TR: How many doctors are in your practice?
Dr. Su: We have a total of three rheumatologists and two physician assistants. The second physician assistant joined us in January.
TR: What do you think about working in a private practice vs. other settings, such as academia or large healthcare systems?
Dr. Su: I think everyone has different interests and goals. In academia, individuals thrive on academic interactions and collaborative learning. There seems to be a misconception that physicians in private practice do not get to teach or conduct research. In our clinic, we have residents who do their clinical rotations with us. Many of our staff are pre-med or pre-PA, and we provide them with mentoring. Our patients have had access to 40-plus clinical trials in the past 15 years. I share cases with my colleagues in my practice as well as private practice rheumatologists in RPPA, so I never feel like I lack opportunities to learn from others.
Private practice suits me very well because I really value autonomy and the ability to pivot quickly when needed so we can deliver care more efficiently. I recall when the pandemic first hit, our clinic implemented telehealth within a week, but some larger organizations took months.
TR: What do you think the ACR can do to help HR in the private practice setting? What are some current and future plans for the CPC?
Dr. Su: The CPC and the Committee on Rheumatologic Care (CORC) are working together to update the ACR’s previous private practice manual, with a focus on sharing collective wisdom to address various challenges in private practice, including those involving HR.
In the CPC, we have three subcommittees with the following aims: 1) raise awareness about private practice rheumatology, 2) provide resources for private practice rheumatologists and 3) analyze data to better understand the demographics and clinical reach of private practice rheumatologists, as well as their impact on rheumatology workforce issues.
Since becoming a part of the CPC, I have had opportunities to learn more about what the ACR has accomplished for rheumatologists in private practice. I think it would be important to help rheumatologists in private practice learn more about the ACR’s efforts and interest in promoting private practice. At the same time, the CPC would like to amplify the voice of private practice rheumatologists and help the ACR gain a better understanding of our needs in private practice.
