Should You Bother Yourself, Doctor?

Why bother with all that stuff?" This is the question that most doctors struggling with their private practice asked themselves.
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The stuff of course is studying and learning effective marketing, staff hiring, training, and business plans, effective communications systems, insurance training, checklists, and manuals, compliance, software, records, plans, and so much more.
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"How can I possibly get all that done, anyways? It's just not me."
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"That will never work in my practice".
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These comments and questions usually are bantered about when considering all that's needed to create a powerful practice. Worse yet, if we are not very careful, this kind of mindset can be a road to an owner doctors practice downslide, ultimate failure and considerable stress and unhappiness.
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Sometimes, these kind of attitude starts way too early into a career. And I believe we just don't tell our students everything that private practice success will take. And frankly, some either make wrong choices, or change over time. Indeed, in our chosen field, especially in today's world, an exceptional practice is our ticket to an extraordinary life! And I don't just mean income. I am talking about all you will become to not only do this right, but also look forward to it day in and day out.
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Let's be honest, both to ourselves and our students. Owning a practice is not for everyone.
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Some doctors are just better off working in a hospital than having their own practice while others are simply not ready. And certainly, this can be the best choice for some doctors. It can allow you employee hours and benefits, lack of major headaches, a steady paycheck and certain time freedoms, etc.
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As an employee, you can apprentice, and can also be a huge asset to those that need associate doctors. Then, you can choose to move into your own practice.
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But, most of us in chiropractic have chosen to end up and stay in private practice for ourselves. Despite all the 'stuff ', we still have a huge desire to go for it, and all the rewards it can bring.
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And that's to whom this article is dedicated.
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Remember, practicing in this way is a conscious choice. The real fact is that the private practice of today requires considerable entrepreneurial skill and aspiration including the desire to be your own boss. To take control of your own destiny, work hours and lifestyle.
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The price of your success includes mastering and continuing to improve upon this stuff. And in agreeing with yourself to do all you can to foster independence, you become totally unemployable by anybody else.
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No, it's not always pleasant, nor necessarily easy. It's not a popularity contest either. You and you alone get to make and answer for all the tough decisions. From hiring to firing people, promoting and marketing your practice, and the entire gamut.
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But in my opinion, the rewards are immeasurable.
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The problem though, not only is practice now much more complicated and filled with details, but so is the environment in which we practice.
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You see 100 plus years ago, kind, successful people paved a path for us. Some even went to jail for their beliefs regarding the freedom of patients to choose what's right for them.
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And now, so much of our world has changed. What once worked very well in one area of practice is now obsolete, non-compliant or simply outdated. Systems and procedures fail that a few short years ago were phenomenally effective. Doctors who once had booming practices fail, or worse yet, new doctors never get a foothold.
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The good news is you can learn new skills and master new procedures.
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Join conferences and events that can impact you permanently in a positive way. There are a mix of clinically powerful and practice building strategies assembled together to help doctors look at their practice in a new way. I can still remember some of the life changing decisions that I've made during or right after I've attended an event like this. Don't miss your change. You may very well receive the breakthrough you have been looking for.
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