Comments on: Death of the solo physician http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2006/10/death-of-solo-physician.html Tue, 14 Feb 2012 17:18:00 +0000 hourly 1 By: Anonymoushttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2006/10/death-of-solo-physician.html#comment-86092 Anonymous Mon, 09 Jun 2008 04:19:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2006/10/death-of-the-solo-physician.html#comment-86092 Who in the world is that last comment from? Certainly not from another physician, most of whom have respect for the shared years of hardship and sacrifice that becoming a physician entails. A professional would have found a way to bring this doctor's ethics into question without spewing forth the gory details of such gossip-like information.<br/> If the author was a victim of these exploits, then I can understand the inability of the author to understand the POINT. The point is that there are thousands of physicans (with upstanding personal lives) in the exact same boat. The ALL-PROFIT oriented docs, see the patient's for 5 minutes, but stay in business. The ALL-HEALTH CARE oriented docs (like the old-fashioned, home visiting, you can pay me in kind docs) are bankrupt. The docs in between (likely with no business experience [its NOT taught MED school- that's for sure] are struggling, especially IF they are in a SOLO practice. Who in the world is that last comment from? Certainly not from another physician, most of whom have respect for the shared years of hardship and sacrifice that becoming a physician entails. A professional would have found a way to bring this doctor’s ethics into question without spewing forth the gory details of such gossip-like information.
If the author was a victim of these exploits, then I can understand the inability of the author to understand the POINT. The point is that there are thousands of physicans (with upstanding personal lives) in the exact same boat. The ALL-PROFIT oriented docs, see the patient’s for 5 minutes, but stay in business. The ALL-HEALTH CARE oriented docs (like the old-fashioned, home visiting, you can pay me in kind docs) are bankrupt. The docs in between (likely with no business experience [its NOT taught MED school- that's for sure] are struggling, especially IF they are in a SOLO practice.

]]> By: Anonymoushttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2006/10/death-of-solo-physician.html#comment-76181 Anonymous Thu, 14 Jun 2007 14:34:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2006/10/death-of-the-solo-physician.html#comment-76181 I think this doctor would have us believe that the system failed him. I think he failed the system as well. This is a man who's moral character was in question as a resident and while in private practice. He was known to have carried sexaully exploited married women through emails. He walked out on his wife who was ill and a young child to live with his MA who also was married. His MA became his office manager with out any experience. If your business is already in financial trouble this doesn't sound like an educated buisness person. This is not the kind of physician that I would want for my family. I hope this doctor does not go on to practice hands on medicine again. There is a good reason why this endeavor failed. A good moral lession for all of us. I think this doctor would have us believe that the system failed him. I think he failed the system as well. This is a man who’s moral character was in question as a resident and while in private practice. He was known to have carried sexaully exploited married women through emails. He walked out on his wife who was ill and a young child to live with his MA who also was married. His MA became his office manager with out any experience. If your business is already in financial trouble this doesn’t sound like an educated buisness person. This is not the kind of physician that I would want for my family. I hope this doctor does not go on to practice hands on medicine again. There is a good reason why this endeavor failed. A good moral lession for all of us.

]]> By: Anonymoushttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2006/10/death-of-solo-physician.html#comment-70058 Anonymous Tue, 02 Jan 2007 22:51:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2006/10/death-of-the-solo-physician.html#comment-70058 I know this doctor on a personal level-we go back before his days as a medical doctor,and I have to say matt is one of the kindest people I knew back then-<br/>a person who goes it alone and offers to help people who can't afford good medical services or aren't offered good doctors?<br/>There are few in the world and those few deserve a medal of honor.<br/>I myself am self pay and my doctor in derry demands payment on arrival...sadly half the time he spends less then 5 minutes with me.<br/>It's nice to see and old fashioned doctor for once who is real and see's his work and his patients with kindness and compassion-<br/>Good luck Dr.Masewic<br/>davis03038@yahoo.com I know this doctor on a personal level-we go back before his days as a medical doctor,and I have to say matt is one of the kindest people I knew back then-
a person who goes it alone and offers to help people who can’t afford good medical services or aren’t offered good doctors?
There are few in the world and those few deserve a medal of honor.
I myself am self pay and my doctor in derry demands payment on arrival…sadly half the time he spends less then 5 minutes with me.
It’s nice to see and old fashioned doctor for once who is real and see’s his work and his patients with kindness and compassion-
Good luck Dr.Masewic
davis03038@yahoo.com

]]> By: Anonymoushttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2006/10/death-of-solo-physician.html#comment-68238 Anonymous Sat, 28 Oct 2006 13:33:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2006/10/death-of-the-solo-physician.html#comment-68238 All of your suggestions have merit but it doesnt alleviate the fact that 1200 patients, mostly on medicare have lost there only doctor. Dr Masewic opened the only practice in a town of 3800 people and served by a regional hospital many miles away. Many of his patients come from towns even further from the regional hospital. Now all 1200 patients are having a hard time finding a practice that will take any new patients, never mind those on medicare, who are finding that doctors will not take them on at all....ABOVE ALL, DO NO HARM!! All of your suggestions have merit but it doesnt alleviate the fact that 1200 patients, mostly on medicare have lost there only doctor. Dr Masewic opened the only practice in a town of 3800 people and served by a regional hospital many miles away. Many of his patients come from towns even further from the regional hospital. Now all 1200 patients are having a hard time finding a practice that will take any new patients, never mind those on medicare, who are finding that doctors will not take them on at all….ABOVE ALL, DO NO HARM!!

]]> By: pgbMDhttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2006/10/death-of-solo-physician.html#comment-67767 pgbMD Tue, 10 Oct 2006 20:02:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2006/10/death-of-the-solo-physician.html#comment-67767 Dump the insurance and become a concierge doc. Join an MSG which by the way are exploding in certain areas. MSGs provide better bargaining power with the insurers. Dump the insurance and become a concierge doc. Join an MSG which by the way are exploding in certain areas. MSGs provide better bargaining power with the insurers.

]]> By: Anirbanhttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2006/10/death-of-solo-physician.html#comment-67753 Anirban Tue, 10 Oct 2006 12:29:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2006/10/death-of-the-solo-physician.html#comment-67753 A good lesson for everyone else . Sorry for this guy .Hope he wakes up and smell the air .All the best for him . A good lesson for everyone else . Sorry for this guy .Hope he wakes up and smell the air .All the best for him .

]]> By: Criminallopathhttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2006/10/death-of-solo-physician.html#comment-67748 Criminallopath Tue, 10 Oct 2006 05:40:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2006/10/death-of-the-solo-physician.html#comment-67748 12 Top paying jobs for 2004 based on mean compensation data:<br/><br/># Physicians and surgeons: $147,000<br/><br/># Aircraft pilots: $133,500<br/><br/># Chief executives: $116,000<br/><br/># Electrical and electronic engineers: $112,000<br/><br/># Lawyers and judges: $99,800<br/><br/># Dentists: $90,000<br/><br/># Pharmacists: $85,500<br/><br/># Management analysts: $84,700<br/><br/># Computer and information system managers: $83,000<br/><br/># Financial analysts, managers and advisers: $84,000<br/><br/># Marketing and sales managers: $80,000<br/><br/># Education administrators: $80,000<br/><br/>While I feel bad for this provider that he was unable to make it as a sole practitioner, I can't imagine that his straits are permanent in that being a sole practitioner are not his only options. Join a practice, work for Kaiser, become a litigation "lien" sell-out or put up that plastic surgery/minimally invasive cosmetic shingle up. 12 Top paying jobs for 2004 based on mean compensation data:

# Physicians and surgeons: $147,000

# Aircraft pilots: $133,500

# Chief executives: $116,000

# Electrical and electronic engineers: $112,000

# Lawyers and judges: $99,800

# Dentists: $90,000

# Pharmacists: $85,500

# Management analysts: $84,700

# Computer and information system managers: $83,000

# Financial analysts, managers and advisers: $84,000

# Marketing and sales managers: $80,000

# Education administrators: $80,000

While I feel bad for this provider that he was unable to make it as a sole practitioner, I can’t imagine that his straits are permanent in that being a sole practitioner are not his only options. Join a practice, work for Kaiser, become a litigation “lien” sell-out or put up that plastic surgery/minimally invasive cosmetic shingle up.

]]> By: anonymoushttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2006/10/death-of-solo-physician.html#comment-67747 anonymous Tue, 10 Oct 2006 05:29:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2006/10/death-of-the-solo-physician.html#comment-67747 You can't see patients for free or for less than the cost of your overhead and expect to turn a profit. This IS simple economics. While the cost of insurance is blamed here, I'm sure this doctor's utility bills doubled in the past year, his personnel costs increased, and interest rates on his loans rose too. All physicians have the same issues. Physicians float interest free loans to insurance companies and the federal government while they wait to be paid. Not collecting fees from patients at the time of service is the same interest free loan. Most doctors do this on occassion for true hardship cases, but you cannot do this much of the time and have an economically viable practice. You can’t see patients for free or for less than the cost of your overhead and expect to turn a profit. This IS simple economics. While the cost of insurance is blamed here, I’m sure this doctor’s utility bills doubled in the past year, his personnel costs increased, and interest rates on his loans rose too. All physicians have the same issues. Physicians float interest free loans to insurance companies and the federal government while they wait to be paid. Not collecting fees from patients at the time of service is the same interest free loan. Most doctors do this on occassion for true hardship cases, but you cannot do this much of the time and have an economically viable practice.

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