Tips for Starting Your Own Rheumatology Practice

TR: What were some of the practical first steps you needed to take when starting your practice?

Dr. Zezon: The task that takes the longest is credentialing with insurance companies. There are a few things you have to take care of quickly to get the ball rolling on credentialing. I needed to incorporate the business, obtain a tax identification number and find a location. You need a practice address to start credentialing with insurance companies. The most important thing I did was form a network with like-minded individuals who took a similar path. I joined a group on Facebook called Rheumatology Private Practice Alliance (RPPA). Through this group, I was able to ask questions and get answers quickly to challenges we all face when starting a private practice. I also met some local individuals at their early stages of practice formation, which was very beneficial to me as well.

TR: How did you advertise your practice and begin to build a panel of patients?

Dr. Zezon: I was working in this same geographic area prior to going solo, so I had a following and a referral base. The referral base was the most important factor in establishing a patient panel. I also worked locums in parallel to starting a solo practice, and this helped reduce financial stress as I built the practice.

TR: What are some of the biggest challenges in running a small business?

Dr. Zezon: The administrative tasks are definitely challenging! Finding good employees is difficult. I learned it is worth having some staff redundancy even when you are very small in order to avoid situations in which your employee does not show up. I also had a challenge finding office space. There were very few options for an office location. I did not want to sublet, and most locations looked really run-down. I decided to get a space on my own—one that is bigger than what I really needed—and sublet to others. By taking this path, I created a nice community of independent practices that share the same space, with all of us helping each other out and developing great synergy.

TR: Did you receive any business training in or outside of medical school/residency/fellowship? If not, what do you wish was taught during medical training to help prepare doctors to open their own practice?

Dr. Zezon: No, I did not receive any business training prior to going solo. I think it would have been helpful for private practice rheumatologists to come and give us a few lectures about the business side of medicine, and perhaps for us as trainees to spend time in the private practice setting.