After spending the first part of her career in political and governmental affairs for healthcare companies, Shelly O’Donovan noticed that there was a pattern to effective communication.  These patterns separated the strong communicators who could accomplish agendas and climb corporate ladders from the communicators who didn’t achieve their goals. That observation sparked a passion for decoding communication and understanding what makes others tick. “I started to be interested in what those patterns were and started to do some research on my own ... and eventually got trained in nonverbal communication by a behavioral research lab,” Shelly says of her journey to becoming a body language and communication expert.  On this episode of the Prosperous Doc®, our host Shane Tenny, CFP® welcomes Shelly to discuss her work and research about better communication — particularly with doctor-patient communication. Shelly, who delivers training programs to help executives and teams use authentic communication to deliver a message, shares how important strong communication and nonverbal cues are for building trust between doctors and patients. “If the physician walks in and really takes a moment to look at the patient, make some eye contact, be open, also be front-facing … that's going to make a big difference in opening up that trust,” Shelly says of the all-important nonverbal communication skills that encourage trust between two people.  Shelly also discusses how this trust is vital to the physician’s practice as it encourages patients to be more open and communicative about their current health, ailments, or whatever may be bringing them into the office.   ? Featured Expert ?Name: Shelly O’Donovan What she does: As the CEO of the Authentic Influence Group, ITM LLP and a Persuasive Speaking Lecturer at the Wharton School, Shelly helps healthcare executives and teams learn and apply effective and authentic forms of communication.  Company: https://authenticinfluencegroup.com/ (Authentic Influence Group)  Words of wisdom:  “We build our first impression of someone within 20 seconds of seeing them. It actually has nothing to do with hearing them speak — but 20 seconds of seeing someone.”  Connect: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shellyodonovan/ (LinkedIn) | https://twitter.com/shellyodonovan?lang=en (Twitter)   ? On the Money ?Top takeaways from this episode  ★    Nonverbal cues carry weight. Three nonverbal cues — hand gestures, facial expressions, and vocal tone — can greatly enhance communication. A study conducted revealed that doctors whose tone was perceived as friendlier and more trustworthy had fewer malpractice suits filed against them. ★    Building trust encourages more honesty from patients. The more trust a patient has in their physician, the more likely they will be honest about what they are feeling or experiencing. Shelly believes strong doctor-patient communication can lead to better and more accurate treatments for patients.  ★    Apply communication skills for the digital age. Despite the rise in telemedicine, physicians should not forget the power of strong communication skills and nonverbal cues. During a virtual consultation, looking directly into the camera and facing the patient head-on is a great way to earn their trust.   ⚡ Prosperous Insights ⚡[05:49] Gestures (aka suggestors) tell a story: Shelly explains that hand movements, facial expressions, and voice tone are three forms of nonverbal communication that can really enhance an interaction. [07:28] Putting in the time: According to research, if a doctor can give any fraction of face-to-face time to a patient, it really helps open a trusted line of communication. [10:33] Quick first impressions: Shelly says first impressions are made within the first 20 seconds of meeting someone, so medical professionals have to...

White Coat Wellness

Building Trusted Doctor-Patient Relationships Through More Effective Communication with Shelly O’Donovan

As someone who started creating her own books when she was two, Dr. Maria Baimas-George believed she would grow up to become an author. When she fell in love with science and went on to medical school, Dr. Baimas-George found herself writing and drawing to de-stress. “Growing up, I loved English and I loved science, and now I feel like they are merging, which is wonderful,” Dr. Baimas-George says of her newfound side hustle. She’s a surgical resident by day, and an author and illustrator by weekend. In this episode of Prosperous Doc®, our host Shane Tenny, CFP®, welcomes Dr. Baimas-George, a surgical resident at Carolinas Medical Center of Atrium Health in Charlotte, North Carolina. In addition to discussing her medical career, Dr. Baimas-Georges tells us about her children’s book series, “The Strength of My Scars: Pediatric Surgical Chronicles,” and the path that led her to create such meaningful work. Dr. Baimas-George’s first-hand experience in the pediatric surgery service shed light on the information that gets lost in translation between patients, their caregivers, and physicians. Physicians speaking in medical jargon to patients and their families who are already anxious and scared is not beneficial. Dr. Baimas-George’s series provides both caregivers and children with understandable information they can process more readily in times of high emotion. “We saw a significant benefit in satisfaction, comprehension or understanding, and [decreased] apprehension or stress in caregivers and parents of patients undergoing common pediatric surgeries,” Dr. Baimas-George says of a controlled study conducted at Carolinas Medical Center. Dr. Baimas-George’s medical and authorial future is as bright as the lights on her OR table. She is a true testament to the power of following your passions wherever they might take you.    ? Featured Expert ?Name: Dr. Maria Baimas-George, MD MPH  What she does:  Dr. Baimas-George is a surgical resident working at Carolinas Medical Center of Atrium Health in Charlotte, North Carolina. From her first-hand experience with pediatric patients, Dr. Baimas-George has created a children’s book series, “The Strength of My Scars: Pediatric Surgical Chronicles,” explaining medical procedures and terms, and calming fears surrounding health-related issues.   Company: https://atriumhealth.org/ (Atrium Health) | https://www.linkedin.com/company/atrium-health-us/ (LinkedIn) | https://twitter.com/AtriumHealth (Twitter)    Words of wisdom: “Scars should be embraced. It shows that we’ve overcome adversity.”   Connect: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maria-baimas-george-md-mph-5b947a203/ (LinkedIn) | https://twitter.com/Mbaimasgeorge (Twitter) | https://strengthofmyscars.com/ (Books Website) | https://www.instagram.com/thestrengthofmyscars/ (Books Instagram) | https://twitter.com/strengthmyscars (Books Twitter) | https://www.facebook.com/thestrengthofmyscars (Books Facebook)   ? On the Money ?Top takeaways from this episode  ★    Follow your bliss. From writing to art to science classes to medical school, Dr. Baimas-George always followed her passions. Now working in an OR and writing and illustrating meaningful works for children and their caregivers, she gets to use two of her interests to make a difference in the lives of her patients. ★    Cross your t’s and dot your i’s. Although she is independently publishing her works, Dr. Baimas-George ensures she is producing the absolute best resources for patients. She has the medical facts checked and approved by doctoral peers and mentors, has the books proofread for spelling and grammar, and has coworkers read through to make sure the story and information is sound.    ★    Ask for help. For Dr. Baimas-George, asking for help in the form of a grant was the best decision she could have made. Receiving a grant from the...

There is Strength in Scars: Creating Books With a Purpose with Dr. Maria Baimas-George

Dr. Janelle White had no idea what she wanted to do when she grew up until she watched a care team save her brother’s life. “Watching his recovery is what really motivated me,” she says. “That was a life-changing experience for me, to see how those physicians … [and] the entire care team — honestly saved my brother's life, and revived him. So that spurred my interest in medicine.”  Dr. White accomplished her goal of becoming one such “miracle worker.” Still, it wasn’t until several years into her career that she realized her impact isn’t defined by the number of patients she sees or accurate diagnoses she gives. In this episode of the Prosperous Doc ®, our host Shane Tenny, CFP®, welcomes Dr. White, the Specialty Medical Director of Community Health at Atrium Health. They discuss how she became a leader outside the exam room, what to do about the health inequities exposed by the COVID-19 pandemic and why she went back to school to earn her master’s in Healthcare Management from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Dr. White finds her center by reminding herself of why she went into healthcare in the first place. “And that's to care for patients and improve their health and well-being,” she says, adding that maintaining perspective about the various ways she can impact the health of patients “is one of my guiding principles.”   ? Featured Expert ?Name: Dr. Janelle White, MHCM, FAAP What she does: Dr. White is the Specialty Medical Director of Community Health at Atrium Health and the Pediatric Regional Medical Director at Atrium Health Levine Children’s University Pediatrics in Charlotte, North Carolina. In addition, Dr. White serves on the board of managers for https://www.carolinasphysicianalliance.org/physician-leadership (Carolinas Physician Alliance). Company: https://atriumhealth.org (Atrium Health)  Words of wisdom: “I just had to learn for myself and accept the fact that I can impact patient care without actually touching the patient.”  Connect: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janelle-white-md-mhcm-b433aaaa/ (LinkedIn) ? On the Money ?Top takeaways from this episode  ★    Physicians can help patients — not only in the exam room. Dr. White once believed the only way to help people was through direct patient care. But, as she developed an interest in quality improvement and other initiatives, she gained leadership roles on boards and committees that have taught her there are several ways to be a leader in a healthcare setting. ★    Healthcare disparities have never been more apparent, and physicians can do something about it. The COVID-19 pandemic has brought the ugly truth about health inequity to the forefront. Even though it was already on her radar, Dr. White says it’s become apparent that she and her colleagues need to focus on wraparound services, aka addressing social determinants such as food insecurity as underlying factors for patients. ★    When the going gets tough, remember why you went into healthcare. Like all of us, healthcare workers face obstacles while reaching for their goals. But Dr. White has learned to push past these by reminding herself why she became a pediatrician in the first place. As a new graduate suddenly grieving the loss of her husband, for example, Dr. White used her passion to make an impact in her patients’ lives as her “north star” guiding her through her grief.   ⚡ Prosperous Insights ⚡[01:38] How it all started: Dr. White shares the story of how, after his car accident, watching her brother’s care team put him on a path to recovery inspired her to go into healthcare — and how a church member helped her choose a specialty. [05:05] Pushing herself to do more: Dr. White explains how providing the best possible care was her main and perhaps only focus the first few years she was practicing. The longer she was in the field, the more interest she gained in areas such as...

From Clinician to Physician Leader: How to Positively Impact More Patients With Dr. Janelle White

Despite not being a doctor himself, Doug Copple understands the challenges of running a medical or dental practice. He is a Partner at Bentson Copple & Associates, a transition company that assists orthodontists nationwide with practice valuation, partner location services, as well as negotiating transitions.  In this episode of the Prosperous Doc ®, our host Shane Tenny, CFP® welcomes Doug to discuss changes in the dental market and what that looks like for private practices and future doctors. “Orthos are really our bread and butter. We're involved with 50 to 60 transactions a year, at least on the ortho side. Our firm really provides valuation, transition, and recruiting services for orthodontists. It's any change of ownership,” Doug explains. The firm is focused on facilitating effective and shorter negotiations with the greatest probability of closing the deal. This is timely as more orthodontic residents say they plan to work as employees for dental service organizations (DSO) and orthodontic service organizations (OSO).  “If you're a doctor and you're being overwhelmed by some of the things you don't want to do in your practice anymore, you can get a big lump sum [from an OSO buyout], and say you have $3 million in the bank now,” Doug says of the kind of transactions he helps facilitate. “That's a pretty nice little passive income for you as a doctor that you're adding on to your salary to work back.”   ? Featured Expert ?Name: Doug Copple  What he does: As a Partner at Bentson Copple & Associates, Doug assists orthodontists nationwide during pivotal career transition points. Doug’s goal is to provide shorter negotiation cycles and stronger assurance of deals reaching completion.  Company: https://www.bentsoncopple.com/ (Bentson Copple & Associates) | https://www.linkedin.com/company/bentsoncoppleassociates/ (LinkedIn)  Words of wisdom: “What we're telling our clients — whether you're thinking about doing a transaction with a single doctor, or you're thinking about doing a transaction with an OSO, anytime in 2022 — you really need to look at the tax consequences of doing it this year versus doing it next year.” Connect: Email | https://www.linkedin.com/in/doug-copple-a83a1011/ (LinkedIn)   ? On the Money ?Top takeaways from this episode ★    Dental practices have the potential to yield large profit margins. Doug says the dental market is hot right now and one thing attracting investors is the potential to increase efficiency and profit. “I think private equity or business minded people look at individual dentists or orthodontists and say this is an inefficient model. You've got one doctor with maybe two or three locations. They can only be in one location at a time, so there's all this downtime that we can make it more efficient,” he says. ★    Running a practice is less appealing to future orthodontists. It’s estimated that by 2025, approximately 55% of the dental world may be affiliated with DSOs. Similarly, 55-60% of orthodontic residents say they plan to work as employees rather than owning a private practice at least early in their careers. ★    Be willing to make changes. As a doctor’s private practice gets bigger, it could serve them to turn to an equity investor, but they have to be willing to make changes for higher efficiency and online patient interactions.     ⚡ Prosperous Insights ⚡[02:08] Providing niche services: Doug Copple discusses Bentson Copple & Associates' focus in the orthodontic market. The company provides valuation, transition, and recruiting services, and any change of ownership deals for orthodontists. [03:53] More efficiency yields larger profit margins: Private equity or business-minded people look at individual dentist orthodontists as an inefficient model, as one doctor might work at two or three locations. That’s where companies like Bentson...

Discussing the Hot Dental Market and How it’s Affecting Practice Valuations and Transitions with Doug Copple

Dr. Marshall Kuremsky knew he wanted to be an orthopaedic sports medicine surgeon since he was 12 or 13, but it wasn’t until four years or so into his practice that he took a keen interest in the financial and business world. That craving for knowledge, which had propelled him to success in medical school and at work, itched to be satisfied yet again. “I simply started to realize that I craved as much information, knowledge, and experience about business and finance as I could. I started to expand my network, socially and professionally, outside of medicine,” says Dr. Kuremsky. On this episode of the Prosperous Doc®, our host Shane Tenny, CFP® welcomes Dr. Kuremsky to discuss his path into venture capital, which stemmed from his passion for learning. Dr. Kuremsky shares his journey and how important it is to make your money work for you.  “If you make the right decisions, or the smart decisions, you're able to move through your career from the stage where it's you having to go to work, to the stage where it's your money going to work — to generate the money that you need,” he explains. Dr. Kuremsky also discusses the importance of investing in businesses that will make a difference. As a member of https://loud.vc/ (LOUD Capital), which follows the motto “Venture for People ®,” he’s involved in world-changing ventures.  “We want everybody to have access to capital, particularly underrepresented or traditionally excluded groups and it's everybody,” he says.   ? Featured Expert ?Name: Dr. Marshall Kuremsky  What he does: Dr. Marshall Kuremsky is an orthopaedic surgeon and venture capitalist with LOUD Capital, where he takes pride in investing in the world’s future.  Company: https://loud.vc/ (LOUD Capital)  Words of wisdom: “My whole philosophy in the last five years has been finding ways to make sure that I was making money when I'm not working.”  Connect with Dr. Kuremsky: https://www.drkuremsky.com/ (Website) | https://twitter.com/kuremsky?lang=en (Twitter) | https://www.linkedin.com/in/marshall-kuremsky-52695142/ (LinkedIn) | Email  Connect with LOUD Capital: https://twitter.com/LOUDCapital (Twitter) | https://www.linkedin.com/company/loud-capital/ (LinkedIn)   ? On the Money ?Top takeaways from this episode  ★    Pursue your curiosities. After going through medical school and practicing medicine for four years, Dr. Kuremsky realized he craved more knowledge — specifically, knowledge about business and finance. That curiosity led him down a fruitful path to becoming an associate at https://loud.vc/ (LOUD Capital). ★    It all comes down to the people. Dr. Kuremsky credits his trust in good people for leading him to venture capital. He trusted someone who had a mutual vision and purpose and someone he believed to have good core values. These people are now his business partners.  ★    Be proactive and take a hands-on approach. Venture capital can be far more than simply raising and deploying capital. For https://loud.vc/ (LOUD Capital), it's helping to grow and shape companies and provide them with leadership, resources, and the network to live up to their potential.   ⚡ Prosperous Insights ⚡[02:38] Follow your curiosity: Dr. Kuremsky achieved his dream of becoming an orthopaedic surgeon but became curious about finance and business. He realized there was more to his passion than serving his patients each day, leading him to pursue venture capital. [09:56] Trust good people: More than anything, Dr. Kuremsky credits the people rather than the business for drawing him into venture capital. He was inspired by the good people already doing the work and the purpose and vision they pursued. [11:27] The venture capital breakdown: Dr. Kuremsky explains what exactly venture capital is, which is early stage investment in companies, people, entrepreneurs, or startups. He breaks down the...

Why Venture Capital is the Right Side Gig for this Physician with Dr. Marshall Kuremsky

Everyone has their breaking point, but doctors — especially in the era of COVID-19 — often feel like they have no choice but to push past their burnout. Dr. Jillian Bybee, however, decided to do something about it. “I was born and raised in a really hard-working family with a lot of perfectionism tendencies and some mental health issues like anxiety that probably were undiagnosed,” she says. “And I just achieved my way through school, through med school, through training. Kept going and didn't really pay attention to self-care. … It finally came to a head my second year [in residency] when I had a patient who ended up dying, and that derailed me.”  On this episode of the Prosperous Doc®, our host Shane Tenny, CFP® welcomes Dr. Bybee, Assistant Professor in Pediatric Critical Care Medicine and Director of Quality and Safety for Pediatric Critical Care Medicine at Spectrum Health, to discuss what it took to finally address her work-related depression. She details the experience that opened her eyes to needing help, and why overcoming her shame and confiding in her husband was the first step she needed to get professional help. Through her own self-care journey, Dr. Bybee discovered all the cultural issues that cause medical professionals to avoid therapy — including the idea that they must be strong “superheroes” for everyone else. Dr. Bybee explains why this mentality is dangerous, and why hospital management doesn't always respond appropriately to its resulting burnout. Dr. Bybee also offers suggestions for people seeking resources for themselves and loved ones, including several podcasts and apps that people can use to help calm their minds. ? Featured Expert ?Name: Dr. Jillian Bybee  What he does: Dr. Bybee is the Assistant Professor in Pediatric Critical Care Medicine and Director of Quality and Safety for Pediatric Critical Care Medicine at Spectrum Health, where she strives to help medical fellows become better physicians.  Company: https://www.spectrumhealth.org/ (Spectrum Health)  Words of wisdom: “If you're a superhero, you're not supposed to need to sustain yourself — you're just supposed to keep going. And that's really the culture of medicine — this grin-and- bear-it or just move on and bury-your-feelings approach. There's also this feeling that somehow it's selfish. … [But] if you're not able to take care of yourself, you certainly can't take care of other people as effectively.”  Connect: https://twitter.com/LifeandPICU (Twitter)   ? On the Money ?Top takeaways from this episode  ★    It’s OK to not be OK. We often — especially throughout the COVID-19 pandemic — refer to healthcare workers as “heroes,” when in reality, they’re humans like the rest of us. That’s why Dr. Bybee says it’s especially important for these professionals to be self-aware and stop putting their mental health needs last. ★    Every physician has to figure out what works for them. Dr. Bybee acknowledges how everyone’s self-care journey is different. She notes, for example, that it’s OK if one person needs therapy but meditation alone is enough for someone else. There’s no one-size-fits-all method to overcoming burnout, which is why higher-ups saying “tell us if you need help” is often too vague to be effective. ★    Seek help from both professionals and loved ones. It can be difficult to confide in a stranger, which is why Dr. Bybee found it so cathartic to first confide in her husband about her depression — it gave her the validation and strength she needed to seek professional help. She suggests contacting friends, family, or another trusted loved one when you finally hit a wall.   ⚡ Prosperous Insights ⚡[02:15] Looking inward: Dr. Bybee explains the straw that broke the camel’s back in terms of burnout and the first steps she took on her self-care journey. [06:28] Not everyone can be superhuman: Dr. Bybee discusses...

Practicing Self-Care as a Physician Isn’t Selfish, It Is Self-Preservation With Dr. Jillian Bybee

Dr. Armin Feldman, like many medical professionals, is driven by a passion to help the sick and injured. After selling his rehabilitation clinics more than a decade ago, he knew he wanted to continue helping others but in a less time-consuming way than as a practicing physician. The answer: consulting attorneys as a traumatic head and brain injury medical expert. This path made sense based on Dr. Feldman’s expertise in this field, which had developed over nearly 40 years from a personal injury lawyer who sent him head-injured clients. Dr. Feldman realized his knowledge of these types of injuries was invaluable.  “I have testified as an expert witness, as a medical expert, really more times than I want to remember on behalf of my patients who were either being cut off of their medical care or being offered some pittance of a settlement,” he says. “So I thought, based on all of that, well, maybe what I could do is consult attorneys on any kind of medical question that they had in a case. And that turned out to fill a niche that hadn't been filled — and now, 13 years later, has developed into a new subspecialty of preventive medicine.” In this episode of the Prosperous Doc ®, our host Shane Tenny, CFP® welcomes Dr. Feldman, a psychiatrist and psychoanalyst, to discuss this career transition into consulting work. Besides explaining his system for consultations and how he approaches every new case, Dr. Feldman shares how he’s expanded his business to coach other medical professionals who want to start their own consulting work. He also offers a sneak peek of his https://medlegconlive.com/medleg2021.xhtml (upcoming virtual Medical/Legal Conference), covering various topics about medical legal consulting, like how to operate and market your business.   ? Featured Expert ?Name: Dr. Armin Feldman  What he does: As the owner of MD Business Consultants, Dr. Feldman consults attorneys in the Denver area on medical questions that arise in their cases and helps other physicians around the country run successful medical/legal consulting businesses.  Company: https://mdbizcon.com/armin.feldman/home.html (MD Business Consultants, LLC)  Words of wisdom: “The way that I have advised physicians over the years is to do an informal survey of your colleagues. Determine what you think is the average fee per hour for doing medical expert [work] in your community. … Once you get that average, as a medical consultant, you're going to come in maybe half to two-thirds of what the experts are charging.”  Connect: https://www.linkedin.com/in/armin-feldman-m-d-07282ba8/ (LinkedIn)  ? On the Money ?Top takeaways from this episode  ★    An option for doctors who no longer want to practice medicine. We probably don’t need to tell you that medicine is no walk in the park, which is why plenty of medical professionals want to step back from being a clinician at some point. When doctors are done practicing or want to take a step back before retiring, Dr. Feldman suggests looking into medical consulting. It offers doctors an opportunity to continue helping sick or injured people, but with a lower time commitment — you can work as little as 8 hours a week. ★    Consulting requires a great deal of homework. Dr. Feldman admits he doesn’t have a business degree, so much of his business is built on learning from his mistakes. Since 2006, he’s been researching medical cases and working with lawyers. Based upon that experience, he’s able to help other medical professionals perfect the three steps to any consultation work: talk to the attorney, review the medical records, and interview the client. ★    Good consultants teach others to do the same work. Like most medical professionals, Dr. Feldman has a passion for helping others. That’s why he started a coaching business to train other doctors how to make money from consulting. Right now, he’s preparing...

The Ins and Outs of Medical-Legal Consulting With Dr. Armin Feldman

You might say Andrew Tucker was born to be an entrepreneur after growing up in a family of business owners. Today, as a tax attorney and CPA by training, he guides physicians and dentists who want to launch and run their own businesses. “There's something amazing about the entrepreneurship opportunities in the United States,” Andrew says. “But when people are coming into the idea of ownership, particularly from a trade where you're a doctor first or an accountant first or an attorney first, it's really hard to think about that role of entrepreneurship.” In this episode of Prosperous Doc®, Andrew shares best practices for professionals who want to launch their own practice or become a partner, including how to start with the launch mindset before you’re ready to go on your own. He talks about why it’s important to first make an honest assessment of yourself and your leadership style, understand who you need on your team to ensure success, and be clear about why you truly want to run your own business. According to Andrew, having a strategy for tracking expenses and key performance indicators, coupled with a production plan, can help you stay on track and reach your financial milestones. Andrew also addresses what it’s like if you’re going into a partnership. Uncomfortable situations might arise and he shares how to address issues before they jeopardize your practice. “If you don't think something's working, have a candid conversation. They [your partner] may be feeling the same way. And it gives you an opportunity to kind of redefine parameters and boundaries.” Finally, Andrew talks about how to find the balance between fast and slow change and building a team that will help you achieve your goals.   ? Featured Expert ?Name: https://www.sdtplanning.com/andrew-tucker-bio (Andrew Tucker) What he does: A tax attorney by training, Andrew is also a CPA and CFP®, and helps clients maximize wealth through a unique blend of tax-centric cash flow strategies. Andrew has also served as a guest lecturer for various professional associations, including the American Dental Association (ADA), Dentist Entrepreneur Organization (DEO), and the Pacific Coast Society of Orthodontists (PCSO).  Company: https://www.sdtplanning.com/ (Spaugh Dameron Tenny)  Words of wisdom: “There are opportunities opening up everywhere all the time, you just have to be ready and willing to see them.”  Connect: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-tucker-jd-cpa-pfs-cfp%C2%AE-cima%C2%AE-b520621b/ (LinkedIn)   ? On the Money ?Top takeaways from this episode  ★    Seriously consider why you want to own your own business. Put pen to paper to determine your goals for entrepreneurship and develop a realistic picture of why you want to make the switch to running your own business. Be intentional in considering if it’s really right for your personality and professional and personal life. ★    Know your leadership style. Take a personal inventory assessment to see what you can take on as a leader and whether a partnership might be appropriate. Andrew advises using a SWOT analysis to look inwardly and understand one’s skill set before stepping into an ownership role. ★    Create a production plan for your organization. Identifying and quantifying the production value dollar amount that you think people will be able to provide can help you plan your financial goals for your practice. ⚡ Prosperous Insights ⚡[12:31] More than serving patients: Andrew talks about the realities of owning your own businesses as an owner-doctor or partner, sharing a clear picture of what’s in store. [14:46] Don’t be afraid to have difficult conversations: Ending a partnership can be uncomfortable, but delaying the inevitable can worsen the situation. Have candid conversations early on to try and solve issues before they become bigger problems.  [16:14] The pace of change is key: When

Cultivating a Growth Team: Steps to Building Your Own Practice with Andrew Tucker

Dr. Michael Myers admits he was late coming into the psychiatry field. As a first-year medical student in 1962, one of Dr. Myers’s roommates, also a medical student, committed suicide. The stigmatization surrounding mental health and suicide was so profound that the school did not even acknowledge this student’s passing. It was then some years later as an internal medical resident that Dr. Myers saw, once again, the imminent threat of poor mental health amongst physicians. “It was through that, that I got thinking I would like to attempt to be involved in people’s lives before they reach that desperate point,” Dr. Myers says of the experiences that drove him to his current profession.    In this episode of Prosperous Doc, our host Shane Tenny, CFP® welcomes Dr. Myers to discuss his new book, “Becoming a Doctors’ Doctor,” and the path that led him to and his work in psychiatric care for physicians. Dr. Myers also discusses the impact, both negative and positive, COVID-19 has had on physicians and all healthcare professionals. He says the level of work brought on by the virus has certainly caused more work, more pressure, and more isolation for healthcare professionals. He also acknowledges, however, the true grit camaraderie that has blossomed amongst physicians like he has never seen before. The pandemic has also brought a newfound focus on mental health and self-care. People who spend their lives helping others are finally getting the focus and attention they deserve. “I think that I've seen big changes. I'm so hopeful about everything. I just feel that despite all of this and what we're going through in the world, I think, in regards to physicians’ health, we're making big strides,” Dr. Myers says. ? Featured Expert ?Name: Dr. Michael Myers What he does:  Dr. Myers is Professor of Clinical Psychiatry and recent past Vice-Chair of Education and Director of Training in the Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences at SUNY-Downstate Health Sciences University in Brooklyn, NY, where he focuses on research and mental health for physicians.  Company: https://www.downstate.edu/ (SUNY-Downstate Health Sciences University)  Words of wisdom: “My line is always the same, ‘Whatever you do, do something.’ Okay?”  Connect: http://www.michaelfmyers.com/index.htm (Website) | https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-myers-73860a200/ (LinkedIn) | https://twitter.com/downstatedoctor (Twitter) | https://www.amazon.com/Becoming-Doctors-Doctor-Michael-Myers/dp/B08HGTJNS2/ref=sr_1_1?crid=WAF0R7G4ZDZO&dchild=1&keywords=becoming+a+doctors+doctor+myers&qid=1613521902&sprefix=becoming+a+doctors+%2Cstripbooks%2C160&sr=8-1 (Book)   ? On the Money ?Top takeaways from this episode  ★    Breaking the stigma around seeking mental health help is vital to physicians’ well-being. Medical professionals tend to be perfectionists so they have an internal stigma that tends to make them feel weak, flawed, or inadequate when their mental health starts deteriorating. There is also the external stigma that society has against those who suffer from a mental illness. Until these stigmatizations are eradicated, physicians will be in danger of suffering more. ★    A lot of research has been done, but there’s a long way to go. While conducting research for his book, Dr. Myers interviewed families whose loved ones had died by suicide. Roughly 15% to 20% of the people he spoke with reported that their loved ones had not sought consultation of any kind. Their treatable illness went completely ignored, leading to their death. ★    Whatever you do, do something. If someone, in any walk of life, feels like they need help with their mental health, Dr. Myers advises them to do something. Reach out. Tell someone. Seek help.  ⚡ Prosperous Insights ⚡[3:52] Background and motivation: After seeing his own roommate commit...

The Importance of Physician Mental Health with Dr. Michael Myers

Dr. Michael Myers admits he was late coming into the psychiatry field. As a first-year medical student in 1962, one of Dr. Myers’s roommates, also a medical student, committed suicide. The stigmatization surrounding mental health and suicide was so profound that the school did not even acknowledge this student’s passing. It was then some years later as an internal medical resident that Dr. Myers saw, once again, the imminent threat of poor mental health amongst physicians. “It was through that, that I got thinking I would like to attempt to be involved in people’s lives before they reach that desperate point,” Dr. Myers says of the experiences that drove him to his current profession.    In this episode of Prosperous Doc, our host Shane Tenny, CFP® welcomes Dr. Myers to discuss his new book, “Becoming a Doctors’ Doctor,” and the path that led him to and his work in psychiatric care for physicians. Dr. Myers also discusses the impact, both negative and positive, COVID-19 has had on physicians and all healthcare professionals. He says the level of work brought on by the virus has certainly caused more work, more pressure, and more isolation for healthcare professionals. He also acknowledges, however, the true grit camaraderie that has blossomed amongst physicians like he has never seen before. The pandemic has also brought a newfound focus on mental health and self-care. People who spend their lives helping others are finally getting the focus and attention they deserve. “I think that I've seen big changes. I'm so hopeful about everything. I just feel that despite all of this and what we're going through in the world, I think, in regards to physicians’ health, we're making big strides,” Dr. Myers says. ? Featured Expert ?Name: Dr. Michael Myers What he does:  Dr. Myers is Professor of Clinical Psychiatry and recent past Vice-Chair of Education and Director of Training in the Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences at SUNY-Downstate Health Sciences University in Brooklyn, NY, where he focuses on research and mental health for physicians.  Company: https://www.downstate.edu/ (SUNY-Downstate Health Sciences University)  Words of wisdom: “My line is always the same, ‘Whatever you do, do something.’ Okay?”  Connect: http://www.michaelfmyers.com/index.htm (Website) | https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-myers-73860a200/ (LinkedIn) | https://twitter.com/downstatedoctor (Twitter) | https://www.amazon.com/Becoming-Doctors-Doctor-Michael-Myers/dp/B08HGTJNS2/ref=sr_1_1?crid=WAF0R7G4ZDZO&dchild=1&keywords=becoming+a+doctors+doctor+myers&qid=1613521902&sprefix=becoming+a+doctors+%2Cstripbooks%2C160&sr=8-1 (Book)   ? On the Money ?Top takeaways from this episode  ★    Breaking the stigma around seeking mental health help is vital to physicians’ well-being. Medical professionals tend to be perfectionists so they have an internal stigma that tends to make them feel weak, flawed, or inadequate when their mental health starts deteriorating. There is also the external stigma that society has against those who suffer from a mental illness. Until these stigmatizations are eradicated, physicians will be in danger of suffering more. ★    A lot of research has been done, but there’s a long way to go. While conducting research for his book, Dr. Myers interviewed families whose loved ones had died by suicide. Roughly 15% to 20% of the people he spoke with reported that their loved ones had not sought consultation of any kind. Their treatable illness went completely ignored, leading to their death. ★    Whatever you do, do something. If someone, in any walk of life, feels like they need help with their mental health, Dr. Myers advises them to do something. Reach out. Tell someone. Seek help.  ⚡ Prosperous Insights ⚡[3:52] Background and motivation: After seeing his own roommate commit suicide...

Heather and Scott Paviol are one of the rare couples that can work together — and it’s because they each have strengths where the other has weaknesses. As an interior designer with an interest in leadership development and organizational performance, it was only fitting that Heather help her dermatologist husband open his new practice last year (even though he chose to do so during a global pandemic).  “We were coming off easily our best year at Mooresville. I wasn't even accepting new patients,” Scott says of his first practice. “It was a little bit both amazing and terrifying — and maybe not the smartest thing to do. And we had to make significant sacrifices.” Scott says he gives his wife “100% credit” for encouraging him to seize the opportunity when a nearby dermatologist decided to retire. He considers himself “much more risk-averse” than Heather, but with her support and business guidance, they made it happen. For example, she’s the one who realized they needed to purchase the suite next door to have enough room. In this episode of the Prosperous Doc, our host Shane Tenny, CFP® welcomes Heather and Scott to discuss why they decided to take the financial risk of opening the new practice and how they successfully blended a staff of new and existing employees. Heather and Scott also talk about how their shared vision and passion for leadership, coupled with their desire to foster a positive workplace culture, helps them work together as a married couple. ? Featured Experts ?Name: Heather & Scott Paviol  What she does: As a virtual stager at RoOomy, Heather uses her interior design background to provide 3D modeling and rendering to buyers and agents; she also virtually assists homeowners with interior design.  What he does: Scott is a dermatologist and the owner of Paviol Dermatology, where he works hard to foster a warm, accepting office culture that encourages professional development.  Company: https://pavioldermatology.com (Paviol Dermatology)  Words of wisdom:  Heather: “One of my favorite things that Scott does with his staff — and I'm so proud of because I think it's something that we really believe in — is offering a space where people can make mistakes without being penalized.” Scott: “I'd put my heart and soul into the current practice, and I'm very attached to the staff there. I've always wanted to leave places better than when I started. I believe that I did that. So that was very calming for me.”  Connect with Heather: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heatherpaviol/ (LinkedIn) | https://www.instagram.com/heatherpaviol/ (Instagram)  Connect with Scott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scott-paviol-md-74513571/ (LinkedIn) | https://www.instagram.com/dr.paviol/ (Instagram) ? On the Money ?Top takeaways from this episode ★    Don’t pass up an opportunity just because your practice is doing well. Scott jumped at the chance to open a practice just minutes from his home because, even though it was doing better than ever, his pre-existing practice was more than an hour from home. He knew he was taking a huge risk — especially during a pandemic — but doesn’t have any regrets because it was a calculated one. ★    Seek out partners who have different strengths than you. Heather purchased the suite next door to the couple’s new practice because she could tell from her design work (just from looking at the office once) that they wouldn’t have enough space. Scott admits he never would have thought of that, and it’s one of many reasons why he needs his wife’s help. ★    Create a culture where it’s OK to make mistakes. At Scott’s practice, he gives out something called the “Band-Aid Award” to the employee who’s done a great job of fixing a recent mistake. Encourage your employees to own their mistakes, learn from them and then move on. ⚡ Prosperous Insights ⚡[2:43] Listen to the universe when it gives...

Taking Risks and Reaping the Reward With Dr. Scott and Heather Paviol

Heather and Scott Paviol are one of the rare couples that can work together — and it’s because they each have strengths where the other has weaknesses. As an interior designer with an interest in leadership development and organizational performance, it was only fitting that Heather help her dermatologist husband open his new practice last year (even though he chose to do so during a global pandemic).  “We were coming off easily our best year at Mooresville. I wasn't even accepting new patients,” Scott says of his first practice. “It was a little bit both amazing and terrifying — and maybe not the smartest thing to do. And we had to make significant sacrifices.” Scott says he gives his wife “100% credit” for encouraging him to seize the opportunity when a nearby dermatologist decided to retire. He considers himself “much more risk-averse” than Heather, but with her support and business guidance, they made it happen. For example, she’s the one who realized they needed to purchase the suite next door to have enough room. In this episode of the Prosperous Doc, our host Shane Tenny, CFP® welcomes Heather and Scott to discuss why they decided to take the financial risk of opening the new practice and how they successfully blended a staff of new and existing employees. Heather and Scott also talk about how their shared vision and passion for leadership, coupled with their desire to foster a positive workplace culture, helps them work together as a married couple. ? Featured Experts ?Name: Heather & Scott Paviol  What she does: As a virtual stager at RoOomy, Heather uses her interior design background to provide 3D modeling and rendering to buyers and agents; she also virtually assists homeowners with interior design.  What he does: Scott is a dermatologist and the owner of Paviol Dermatology, where he works hard to foster a warm, accepting office culture that encourages professional development.  Company: https://pavioldermatology.com (Paviol Dermatology)  Words of wisdom:  Heather: “One of my favorite things that Scott does with his staff — and I'm so proud of because I think it's something that we really believe in — is offering a space where people can make mistakes without being penalized.” Scott: “I'd put my heart and soul into the current practice, and I'm very attached to the staff there. I've always wanted to leave places better than when I started. I believe that I did that. So that was very calming for me.”  Connect with Heather: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heatherpaviol/ (LinkedIn) | https://www.instagram.com/heatherpaviol/ (Instagram)  Connect with Scott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scott-paviol-md-74513571/ (LinkedIn) | https://www.instagram.com/dr.paviol/ (Instagram) ? On the Money ?Top takeaways from this episode ★    Don’t pass up an opportunity just because your practice is doing well. Scott jumped at the chance to open a practice just minutes from his home because, even though it was doing better than ever, his pre-existing practice was more than an hour from home. He knew he was taking a huge risk — especially during a pandemic — but doesn’t have any regrets because it was a calculated one. ★    Seek out partners who have different strengths than you. Heather purchased the suite next door to the couple’s new practice because she could tell from her design work (just from looking at the office once) that they wouldn’t have enough space. Scott admits he never would have thought of that, and it’s one of many reasons why he needs his wife’s help. ★    Create a culture where it’s OK to make mistakes. At Scott’s practice, he gives out something called the “Band-Aid Award” to the employee who’s done a great job of fixing a recent mistake. Encourage your employees to own their mistakes, learn from them and then move on. ⚡ Prosperous Insights ⚡[2:43] Listen to the universe when it gives you...

Dr. Nithin Natwa wears many hats. He practices family care, and he's also a board-certified physician in sports medicine. He provided care to football players at Michigan State University during his fellowship and continues to take on athletes as patients. He even runs an https://www.instagram.com/fantasydocs/?hl=en (esports injury analysis Instagram account) for his almost 13,000 followers. He's also back in school, but this time for something entirely different: an MBA. Dr. Natwa returned to school in part so he could get a better understanding of how the healthcare system worked from a business perspective and channel that into opportunities for himself. Attending business school allows Dr. Natwa to meet many entrepreneurially-minded people, giving him the opportunity to invest in their projects: "That's my goal with the MBA, on top of just the benefit of it being educational is to hopefully get involved with a couple of different ventures that will help increase some passive revenue for me going forward," he explains. Ultimately, Dr. Natwa hopes that learning about business and earning money outside of his day job can help him become a better doctor overall. "A lot of times we start being held at the whim of the overseer, of the hospital system in terms of our output," he says. "It would be very nice to just have a side passive income that we were able to not have to worry about having to meet quotas and able to just see the amount of patients that we want to see and provide good care." In this episode of the Prosperous Doc, host Shane Tenny, CFP® chats with Dr. Natwa about his sports medicine work and what he hopes to accomplish with his MBA. They also discuss social media for doctors, the advantages to earning a passive income, advances in telemedicine, and how to deal with patients armed with internet theories.   ? Featured Expert ?Name: Dr. Nithin Natwa What he does: Based in Detroit, Dr. Natwa works as a double board certified physician in sports and family medicine. He's also pursuing an MBA at the University of California, Los Angeles. Company: https://www.henryford.com/ (Henry Ford Health System) Words of wisdom: "[Sports medicine] brought an appreciation to the fact that not everything important in life is about life or death. There are a lot of things out there that might seem mundane to the average person, but that are honestly life altering to a specific person." Connect: https://www.natwamd.com/ (Website) | https://www.instagram.com/fantasydocs/?hl=en (Instagram) | https://twitter.com/NatwaMD (Twitter) | https://www.facebook.com/NatwaMD (Facebook) | https://www.linkedin.com/in/natwa/ (LinkedIn) ? On the Money ?Top takeaways from this episode ★    The neat thing about sports medicine? Patients are motivated. Convincing patients to take your advice isn't always easy. Not every patient with a sweet tooth is willing to switch to a healthier diet to prevent diabetes or heart disease, for example. But athletes depend on their healthy bodies for their livelihoods, which means that they're much more willing to take a physician's guidance. ★    The pandemic has accelerated health technology. A silver lining of the COVID-19 pandemic is the rise of virtual health, Dr. Natwa says. Although doctors have been visiting patients through telehealth for years, it's now become a mainstream part of healthcare — and that's good for both patients and doctors who want more efficient care. ★    Find other streams of income. Dr. Natwa has met entrepreneurs through his MBA program, and it has given him opportunities to invest in his classmates' business ventures. The stable income he earns as a physician allows him to take greater risks in those investments too. ★    Doctors can be influencers too. Many doctors have taken advantage of platforms like Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok to build up audiences and develop brands...

How an MBA Can Help Doctors Discover Opportunities and Earn Passive Income

For Dr. Colin Zhu, medicine runs in the family. Dr. Zhu's mother practiced Chinese medicine, an ancient practice that focuses on finding balance within the body. Now Dr. Zhu incorporates this philosophy into his own work. "She instilled in me how to look at the person, the patient, in a very holistic way. So, she instilled in me prevention, wellness, compassion, listening to the person. And so those were the values and skill sets that I've brought with me and that's the direction that I took going into medicine," he says. Dr. Zhu is a board-certified physician who practices family medicine in Los Angeles. He also practices lifestyle medicine, culinary medicine, and what he calls "thrive medicine," in which he encourages people to live with vitality. He's written a book about his medical practices: “https://www.chefdoczhu.com/my-book (Thrive Medicine: How To Cultivate Your Desires and Elevate Your Life).” Dr. Zhu approaches his patients by searching for the root of their problems rather than treating them at the surface level. For instance, he might connect with a distracted teenage patient about their neglectful home situation instead of simply prescribing anxiety medication. "What I love to do … is connecting the dots for people," Dr. Zhu says. "And usually when people come to me for a certain complaint or problem, there's usually a deeper underlying source to their concern, pain, or struggle, that's not really connected with why they come in." In this episode of the Prosperous Doc, Dr. Zhu chats with our host Shane Tenny, CFP® about the ways that he incorporates his various medicines into his practice, and how culinary medicine can help people live more fulfilled and healthy lives. He also talks about how the COVID-19 pandemic has exposed gaps in the U.S. healthcare system, and how we as a society can work to improve it. ? Featured Expert ?Name: Dr. Colin Zhu What he does: Dr. Zhu works as a board-certified family physician in Los Angeles, who incorporates culinary, lifestyle, and thrive medicine in his practice. He also hosts the https://www.chefdoczhu.com/podcast (Thrive Bytes podcast). Company: https://www.chefdoczhu.com/ (TheChefDoc) Words of wisdom: "Most of modern medicine is really mopping up what floor instead of turning off the faucet. What I love doing is helping [patients] turn off the faucet." Connect: https://www.chefdoczhu.com/contact (Website) | https://www.facebook.com/TheChefDoc/ (Facebook) | https://www.instagram.com/thechefdoc/ (Instagram) | https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeVW6o9F8V5BmCfkkLHUDTw (YouTube) | https://www.linkedin.com/in/colin-zhu-do-dipablm-chef-3905ba60/ (LinkedIn)   ? On the Money ?Top takeaways from this episode ★    Find the root of the problem. For Dr. Zhu, prescribing medication is only a small piece of the puzzle in treating a patient's disease. For a patient to truly heal, it's important to discover deeper factors, like relationships, food, or exercise. While in medical school, Dr. Zhu told a diabetic patient to start daily walks in conjunction with his special diet and medication. The result: The patient's diabetes score dropped by three points. ★    Avoid "food outsourcing." Don't trust restaurants — and especially fast food joints — to give you the nutrients you need. Eating out, Dr. Zhu says, is essentially "food outsourcing." Instead, he recommends people make their meals at home so they know exactly what goes into their meals. ★    Lifestyle medicine takes a holistic approach. Lifestyle medicine is based on six pillars: diet, physical fitness, relationships, community, avoiding risky substances, and sleep. When people find balance in these areas, they can live a healthier lifestyle overall. ★    Live with vitality. Dr. Zhu calls this "thrive medicine," or a prescription to live life outside the bounds of a standard recipe. When people follow the thrive...

How Lifestyle and Culinary Medicine Can Help You Thrive, With Dr. Colin Zhu

White Coat Wellness is a podcast for physicians and dentists that will educate, inspire, and encourage you to practice personal and professional wellness. Episodes feature discussions with physicians, dentists, and other leaders in the medical and dental world to bring you one step closer to making the right decisions to achieve your goals. If you would like to know more about the White Coat Wellness show, find show notes, and learn more about our host, Shane Tenny, visit whitecoatwell.com.

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White Coat Wellness

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