Full Description

After years of school and maybe even after some years of practice, you are ready to do it on your own.

Running a profitable business takes more than just being a great doctor. Start Your Own Medical Practice provides you with the knowledge to be both a great doctor and a successful business owner.

Whether you are looking to open a single practice office or wanting to go into partnership with other colleagues, picking the right location, hiring the right support staff and taking care of all the finances are not easy tasks. With help from Start Your Own Medical Practice, you can be sure you are making the best decisions for success.

Don’t let a wrong choice slow down your progress. Find advice to:
--Create a Business Plan
--Manage the Office
--Raise Capital
--Bill Your Patients
--Market Your Practice
--Build a Patient Base
--Prevent Malpractice Suits
--Keep an Eye on the Goal

With checklists, sample letters and doctor’s office forms, Start Your Own Medical Practice teaches you all the things they didn’t in medical school and gives you the confidence to go out and do it on your own.

Table of Contents

Preface -

I. Setting Up Your Medical Practice

Chapter 1: Finding the Right Location -
Locating Your Practice
Office Space
Negotiating the Lease

Chapter 2: Creating Your Practice -
Writing a Business Plan
New Options in Medicine
Structuring Your Practice
Sole Practitioners
Partnerships
Limited Liability Partnerships
Corporations
LLC or Subchapter S Corporations
Firm Agreements

Chapter 3: Business Formation Fundamentals -
Important Preliminaries

Chapter 4: Office Design, Layout, and Furnishings -
Work Space Planning
Doctor’s Office Checklist
The Waiting Room
Basic Waiting Area Checklist
Support Staff Area
Common Spaces
Employee Lounge Checklist
Filing Systems
Décor
Maintaining the Office

Chapter 5: Equipment -
To Buy, Lease, or Rent
Basic Office Equipment Checklist
Examination Room and Lab Supplies Checklist
Office Supplies Checklist
Supply Inventory Form
Telephones
Communications Checklist
Telephone Intake Form
Telephone Log Sheet
Gearing Up: Computer Hardware and Software
Day-to-Day Operations
Electronic Health Records
Computer Discussion and Planning Checklist

Chapter 6: Personnel -
Civil Rights
Work Safety and Fairness
Medical Office Personnel
Who to Hire
The Interview
Policies and Procedures
Policy Manual Checklist
Procedures Manual Checklist

Chapter 7: Outside Support Services -
Finding Trustworthy Consultants
Business Managers
Accountants
Banks
Insurance
Insurance Checklist

Chapter 8: Your Medical Library -
Getting Books
The Electronic Medical Library
Essential Medical Library Starters
Medical Library Checklist

Chapter 9: Financing -
Raising Capital
Debt Management
Budget
Cash Flow

II. Managing Your Medical Practice

Chapter 10: The Organized Office -
Indexing
Setting Up the Charts and Files
Office Management Forms
Sample Symptom Diary
Patient Transfer Form
Missed Appointment Notice
Referral Acknowledgment
Administration

Chapter 11: Fees, Billing, and Collections -
Establishing a Fee Structure
In-House Billing
Outsource Billing
Overdue Payments
Delinquent Accounts
Unpaid Bill Letter
Skippers
Collection Agencies

Chapter 12: Ethics -
Ethical Rules
Ethics and Personnel
Unauthorized Practice of Medicine
Doctor Relations with the Public
Sex in the Workplace
Doctor/Patient Fee Disputes
Conflicts of Interest
Terminating a Patient
Patient Termination Letter

Chapter 13: Marketing Your Practice -
Building a Base
Advertising
Keeping Patients

III. Personal Considerations

Chapter 14: Medical-Legal Issues -
The Physician/Patient Relationship
Physician/Patient Communications and Privileges
The Patient’s Privacy Rights
HIPAA
Informed Consent
Advance Directives
The Physician as Witness
Professional Liability
Anatomy of a Professional Liability Trial Chart
Anatomy of a Professional Liability Trial
Mediation
Arbitration
ADR Training for Physicians

Chapter 15: Preventing Malpractice Suits -
Confronting the Unexpected Outcome
The Healing Value of “I’m Sorry”
Clear Communications for Healthy Outcomes
Managing Risk and Reducing Liability
Checklist for Developing a Risk Management Policy
Additional Suggestions for Risk Management
Patient Satisfaction Questionnaire
Checklist for Conducting Meetings
Medical Board Comments for Physicians
Avoiding Common Medical Practice Mistakes

Chapter 16: Prescription for the Doctor -
Diagnosing the Doctor
The Stressed Physician
Burnout Assessment and Reduction
Spirituality
Healing…and Staying Healthy

Chapter 17: A Perspective from Experience -
Closing Comments

Appendix: Resources -
Index -
About the Authors

Excerpt

Editorial Reviews

Customer Reviews

Customer Reviews: