The Search goes on.......

And the search goes on for the new office space. Yes, it can be a frustrating affair. Questions, like "Will my patients follow me?" come up on a daily basis. Will the new space be right? How big should it be? How small should it be? It seems that the just-right Goldilocks space is hard to find.

At some point, you might just have to jump in without testing the waters to see if they're too cold or too hot. For a risk-averse doctor as myself, the big question with every space being so expensive, is should I take the risk of getting a space that's bigger than my needs then finding some like-minded practitioners to come in and share the rent burden or just find something I can afford myself, but pay a bigger portion of the rent? It's a tough gamble. But if taken successfully, this large space gamble could result in the best-case scenario for everyone involved.

How primary care got so beaten up is beyond my understanding. But faced with falling payments year after year, I'm surprised more primary care doctors have not opted out of insurance plans. So here I am, unfortunately, a product of those that abdicated the fight before me, hoping to make enough money to pay all of those who stick their hands in my pockets (like my malpractice carrier) before I do. Creativity is the name of the game. And the first place to start is with a new space and a new rent -- hopefully a lower one. Let's face it, the one thing we have the ability to take control of is our overhead. I can't bargain down my malpractice payments or share them with someone else if I've been good.

So the hunt goes on for New Space -- new overhead and a new beginning to make the business of medicine less-burdonsome so that I can spend more time doing the fun part -- being a doctor.

If there are any primary care doctors out there, please share and express your opinions on this topic in the comments section. I would love to hear what you have to say.