Practice Management

Systemic failure in professional environments: the myth of protection

Physician

March 4, 2026

There are moments when professional boundaries collapse under the weight of something more fundamental: our shared humanity.

You do not have to be a physician to recognize when a system has failed at its most basic level. You only have to be human.

What happened to Alex Pretti is not solely a tragedy confined to one profession, one agency, or one moment. It is a systemic rupture, one that exposes a dangerous …

Health care credentialing is broken: How to fix the staffing crisis

Marc Ayoub, MD

Physician

March 2, 2026

Imagine a world-class anesthesiologist at a major hospital in Manhattan. She is fully credentialed, board-certified, and has been saving lives at that facility for 5 years. On her day off, she wants to pick up an extra shift at a surgery center 3 blocks away that is currently short-staffed and desperate for help. Logic says she should be able to walk in, show her “Ready-to-Work” status, and start. Instead, she …

Unpaid on-call shifts are driving doctors into early retirement [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

March 1, 2026

Subscribe to The Podcast by KevinMD. Watch on YouTube. Catch up on old episodes!

Internal medicine physician Corinne Sundar Rao discusses her article “Physician on-call compensation: the unpaid labor driving burnout.” Corinne argues that the term “call” is a euphemism used to extract free labor from …

Physician tax strategies: Why your tax bill is so high and how to fix it

Logan Foltz, MD

Finance

February 27, 2026

If you are frustrated by your high tax bill, you are not alone. I have spoken with many doctors who experience sticker shock when they see their total annual tax liability after completing residency. Stories in the media, such as The Atlantic’s recent study on billionaire taxes, about how rich people avoid taxes only fan the flames. It is no surprise, then, that one of the most common financial …

Modern technology must revolutionize the archaic physician job search [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

February 23, 2026

Subscribe to The Podcast by KevinMD. Watch on YouTube. Catch up on old episodes!

Practicing anesthesiologist and the physician co-founder of Marit Health Rob Anderson discusses his article “Why can’t finding a doctor job be like Zillow.” Rob shares his personal journey through divorce and house …

Reviewing locum tenens agreements: Look beyond the hourly rate

Sriman Swarup, MD, MBA

Physician

February 20, 2026

I was halfway through reviewing what looked like an excellent locums opportunity when I realized the hourly rate was the least important number in the agreement. The compensation was strong. The schedule was flexible. Travel was covered. On the surface, it seemed straightforward.

But what ultimately determined whether the opportunity made sense had very little to do with pay. It had to do with clarity.

The difference between conversations and contracts

Locums conversations …

Locum tenens offers physicians a path to freedom [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

February 19, 2026

Subscribe to The Podcast by KevinMD. Watch on YouTube. Catch up on old episodes!

Pediatrician Trevor Cabrera discusses his article “Locum tenens: Reclaiming purpose, autonomy, and financial freedom in medicine.” Trevor explains how choosing the path of an independent contractor allowed him to pay off massive …

Ambiguous billing rules threaten every doctor in practice [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

February 17, 2026

Subscribe to The Podcast by KevinMD. Watch on YouTube. Catch up on old episodes!

Nationally recognized psychiatrist, internist, and addiction medicine specialist Muhamad Aly Rifai discusses his article “Why CPT coding ambiguity harms doctors.” Muhamad analyzes the landmark case of United States v. Ron Elfenbein, where …

Sabbaticals provide a critical lifeline for sustainable medical careers [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

February 14, 2026

Subscribe to The Podcast by KevinMD. Watch on YouTube. Catch up on old episodes!

Palliative care physician and certified physician development coach Christie Mulholland discusses her article “Why every physician needs a sabbatical (and how to take one).” Christie reveals the harsh reality that while sabbaticals …

The cost of clinician absence in the boardroom: a 30-year perspective

Christopher Mastino, MD

Physician

February 13, 2026

I have spent 30 years as a physical medicine and rehabilitation physician in solo practice. In three decades of treating patients, I have witnessed the slow, systematic transfer of health care decision-making from clinicians to people who have never touched a patient.

When I started my career, physicians led health care. Today, private equity firms own hospitals, insurance company algorithms override clinical judgment, and administrators whose primary loyalty is to shareholders …

Business literacy empowers physicians to lead sustainable health systems [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

February 11, 2026

Subscribe to The Podcast by KevinMD. Watch on YouTube. Catch up on old episodes!

Family physician Kelly Bain discusses her article “Why physician business literacy matters.” Kelly explains that while doctors are trained to diagnose and treat patients, they are rarely prepared to navigate the complex …

From flight surgeon to investor: a doctor’s guide to financial freedom

David B. Mandell, JD, MBA

Physician

February 5, 2026

In a valuable episode of the Wealth Planning for the Modern Physician podcast, host David Mandell, JD, MBA, sat down with Dr. David Yanoff, an orthopedic surgeon with a career spanning the Air Force, private practice across several states, and innovative financial ventures. Dr. Yanoff shared insights from his diverse medical journey, his entrepreneurial approach to finance, and strategies for transitioning smoothly into retirement, valuable lessons for any physician navigating …

Hidden financial dangers of wRVU thresholds in medical employment agreements [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

January 26, 2026

Subscribe to The Podcast by KevinMD. Watch on YouTube. Catch up on old episodes!

Health care attorney Dennis Hursh discusses his article “wRVU threshold risks in physician contracts.” Dennis explains the critical distinction between a guaranteed salary and a draw against future earnings where failure to …

A 6-step framework for new health care leaders

All Levels Leadership

Physician

January 21, 2026

Assuming a new health care leadership role is both exciting and daunting. Even in the best circumstances, new leaders must navigate a complex web of expectations, relationships, and organizational priorities.

Drawing on over 30 years of health care leadership experience, we have observed that while new leaders bring enthusiasm and vision, they often encounter predictable obstacles. Many receive little to no formal leadership training, leaving them without a structured approach to …

Physician coaching: a path to sustainable medicine

Ben Reinking, MD

Physician

January 4, 2026

Perhaps you are standing in the same place I once stood: From the outside, everything looks great, but on the inside, you’re running on fumes.

In my mid-40s, I was on the verge of becoming a full professor. Our dream house was under construction. My retirement plan was on track so I could stop working before 60. Our kids were grown and thriving, launching their own lives. On paper, life was …

From law to medicine: Witnessing trauma on the Pacific Coast Highway

Scott Ellner, DO, MPH

Physician

January 1, 2026

An excerpt from Wipe Out, Rise Up: A Surf Session In Being a Leader, Pushing Past Limits, and Sustaining Health. Copyright © 2024 Scott Ellner. Published by BrightRay Publishing. All rights reserved.

Growing up in Southern California, I was well-acquainted with the waves of the Pacific Ocean. Cold water from Alaska flowed down the coast, meeting the warm, sunny climate of Los Angeles, roasted by the heat of the Santa …

Physician non-compete clauses: a barrier to patient access

Sharisse Stephenson, MD, MBA

Physician

December 28, 2025

Patients rarely see the contracts behind their care, but physicians feel them every day. And one contract clause in particular (the non-compete) is quietly worsening the physician shortage and blocking patients from seeing the very doctors who want to care for them.

I learned this firsthand.

After serving as a neurologist and EEG medical director in Portsmouth, Virginia, I was forced out of my role under a two-year non-compete. The restriction forbids …

Leadership buy-in is the key to preventing burnout [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

December 21, 2025

Subscribe to The Podcast by KevinMD. Watch on YouTube. Catch up on old episodes!

Physician advocate and physical therapist Kim Downey and counselor Shari Morin-Degel discuss their article, “Why burnout prevention starts with leadership.” Shari shares her personal journey from a trauma-exposed mental health professional to …

Physician asset protection: a guide to entity strategy

Clint Coons, Esq

Finance

December 20, 2025

A few years ago, I met a talented internist who had been practicing for 15 years. She owned a small clinic, worked long hours, and ran a thriving patient base, but when we reviewed her financials, I realized she’d been paying far more in taxes and taking far more risk than she needed to.

Her response was one I hear often: “Clint, I’m not a businessperson; I’m a doctor.”

It’s a mindset …

Why physician business literacy matters

Kelly Bain, MD

Physician

December 13, 2025

Most physicians practicing medicine today were trained to diagnose and treat patients, not to navigate one of the most complex industries in the world, an industry characterized by ever-changing payer contracts, evolving reimbursement structures, complex and sometimes mystifying coding, and challenging operational realities. Despite the lack of training, these same physicians and providers are leading multimillion-dollar businesses and are expected by their health systems to reduce costs, improve outcomes, and …

Read more…

Why physician business literacy matters