Q: What led you to start your own private practice?

Call it “professional curiosity.” After my residency, I worked for a large, hospital-based system. That’s a common move since medical school doesn’t teach you the business and organizational skills you need to run a practice. I stayed there 22 years. Toward the end, the clinic burden really increased due to changes to medical financing, payers’ policies, prior authorizations, and the like.

I’d always maintained excellent productivity scores, but having my nose to the grindstone was burning me out. Plus, there were so many levels of decision-makers where once I could go directly to fellow physicians to discuss issues and arrive at solutions together. I felt like I didn’t have the autonomy to create the environment I thought would best serve patients.

So in 2023, I started my own practice to reinvent myself, my practice of medicine, and my career.

Q: Tell me about those early days. What changed after you joined Privia?

There’s a steep learning curve and still plenty of red tape, just a different shade. You have the credentialing and negotiating with payers, which was work that I loathed. I want to be in the exam room with patients, not on the phone with insurance companies.

The first year was a struggle. The second year, we started to get our feet under us but certainly weren’t thriving. Then Privia entered the picture and said, “We have a model that will help fill in and fortify your practice management, but you’re still in charge.” And it worked.

From day one, they’ve helped us with contracts, reimbursements, and credentialing. We have one group to go to about everything from our electronic health record to 401k.

If Privia were around when I launched my practice, I would’ve gone with them from the beginning. And if a doctor interested in opening their own practice were to ask my advice, I’d tell them: “Private practice is wonderful, and if you want to get the most out of it, I strongly suggest you look into Privia. They’re going to walk you through the process and save you from all the headaches I had that first year on my own.”

Q: What has surprised you?

How much patients appreciate our style of practice. I’m somewhat leery of reviews, but I’ve had so many patients tell me, “Thank you for doing this, for not being part of a massive system.” There’s a huge desire from patients who want a different mode of care.

We’re a small practice; it’s myself, one full-time staff, and my wife, who’s part-time. And since joining Privia, not only do we all feel more efficient and stable, but we know we can remain that small practice that our patients love. We can enjoy it, make a decent living, and preserve that love that led me into medicine in the first place.

Q: What are you looking forward to most?

Really sinking my teeth into value-based care. When I was working for the hospital, I served on the compensation committee. There was some movement toward value-based care, but there was a disconnect between that work and the reimbursements.

Privia strengthens that connection. I’m able to see how those additional clicks in my electronic health record translate into results — for both the patient and my practice. That in turn strengthens my “why” so that I’m more engaged, which further benefits patients and drives population health.

They also keep value-based care top of mind and make it simple. It’s a lot to take in, and I wouldn’t have time to figure it out if I were still on my own. They help capture information so it doesn’t fall through the cracks.