Skip to content
  • About
  • Contact
  • Contribute
  • Book
  • Careers
  • Podcast
  • Recommended
  • Speaking
  • All
  • Physician
  • Practice
  • Policy
  • Finance
  • Conditions
  • .edu
  • Patient
  • Meds
  • Tech
  • Social
  • Video
    • All
    • Physician
    • Practice
    • Policy
    • Finance
    • Conditions
    • .edu
    • Patient
    • Meds
    • Tech
    • Social
    • Video
    • About
    • Contact
    • Contribute
    • Book
    • Careers
    • Podcast
    • Recommended
    • Speaking

A physician’s ex-business partner is in prison. Here’s what this doctor learned.

Anonymous
Physician
February 5, 2019
Share
Tweet
Share

When I was a third-year resident, I was invited to join a practice owned by a doctor who had once been my chief resident. This was considered by all of my fellow residents to be the plum job in town, and I was thrilled. The doctor, whom I shall call “John,” was smart and funny and had a huge practice that he had purchased from a retiring physician. We figured out the logistics — he wanted us to be separate practices sharing office space, patients and employees. I signed the contract.

I thought things started out fine, although on the second day of practice I did not have any patients on my schedule. I sat at my desk pondering my debts and wondered how I would ever support myself with no patients. Fortunately, my schedule soon started filling up. I told John that I could see some of his overflow of sick patients to help him out, as his schedule was packed. He told me no that he didn’t want his income to go down. That should have been my first clue that all was not ideal in practice paradise. But I just worked on building up my own patient panel.

We still made hospital rounds in those days and had quite a busy hospital practice. Or rather, John did, and mine consisted of maybe two or three inpatients a day. We rounded and took call on our own patients each day and covered for each other every other weekend. I saw my few patients in the hospital each weekday. On alternating weekends I saw up to 12 to 14 of John’s patients, plus my own. The call could be brutal as I fielded messages from patients in the practice, hospital nurses and ER doctors. However, John would not let me bill for the inpatients of his that I saw on the weekend. He billed for them as if he had seen them. I didn’t feel that I had any choice in the matter, so I did what John told me to do.

Weeknight call wasn’t too bad until John started asking me to cover for him frequently when he wanted a night out. As soon as he signed out to me, the nurses at the hospital deluged me with calls of patients who had fevers, chest pain, and falls. John’s absences during weeknights became more frequent. When I timidly mentioned to John that it seemed that I was covering for him an awful lot, he put me in my place. He said, “Well that is why I got you!” Obviously, he did not consider me his equal.

One day John confronted me with the idea that I was not bringing enough money into the practice. True, I scheduled four patients per hour, and he booked nine per hour. I brought in about 30 percent of the income and so paid 30 percent of the overhead, by his stipulation in my contract. But he wanted me to pay 50 percent of the overhead. I realized that my $40,000-a-year salary would fall precipitously if I did so. We discussed the matter, and I thought the issue settled. However, one day after three years at the practice, I discovered my 60-day notice sitting on my desk.

I stood in my office and hyperventilated. I actually had crushing chest pain for about a minute until I could calm myself down. I then saw patients for the rest of the day. John had already left the office. I spoke to him the next morning and was so upset that I could barely get words out of my mouth. John was very nonchalant and told me that the letter meant that we would renegotiate my contract. He just wasn’t going to pay 70 percent of the overhead any longer. I thought fine — he could pay 100 percent of the overhead. See you later, jerk.

I found another position almost immediately and was offered double my salary. The last days in the practice were difficult. John locked up my insurance reimbursement checks in his desk and prohibited the staff from working my insurance claims, everything to starve me out. I spent my final days there wondering how John had turned from such a great chief resident into an ogre.

After several years, I started my own practice, and my husband became my office manager. We have been independent since then.

What about John? After a number of years, John divorced his wife and married the office manager. John expanded his office hours and dubbed them “Alimony Thursday.” Then suspicious types started patronizing the office, paying the receptionist cash for prescriptions.

One day, John appeared on the news. The DEA raided his office, confiscating charts and computers. He was charged with running a pill mill and was deemed responsible for the deaths of seven patients who had overdosed on medications that he had prescribed. John was eventually sentenced to nearly six years in federal prison.

In my weaker moments, I think this couldn’t have happened to a nicer guy. But I am grateful that he fired me when he did. There was no opioid overprescribing when I was there, thankfully. And he indirectly allowed me to start my own practice. By the time John is released from prison, he will be approaching 70. By that point, I hope to be retired and reasonably comfortable.

My perspective has certainly changed since I left John’s practice. What I once considered a setback was really an opportunity. For anyone joining a practice now, here is my advice: Be sure to negotiate a strong exit strategy, just in case things don’t work out. If your corporation/partner(s) do not value you, look somewhere else. Consider every experience, even a bad one, as a learning opportunity. Finally, consider running your own practice. It is the best decision I ever made. John did me a huge favor a couple of decades ago, and for that I am grateful.

The author is an anonymous physician.

ADVERTISEMENT

Image credit: Shutterstock.com

Prev

2 questions every physician should ask themselves

February 5, 2019 Kevin 3
…
Next

Will artificial intelligence be able to have this conversation?

February 5, 2019 Kevin 1
…

Tagged as: Hospital-Based Medicine, Practice Management, Primary Care

Post navigation

< Previous Post
2 questions every physician should ask themselves
Next Post >
Will artificial intelligence be able to have this conversation?

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

More by Anonymous

  • When the white coats become gatekeepers: How a quiet cartel strangles America’s health

    Anonymous
  • Graduating from medical school without family: a story of strength and survival

    Anonymous
  • Why young doctors in South Korea feel broken before they even begin

    Anonymous

Related Posts

  • A physician’s addiction to social media

    Amanda Xi, MD
  • I learned how to be a good doctor in theater school

    Lauren Klingman
  • How a physician keynote can highlight your conference

    Kevin Pho, MD
  • Chasing numbers contributes to physician burnout

    DrizzleMD
  • The black physician’s burden

    Naomi Tweyo Nkinsi
  • Why this physician supports Medicare for all

    Thad Salmon, MD

More in Physician

  • How a rainy walk helped an oncologist rediscover joy and bravery

    Dr. Damane Zehra
  • How inspiration and family stories shape our most meaningful moments

    Arthur Lazarus, MD, MBA
  • A day in the life of a WHO public health professional in Meghalaya, India

    Dr. Poulami Mazumder
  • Why women doctors are still mistaken for nurses

    Emma Fenske, DO
  • Adriana Smith’s story: a medical tragedy under heartbeat laws

    Nicole M. King, MD
  • Why U.S. health care pricing is so confusing—and how to fix it

    Ashish Mandavia, MD
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • Why removing fluoride from water is a public health disaster

      Steven J. Katz, DDS | Conditions
    • When did we start treating our lives like trauma?

      Maureen Gibbons, MD | Physician
    • Mastering medical presentations: Elevating your impact

      Harvey Castro, MD, MBA | Physician
    • Why the pre-med path is pushing future doctors to the brink

      Jordan Williamson, MEd | Education
    • Why what doctors say matters more than you think [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • The hidden incentives driving frivolous malpractice lawsuits

      Howard Smith, MD | Physician
  • Past 6 Months

    • Why tracking cognitive load could save doctors and patients

      Hiba Fatima Hamid | Education
    • What the world must learn from the life and death of Hind Rajab

      Saba Qaiser, RN | Conditions
    • The silent toll of ICE raids on U.S. patient care

      Carlin Lockwood | Policy
    • Addressing the physician shortage: How AI can help, not replace

      Amelia Mercado | Tech
    • Why medical students are trading empathy for publications

      Vijay Rajput, MD | Education
    • Bureaucracy over care: How the U.S. health care system lost its way

      Kayvan Haddadan, MD | Physician
  • Recent Posts

    • Why the pre-med path is pushing future doctors to the brink

      Jordan Williamson, MEd | Education
    • Why the fear of being forgotten is stronger than the fear of death [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • How a rainy walk helped an oncologist rediscover joy and bravery

      Dr. Damane Zehra | Physician
    • How inspiration and family stories shape our most meaningful moments

      Arthur Lazarus, MD, MBA | Physician
    • A day in the life of a WHO public health professional in Meghalaya, India

      Dr. Poulami Mazumder | Physician
    • Why women doctors are still mistaken for nurses

      Emma Fenske, DO | Physician

Subscribe to KevinMD and never miss a story!

Get free updates delivered free to your inbox.


Find jobs at
Careers by KevinMD.com

Search thousands of physician, PA, NP, and CRNA jobs now.

Learn more

View 4 Comments >

Founded in 2004 by Kevin Pho, MD, KevinMD.com is the web’s leading platform where physicians, advanced practitioners, nurses, medical students, and patients share their insight and tell their stories.

Social

  • Like on Facebook
  • Follow on Twitter
  • Connect on Linkedin
  • Subscribe on Youtube
  • Instagram

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • Why removing fluoride from water is a public health disaster

      Steven J. Katz, DDS | Conditions
    • When did we start treating our lives like trauma?

      Maureen Gibbons, MD | Physician
    • Mastering medical presentations: Elevating your impact

      Harvey Castro, MD, MBA | Physician
    • Why the pre-med path is pushing future doctors to the brink

      Jordan Williamson, MEd | Education
    • Why what doctors say matters more than you think [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • The hidden incentives driving frivolous malpractice lawsuits

      Howard Smith, MD | Physician
  • Past 6 Months

    • Why tracking cognitive load could save doctors and patients

      Hiba Fatima Hamid | Education
    • What the world must learn from the life and death of Hind Rajab

      Saba Qaiser, RN | Conditions
    • The silent toll of ICE raids on U.S. patient care

      Carlin Lockwood | Policy
    • Addressing the physician shortage: How AI can help, not replace

      Amelia Mercado | Tech
    • Why medical students are trading empathy for publications

      Vijay Rajput, MD | Education
    • Bureaucracy over care: How the U.S. health care system lost its way

      Kayvan Haddadan, MD | Physician
  • Recent Posts

    • Why the pre-med path is pushing future doctors to the brink

      Jordan Williamson, MEd | Education
    • Why the fear of being forgotten is stronger than the fear of death [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • How a rainy walk helped an oncologist rediscover joy and bravery

      Dr. Damane Zehra | Physician
    • How inspiration and family stories shape our most meaningful moments

      Arthur Lazarus, MD, MBA | Physician
    • A day in the life of a WHO public health professional in Meghalaya, India

      Dr. Poulami Mazumder | Physician
    • Why women doctors are still mistaken for nurses

      Emma Fenske, DO | Physician

MedPage Today Professional

An Everyday Health Property Medpage Today
  • Terms of Use | Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • DMCA Policy
All Content © KevinMD, LLC
Site by Outthink Group

A physician’s ex-business partner is in prison. Here’s what this doctor learned.
4 comments

Comments are moderated before they are published. Please read the comment policy.

Loading Comments...