A Prescription for Success
Not many business decisions are life or death, but for physicians in private practice, their daily business is exactly that. These doctors excel at providing patient care while juggling the demands of growing their practices, running their businesses and balancing family demands around the often 24/7 schedule required of doctors.
While each of them has a different medical specialty, at the heart of their success is just that, heart: care for their patients, commitment to excellence and a love of what they do. Surrounding themselves with strong teams, putting their patients first and working hard is also part of their prescription for success.
And of course, they wouldnโt be good doctors if they didnโt add some health advice to their thoughts on business. In this case, itโs to make ourselves and our health a priority, eat a sensible diet, exercise and of course, wear your sunscreen.
Dr. Diane Greiner
Diane Greiner, M.D., a fellow of the American College of Cardiology with the Heart Clinic of San Antonio, puts her own heart into patient care.
โPatients always ask โhow would you advise your mom?โ And thatโs how I think of my patients: if this were a family member, what advice would I give them?โ
She feels that personal approach, as well as attention to detail, make a difference. โPatients notice detail, just like any other business. They notice when you know their names, you remember things about their family.โ
Greiner, 51, is a United States Air Force veteran who has been in private practice since 2003. She believes the key to building a successful practice, or business, is being a good listener. She hears patients frequently say that previous doctors didnโt listen or didnโt want to take time to work with them to find the solution that was best for them. โA lot of doctors are โItโs my way or the highwayโ, but thatโs not how I would want to be treated.โ
Patience also hits home. โWhen you have the patience to sit there and listen to somebody, it makes a big difference. I think people remember that.โ
Greiner keeps in mind something one of her attending physicians in medical school said. โMedicine or life is a multiple exposure sport,โ she explains. โSomething may be hard the first time, but the next time you encounter that problem, youโre going to already have that experience and itโs going to be easier for you.โ
Dr. Catherine Tisdall
Catherine Tisdall, M.D., a partner at Dermatology San Antonio, wishes everyone would wear their sunscreen. โItโs not going to put me out of business. Itโs a really simple thing. Thereโs good evidence it prevents skin cancer and it helps prevent wrinkles.โ
Simple guidance is also the basis of how Tisdall has built her practice. โWhen I was in residency, one of my mentors said, โDo the right thing always. Everything will follow from that.โ,โ she explains. โWe take excellent care of our patients. And we treat our staff well. If you treat your staff well, you create a positive environment for the whole practice.โ
โBe explicit about your visionwith yourself and your staff: this is our priority, this is our goal, and it will take care of itself.โ
A board-certified dermatologist, Tisdall, 44, recognizes the value of a team. โAs a business owner, you canโt do it all. You have to empower your staff to make decisions in their own areas. You get a better running business that way.โ
She also believes in not being afraid of hard work. โIn cycling, when youโre going up a hill, you might have to find another gear. Then you might have to find another one. And you donโt think you have that next gear. Then you find youโre capable of working a lot harder than you thought. Not being afraid of hard work, not being afraid to find that third gear, will increase your ability to work and learn.โ
Dr. Jeni Vela
As a child, Jeni Vela, M.D., thought sheโd become a park ranger, but watching a beloved cousin tragically lose his life to medical malpractice changed all of that. โI saw that there was a lack of quality healthcare. From that point on, I volunteered at hospitals, learning as much as I could.โ
An obstetrics and gynecology physician with the Institute for Womenโs Health in San Antonio, the medical field, and her specialty definitely suits her. โYouโre going to be involved in big decisions in their lifeโbig moments. Itโs so rewarding because youโre with them eight or nine months, they have their baby and you get to be a part of that special moment in their lives. It never gets old.โ
โI try to talk to my patients and really listen. I take time to explain things and why I recommend one way over another,โ she explains when asked about how she maintains a successful practice. I try and talk to them and treat them like theyโre family.โ
Vela, 35, is also the mother of two children under the age of two, a balancing act for any mom. โI donโt recommend it to my patients,โ she laughs.
But sheโs up to the challenge. When issues arise, โI try to attack the problem from a different angle and not get caught up in it,โ she explains.
โI try to always go back to my roots and remember why Iwent into medicine in the firstplace โ to make a difference.โ
Dr. Michelle Welch
Michelle Welch, M.D., the founder of Diabetes and Metabolism Specialists in San Antonio, started her practice with two employees, renting a small office from another doctor. She now has 25 employees. โIf you know in your heart that youโre doing the right thing and can do a good job, thereโs always a better way to skin a cat. If you think you know that way โ whatโs that quote from โField of Dreamsโ? โ โIf you build it, they will come.โโ
โIf you have a philosophy, a vision, you can make it happen. There are a lot of bumps in the road. The most important thing is to seek out mentors,โ she offers as advice.
Board Certified in Internal Medicine, Diabetes, Endocrinology, and Metabolism, Welch, 48, has been treating some patients for more than 15 years. โGetting to know them, their lives, being able to help them is rewarding โ especially seeing them get better,โ she explains.
โItโs really bringing medicine to the patient level, teaching them, engaging them and being a team. I work on educating them and I think they see the value in that knowledge base and the value in being engaged.โ
The mother of three founded and expanded her practice while growing her family as well. Along the way, she learned the importance of cooperation and letting the little things go. โYou have to focus on the big things. Keep an eye on things that really matter and donโt worry about the rest.โ
By Dawn Robinette
Photography by David Teran
The post A Prescription for Success appeared first on San Antonio Woman Magazine.
Source: SA Woman – Women In Business
