
1
Chapter 1
Private Practice in Transition
Introduction
People who care about helping others have historically been drawn to
medicine and healthcare. I started on a path toward medical school and
an accident while working as a volunteer firefighter on a glorious Sunday
afternoon in 1979 thwarted those plans. I found I could still be involved in
the business of healthcare in other ways instead of standing at the operat-
ing table. Most physicians desire clinical autonomy, enjoy collegial relation-
ships with other practitioners, take pride in their work, bring home a good
income, and revel in creativity and flexibility when they establish a private