The Medical Practice Playbook an environment where life is in general more expensive is problematic. How do you stay afloat when you get paid much less to provide the same care and at the same time have more expenses? I think this is something we all have to figure out in private practice and health care in general.
Moving forward, I believe that continuing to provide high quality care is going to be our biggest challenge. With declining reimbursement, the answer of seeing more patient volume isn’ t always the best choice. When patients come to the doctor, they need the human touch. They like good bedside manner. They want to recognize the care you feel for them, that you understand their needs. Naturally no one ever wants to be treated like a number, in and out the door. It’ s hard. It’ s definitely a skill that we all refine every day: trying to maximize our patient load, yet stay close to on time, continuing to take the time with everyone to give them a good experience. In the end, we all went into medicine because we care about others.
The future of ophthalmology and the future of our practice is great. We adapt to the challenges and overcome them. There are advancements in medical technology almost weekly. Being able to keep up with purchasing and updating equipment will always be a challenge in our current climate but it’ s something always necessary in moving forward.
Just as Dr. Burns decided to start his own private practice to provide a more positive experience with patients and staff, I too plan to carry the torch forward and lead as an example for what a successful private ophthalmology practice stands for in our city.
Drs. Burns and Strickland are ophthalmologists in private practice at Middletown Eye Care in Middletown, Kentucky who have been in practice together since 2020.
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