Sustainable Medicine

I wrote about the role of a Chief Medical Officer 2 years ago in this post. Not so much because I wanted to become one, but because it's an interesting direction for a clinician.  In fact, many RN's, NP's, and PA's even take on such roles. If you're interested, and if you're willing to put in your dues, that roles isn't hard to carve out.  In 2017 I wrote about my Regional Medical Director role. Later, I became the clinical lead for a healthcare startup. And my resume kept building from there.  If you're a young doctor and you're thinking of quitting or trying something different, just know that you have other options. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.  drmo@digitalnomadphysician.com  

The observed freedom you have in your career is one thing, the real freedom you have is another. How far apart are these 2 entities from each other?  This divide is what will lead to physician burnout. Because it'll lead to disengagement and decrease physician motivation.  drmo@digitalnomadphysician.com 

This genre of books by physicians is absolutely fascinating. I've been reading book after book and I'm not bored yet. The caliber of writing is quite impressive and the content is very interesting.  I've listed a few books here and you can follow me on Goodreads as well. Would love to hear your favorite non-fiction book recommendations.  drmo@digitalnomadphysician.com 

What's wrong with seeing dead people for a chance? It's still clinical work, except all your patients are already dead. I came across this job for a Medical Examiner in my state and decided to apply.  The interview went well. I am not sure I have all of the necessary skills for the job but I learned a lot about this opportunity.  digitalnomadphysician.com drmo@digitalnomadphysician.com 

JustAnswer is one among many such websites which offer expert opinions in all different arenas. From law to medicine to automechanics. I enjoy the work and it's been a great source of location independent income for me over the years. I have recorded my previous income with JA on different posts.  Dr. Niloo and I discussed doing JA as a source of income. She did a 5.5 hour session and earned about $400. Not bad. 

Let me update you guys on a few things. I recently got contacted by my telemedicine company that my board certification with NBPAS may not be sufficient for me to work at Babylon.  This might mean that they'll let me go. Do I want to bother getting a board certification with ABMS? It's not easy. I worry about getting sucked back into medicine. Then again, the money is so easy, it's hard to pass up.  drmo@digitalnomadphysician.com  

I had a chance to talk to the physician who stated a group called Wow Health Solutions. I'm not sure if it's legit or not, but I love the idea and excited to learn more about it.  In this podcast episode I'll talk about what I learned from my conversation with him. It's definitely a unique idea and I believe it has a lot of potential.  drmo@urgentcarecareer.com  

Here is a reply to a reader of the blog who is trying to decide where to go after his Family Medicine residency. Let's talk about income in the Urgent Care job market and the kind of factors worth considering. I'll also discuss what i like about Urgent Care medicine and how to make sure that you don't burn out from it. 

Sometimes clinical medicine gets exhausting. Having a creative and useful outlet can rescue your burnt out career. That's why I do healthcare consulting.  One of the new projects I have started involves AI and Voice Technology. We are trying to build a digital scribe which can listen to the patient-clinician conversation live and create a complete SOAP note, along with any relevant orders.  drmo@urgentcarecareer.com 

I don't like the phrase donating money - it sounds brainless. It sounds like you're emotionally detached. I instead prefer "helping others". And I genuinely want to help others. But I've had a hard time getting over my own fears when it comes to financial security. When do you feel financially confident enough to start giving your money away?  drmo@urgentcarecareer.com 

I am going to go over 3 websites and list some of the interesting clinical and mostly non-clinical opportunities for physicians, APC's, and pharmacists.  upwork docjobs indeed Such opportunities are always plentiful, you just need to look. You also need to apply in order to get experience under your belt.  drmo@urgentcarecareer.com 

We are more comfortable having a part-time or full-time job in medicine. But there are great opportunities when you are willing to forgo the benefit packages.  Especially during these times, locums work is plentiful. In the next podcast episode I'll discuss all of the interesting opportunities available.  What I like about locums work is that you can pursue your own brand on the side while making a solid income from various gigs.  drmo@urgentcarecareer.com 

Since I have a decent savings rate it doesn't make sense for me to try to spend time and effort to predict market behavior.  If I nail the bottom then I may miss the top, or vice versa. It takes a lot of effort and time to time the market. But there is a lot of money in it, I'm sure. I'm just not sure I need those high returns.  drmo@urgentcarecareer.com 

My home is an investment, and so are my pots and pans. But mainstream personal finance does not consider personal items and investments. Let's talk about why this idea might be incorrect for those of us who are looking for financial freedom and who want to enjoy the practice of medicine without the added pressures.  drmo@urgentcarecareer.com 

We  can choose the kind of lifestyle we want to live. We can choose where to live, how we want to practice medicine, how much we want to earn.  Let's talk about our lifestyles in the US from a more global perspective. I like to think of my life in this way so that I make sure that I'm living my life intentionally.  The background noise on this podcast is terrible, I know. But this is the neighborhood that I live in; this is the peace that I get to enjoy on my day off - it's a shame.  drmo@urgentcarecareer.com   

I've been learning a lot recently, mostly about all of the opportunities which exist for us in healthcare.  The reason I talk about these opportunities is so that I can make you feel more secure, so that you realize that there are many ways of earning a living as a physician - not just through clinical routes.  And through this process of earning some income from non-clinical means, perhaps you'll figure out exactly what you love about medicine and you can then keep searching for exactly that.  I will talk about my healthcare consulting work - and if you're interested in that, you can take my healthcare consulting course. drmo@urgentcarecareer.com 

Here is a podcast reply to an email I got from one of my readers at www.urgentcarecareer.com. I loved how this reader is viewing medicine even though he hasn't entered medical school. He asked how he can earn a side income and grow towards being a great lifestyle medicine physician. Here is my reply.  Check out my newest course on starting your own Virtual Private Practice.  drmo@urgentcarecareer.com  

We hear so much shit about what we could get into trouble for in medicine. From a lawsuit to a public complaint to a medical board investigation.  Because of that we are always erring on the safe side and sacrificing our wellbeing for the sake of the patient's.  I'll discuss multiple sample cases and scenarios in all sorts of different clinical settings. This should help you lose your fear of practicing medicine and maybe help you enjoy it more.  If you're interested in starting your own Virtual Private Practice then check out my newest online course on the topic.  drmo@urgentcarecareer.com 

My opinions in regards to financial independence have evolved a lot over the years. And I hope that they will keep evolving; that what I believe now will be different from my future opinions.  I want financial freedom to give me more options and make me feel more relaxed when it comes to my medical career. If I can worry less about money then I can focus more on patient care and what I enjoy most about practicing medicine.  drmo@urgentcarecareer.com 

We often know exactly what it is we enjoy. Maybe it's a unique patient population or a type of clinical setting. Some of us love telemedicine and others love inpatient medicine.  Doubling down on what you enjoy means that you put more effort into it. And that you genuinely pursue it, instead of just assuming that it's not a feasible career option.  I'll give some examples in this space. And I've certainly done the same with my Medical Health Coaching and my Healthcare Consulting.  drmo@urgentcarecareer.com  

Dr. Niloo and I decided to chat about how things are going for us during these social isolation times. We also decided to talk a little about podcasting in general. It's interesting to see such varied opinions and perspectives when it comes to being so public, as I have done with my blog and podcast.  drmo@urgentcarecareer.com 

I have been thinking about this particular business model for an online medical practice for some time. A friend brought it up as an idea and I have been tinkering with it.  Here are my thoughts on it, and if you can think of a better way of doing it, run with it. Or email me your ideas and tell me how it could improve.  drmo@urgentcarecareer.com 

It's only been a week since I started seeing patients for Babylon Health. But I have been credentialing with them for the past few months.  It's a solid telemedicine company and they are approaching this market intelligently.  I am also helping them roll out into the CA market and I am interviewing physicians.  Their telemedicine platform is video based and they provide their own website and have their own proprietary software.  drmo@urgentcarecareer.com  

This is yet another reply to a supporter of my brand. Thank you for purchasing my course Alex. And here are some hopefully helpful replies to your questions.  I talk about the malpractice risk of medicine. How many platforms to get credentialed on. Income potential, etc.  drmo@urgentcarecareer.com 

I've been thinking about happiness in medicine. Especially since I enjoyed very little of it these past couple of weeks.  I think happiness is different for each and every one of us, as clinicians. But it's worth while to figure out what makes you happy and pursue that. Not only pursue it, but really fight for it. drmo@urgentcarecareer.com 

I get this question a lot. Here are my numbers and here is how I think you should look at it - since a few important factors are worth considering. Dr. K wrote me this question and since he purchased my Teladoc Workflow course, I wanted to thank him by replying to his email with this podcast reply.  drmo@urgentcarecareer.com 

Here is an interesting business model which I have been thinking about. Feel free to run with it. But I want to explain why I think such a cash clinic model could potentially work.  Read more at www.urgentcarecareer.com Email me at drmo@urgentcarecareer.com   

This is a reply for a young physician who is deciding where to go next with his career. So, here is my reply to him. I felt that his inquiry was genuine and worth sharing with you guys.  www.urgentcarecareer.com drmo@urgentcarecareer.com  

There is telemedicine, mhealth, and data in healthcare. All of these will evolve and advance during our careers.  I have followed the space and these are the things that I've learned and these are my predictions.  I think it's up to each of us to figure out where we want to carve out a niche in these spaces.  drmo@urgentcarecareer.com 

I deserve to enjoy medicine because I am committed to my practice, my patients, and because I've put enough effort into this career.  Nobody is going to give me a refund on my student loans or teach me new skills. But I first have to understand why I ended up in this burnt-out state.  Let's talk shop. drmo@urgentcarecareer.com 

My Digital Nomad Physician brand (at www.urgentcarecareer.com) is the stomping ground for experimenting with ways to earn an income from the value I bring to others.  My courses have been an example of that. I've been selling these courses for a few years now. At $500, they can be a bit pricey. So now I have added the $25 price point smaller courses as well. The point isn't for me to generate an income - I don't have a need for the income at this time. I am trying to master the skills needed to make myself a better marketer of my products.  Check out the shop at www.urgentcarecareer.com/shop drmo@urgentcarecareer.com 

Dr. Niloo & Dr. Mo today talking about seeing patients in the clinic. She's a specialist - Rheumatology - and I'm a Primary Care doctor. But we're talking about medicine in general. drmo@urgentcarecareer.com   

Here are the factors I'd consider when choosing a good telemedicine software that's turn-key: patient scheduling billing EHR e-prescribing video/audio/texting solid customer service patient intake/consent forms drmo@urgentcarecareer.com 

The point of telemedicine was to provide more access to patients. And we were supposed to help encourage the adoption of telemedicine.  But in hindsight it seems that the telemedicine rules were bullshit and kept many companies from jumping online. Which means that we can't take advantage of telemedicine now that we really need it during this pandemic.  Check out my telemedicine course here.  drmo@urgentcarecareer.com 

Here are my tips and tricks for setting up your home office or home space for doing telemedicine.  I'll discuss the feel of your space and which technologies to use. These have worked out really well for me and kept me productive. My telemedicine course can be found at this link.  drmo@urgentcarecareer.com 

I like the idea of social distancing when it comes to a viral pandemic. I appreciate what it will do for people and the healthcare system. However, it's hard for me to consider it in isolation - that's just not how the world works. And humans aren't isolatable. If that were the case, we'd be winning the war on crime with our absurd incarceration rates in the US.  drmo@urgentcarecareer.com 

It's great to see that my fellow physicians are tuning into investments now that personal finance is front and center in many people's lives.  It's a shame however that many can't be bothered with the idea of investing because there are supposedly bigger things going on. But, I think this is life, there will be ups and downs.  Here is how I think about investing and how I view individual stocks, bonds, ETF's, and stocks.  drmo@urgentcarecareer.com 

You would think that physicians are prospering since we are the backbone of healthcare. But quite a lot of specialists are hit hard financially. Especially those who have their own practices and have a lot of income from procedures.  drmo@urgentcarecareer.com 

I want to both leave medicine and stay in medicine. What can I say! If I am going to stay, I need to figure out the kind of clinical setting which fits me best. Here is what I know so far based on the different places I've practiced at.  drmo@urgentcarecareer.com 

I'm about to get started on my 2019 income taxes. I've had some mixed feelings about my taxes since it's the way that I support my government.  Fortunately, I'm in a place where I can regulate how much and to whom I want to pay taxes. I can reinvest the money back into my business, pay the US vs Spain, or I can pay as expected.  See my 2018 and 2017 taxes in those links.  And check out my Taxes 101 post.  drmo@urgentcarecareer.com 

It's March 22, 2020. I don't know where the economy is headed but I know that I will need to make certain decisions regarding my investments. Here are my thoughts about how to take advantage of the current economy especially in light of our careers being as secure as they are.  drmo@urgentcarecareer.com  

Maybe a lockdown is imminent for the US and I've gotten some advice from my friends in Spain who are are a couple of weeks into mandatory lockdown.  Here is what I have learned from them and I hope that if this happens to us, we'll have our own good methods of getting through it.  drmo@urgentcarecareer.com 

You'll earn a lot more money investing in stocks, if you pick the right stocks.  You can earn a pretty decent return using ETF's or index funds. It depends on your risk tolerance and the kind of profits you're expecting.  Let's play around with the Portfolio Visualizer.  drmo@uregentcarecareer.com  

I walked by my usual cafe this morning and the owner is out there taking to-go orders. It's a cute cafe and she doesn't want to go out of business but it's not easy.  The bigger businesses are doing fine - they have more cushion. This podcast is about me trying to support my local businesses because I want to see them stick around. Remember, the big businesses will get the bailouts because their loss will cause the biggest job losses. Nobody will look out for the little ones. drmo@urgentcarecareer.com 

Don't spend too much time messing around with the software you'll end up using for your telemedicine practice. If you're trying to save on a mere $50/month then you're in the wrong business or your business model is wrong. VSee and Doxy both offer affordable all-in-one telemedicine software which allows you to document, send scripts, book appointments, and perform HIPAA compliant visits. drmo@urgentcarecareer.com  

If you've been wanting to start an online medical practice or take your existing practice online, this is a great time. The world is recognizing the value of virtual medicine, so why not take advantage of this.  It doesn't mean that you're guaranteed to succeed but there are more than enough patients to go around for every clinical provider in the US.  drmo@urgentcarecareer.com  

I thought of posting something special for my 300th podcast episode. Guys, that's a lot of fucking episodes!  I appreciate all of your support and I am excited that I still enjoy recording these podcasts. In fact, even more so than when I first started recording.  If you want to support just keep listening. I don't have advertisers, I don't need your money, and I don't need you to leave me any reviews. Just enjoy it.  drmo@urgentcarecareer.com 

For those of you who are starting their own telemedicine practices or thinking about doing more telemedicine, there are severe waivers which have taken effect because of this viral epidemic.  state licensing HIPAA requirements DEA regulations CMS telemedicine rules drmo@urgentcarecareer.com 

One of my coaching clients is working on building his brand and will eventually pursue being a coach.  Since I am coaching him, this topic is relevant to both of us. He wrote me a great summary of what it means to be a good coach. And I wanted to share it with the rest of you and it's good for him to hear it spoken out loud as well. drmo@urgentcarecareer.com 

This is a follow up from my recent experiment which I talked about in episode 295. I wanted to see how it feels to go with the clinic flow instead of trying to be superman and go above and beyond as a physician.  These are my thoughts on the experiment, and I must say that it has been incredibly successful. The work seems much easier and I feel far less stress as a physician.  I also feel like I'm not quite as engaged or not putting in the amount of work I expect of myself. But I don't think this is enough to make me feel as though I'm being flagrant.  drmo@urgentcarecareer.com 

Los Angeles, March 2020. Lots of drama and chaos in the clinic seeing patients during this viral pandemic. Nevertheless, I'm on the front lines and I'm earning my money as a physician.  Here is an overview of what it's like working in the clinic. And also how I'm thinking about opportunities during such economic changes.  drmo@urgentcarecareer.com