staying part time at your training institution until a spouse finishes; one may be joining the VA; but you want to move to a small town and practice at a community hospital. They may be well meaning but may not have the information or experience you really need. Who will benefit from reading the Guide? Whether you are a D.O., MD, foreign doc, a Physician's assistant or nurse practitioner, someone in practice looking for a change, or just starting to look, many of the questions you'll have will be answered in this book. If they aren't, contact me. One of my reviewers, an established chief at the time I first met him, said that failing to get certain terms in writing cost him $32,000 when he left a practice in the early 1990's. If you have particular questions that require some consulting, I have a consulting service with a unique payment arrangement. Purchase Getting Down to Business: The New Doctor's Guide ; when you get it keep it in your lab coat; read it when you get a chance, and prepare to prosper. Table of Contents for CHAPTER 1 CHAPTER 2 CHAPTER 3 CHAPTER 4 CHAPTER 5 CHAPTER 6 CHAPTER 7 Conclusion |
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