Elizabeth L. Perkins, MD, rheumatologist, Rheumatology Care Center, Birmingham, Ala., would advise any new business owner to have their eyes wide open about the future of healthcare and be prepared to embrace change. “You’ll have to coordinate with other health partners, such as payers, government, industry, accountable care organizations, management service organizations and health systems to find solutions,” she says.
Dr. Perkins also recommends disciplining yourself to run a lean business and hiring and training people who will guard it as their own while you see patients.
Starting a practice is a big leap, but it is feasible in a series of smaller, successful steps. “My favorite advice about larger, difficult projects came from my dad: ‘The best way to eat an elephant is one bite at a time,’” Dr. Perkins concludes.
