FM practice setup sustainability?

[an576]

Hi all, I work as a scribe for a PP family practitioner. So far, it's been great and I continue to see myself as a family doc in the future. However, something that confuses me are the different ways physicians in the practice have set up their schedule. So far, it's been about half seeing ~25 patients a day for 15 minutes and half seeing ~12 patients a day for a half hour. I don't understand how physicians of the second practice style are able to turn a profit. In particular, I work closely with a physician who has a medicare-heavy patient population and follows the second style, and he consistently tells me how every time he sees a medicare patient he's losing money due to lower reimbursement and overhead costs. I suppose my overall question is, how on earth are FM physicians who see only 12 patients a day, or even less sometimes, (not in concierge practice) sustainable?
Of course ideally I would present this question to the doctor I follow with, but I'm not sure how to do so politely and haven't much luck with getting more basic questions answered either.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Catalystik]

how on earth are FM physicians who see only 12 patients a day, or even less sometimes, (not in concierge practice) sustainable?

One possible explanation: Minor procedures reimburse well. It would help if you can get a look at the billing sheets.

 

[FreeRadicals]

In my area lots of urgent cares have sprouted up and they have started doing ALL of the same exact work that a FM physician does. As a result, numerous FM practices have shutdown. Another nail on the coffin is they aren't even hiring doctors, they have one doctor and then numerous PA's that work under them (probably to cut down on salary costs etc).