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By James J. Eischen, Jr., Esq.
Suggest to a physician they increase their charitable or
donated services, and observe the uncomfortable pause. And for good reasons…
Physician income (relative to inflation) has dropped. Medical plan
reimbursements are dropping. And the economy dropped. Inferring physician-donated care can cure
what ails our healthcare system misplaces the burden on the wrong shoulders.
And what about liability? Didn’t they teach in medical school that no good deed
goes unpunished? Physicians entered medicine to serve, but charitable care can
pose risks while time and money seem scarce.
Promoting physician charitable care can reasonably trigger a
defensive silence. But what if we approach the subject from a different
perspective? The business world may have something offer when it comes to
integrating charity and profit motive.
Private physicians enter the marketplace and conduct
“business” while providing an esteemed professional service. Our country’s
tradition of voluntary charity remains an admirable aspect of the US free
market system (we know freedom isn’t free). Sure, the business world uses their
charitable grace to market, to create partnerships, to grow influence, to
achieve other goals beyond charity itself. Is that selfish? Or just good
business? I think it is a good bargain… a win-win. Business does good while
doing business, and those in need benefit.
James J. Eischen, Jr. is an attorney with over 23 years experience handling a wide range of business matters, including medical business planning. His practice, Eischen Law Group, APLC, is located in Cardiff By The Sea, California. His email address is jim@eischenlaw.com, and his office telephone number is 760-943-7997. Mr. Eischen has lectured for AAPP conferences regarding medical billing issues, and currently represents concierge physicians and private medicine vendors regarding billing compliance issues.
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By Sonja Horner, President,
The
Private Medical Marketing Group
Every day, I have the pleasure of speaking with physicians about the potential of transitioning their practice to
a concierge model.
At some point during the conversation,
I hear something along the lines of, “My patients can already call me 24 hours
a day, why are they going to pay for my services if I change my model”. It’s the same problem in every industry,
healthcare really isn’t any different.
If someone can get something for free, from business advice to medical
advice…they will.
When I was in advertising I would meet
clients throughout the day. You could
generally tell when someone really liked your ideas – in fact you could often
feel when the momentum of the discussion shifted into a conversation that
seemed like an engagement was immanent.
I would start to get excited, thinking
I had provided a solution for a potential client. I was already putting
together their project in my head. Then the person would say those dreaded
words … “I’d love to take you to lunch and
pick your brain some more.”
The Private Medical Marketing Group is dedicated to assisting physicians
in transitioning their practices to a private business model. The firm
specializes in attracting and retaining patients for private physicians
using state-of-the-art disease prevention and reversal. www.PrivateMDmarketing.com _____________________
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A NEW LENDER FOR PRIVATE PHYSICIANS TO LAUNCH OR GROW THEIR PRACTICES
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$$$ In our current economic climate, it
can be difficult for private physicians to secure the debt financing they need
to launch or grow their practices. We are on an ongoing quest to identify
lenders to fuel the private medical movement, and this month, we are announcing
our first new relationship.
United Funding is a loan broker that
has agreed to provide our physicians with attractive rates (8-8.5%) on loans up
to $150,000 for all forms of office equipment and software. The application
process is quick and painless and can be completed online. And the approval
process is refreshingly fast – 24-48 hours.
If you are seeking financing for your
practice and think this may be helpful, contact us, and we will personally
facilitate the introduction for you. 
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 As the proud president of this organization, I am thrilled to have the opportunity to invite you all to attend the final AAPP summit of the year. It promises, once again, to be both informative and exciting - with some great new additions. I hope you will join us! - Marcy Zwelling-Aamot, M.D.
Exciting Agenda Announcements...
1.
Learn to use handheld ultrasound SonoSite,
the world’s leader in handheld ultrasound has agreed to host a half-day
workshop on Sunday, November 7 from 10am – 1pm. Their instructors will teach
attendees in a hands-on format to perform CIMT, AAA and other common ultrasound
screenings. The cost for the program is $250. BUT… the first 15 registrants for this program attend FREE compliments
of the AAPP. Contact Shelly Banyay at 877.746.7301 or at sbanyay@aapp.org to register for this
workshop. (You must attend the AAPP
meeting in order to take advantage of this offer).
2.
The art and science of achieving behavioral change Our
session on behavioral change by Cardiac Psychologist, Dr. Karen Saef, has turned
into an incredible panel discussion including Dr. Saef, Paul Nelson, the
Founder of Heart Coaches, and Cynthia Ackrill, M.D. a reknowned expert in
brain-based approaches to behavior change and performance enhancement. If you
are among our many members developing a growing focus on aggressive disease
prevention and reversal, this session should prove invaluable.
3.
An action-packed Innovators Hour Having
introduced the “Innovators Hour” presentation in Kiawah this summer, it’s back
– and absolutely packed with innovators who will describe their work to you in
a fast-pace series of enlightening and invigorating, 6 minute presentations.
4.
The Keynote Address Dr.
Patrick Soon-Shiong, Executive Chairman of Abraxis BioScience and one of the most
significant figures in the country with respect to healthcare transformation
has agreed to provide our keynote address on the importance of private
physicians in the future of U.S. healthcare.
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 By Tom Blue, Executive Director, AAPP
How often do you stare at a phone
number on a sticky note and dread the possibility that the person on the other
end will actually answer if you call? If only you could assure yourself that
you would get their voicemail… what a wonderful thing that would be.
Now you can. The App is Straight to
Voicemail. Simply dial the number using this app, and after enduring a short
advertising blurb, you’re dropped straight into the cell phone voicemail of the
person you don’t want to speak to (or would prefer not to interrupt).
To the unsuspecting call recipient,
your call appears as nothing more than a missed call. This alone makes for
hours of fun and amusing pranks. But seriously, when you want to leave someone
with the personal touch of a phone call without the risk of a long
conversation, this app does the trick.
What are your favorite apps that would
be useful to share with your fellow private physicians?
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JOIN THE AAPP LINKED IN GROUP | |
Many of you have requested a forum to
communicate with one another and post your questions. In response, we have
launched the AAPP group on LinkedIn. Already, the group is growing and the
conversations are starting.
From your account in LinkedIn, search
groups for American Academy of Private Physicians, and join us! _____________________
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