Ask the right questions the first time around

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Asking the right questions during an interview can help you decide if a practice is the right one for you.

Here are a few to help you get started.
• What sort of staffing support will I have (nursing, billing, transcription, marketing, other)?

• Do you have an Electronic Health Record (EHR)?

• What is your payer mix?

• Do any of your physicians have flexible schedules to account for outside endeavors or family commitments?

• Will I have any inpatient responsibilities? If so, how are my office patient responsibilities managed during that time?

• Will I be purely a consultant physician or have admitting privileges?

• How often will I take evening and weekend call, and what is the usual volume of calls?

• Are there evening or weekend office hours?

• What is your compensation plan based on (work units, reimbursement, straight salary), and for how long is my salary guaranteed?

• Is there a path to partnership?

• What are the benefits, including retirement?  How long until I am fully vested for retirement?

• What type of governance structure do you have, and how do physicians fit in the structure?

• Is there a succession plan in place for new physicians?

• Will my clinical responsibilities include traveling to other facilities (such as satellite offices or nursing homes), and how far or how often?

• What kind of orientation, support and mentoring do you have in place for new physicians?

• How are new physician schedules altered to gradually acclimate them to the practice and EHR?

• What is the current real estate market like in the community?

• Does the community offer access to my family’s religious, educational and extracurricular needs?

 

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