At the 12th Annual Spine, Orthopedic and Pain Management-Driven Conference + Future of Spine in Chicago on June 13, Daniel Murrey, MD, CEO of OrthoCarolina in Charlotte, N.C., discussed elements fundamental to orthopedic and spine practice success.
Dr. Murrey, an orthospine surgeon, said cultivating strong physician governance and group culture are critical to a successful practice.
"It starts out with really understanding what your core values are," Dr. Murrey said. When speaking with residents applying for positions, Dr. Murrey said he offers the following advice.
"The first thing you have to do is ask the group you're interviewing with, 'Why are you in this business?'" he said. "For some, they will say 'I'm in this business to make money.' Some will say, 'I'm in this business because I want to advance the field.' Some will say 'I want to take care of the patients.' Depending on how they order those things, it's going to affect what the compensation formula is, how people treat each other."
Additionally, part of having a strong group culture requires a clearly defined management team, Dr. Murrey said, adding holding people accountable to rules has been an obstacle for physicians.
"Working together is the thing physicians have been missing," he said. "We have lost power in the healthcare industry because we haven't been able to work together."
More Articles on Spine Leadership:
Pain and Spine: Meeting in the Middle
Excellence in Spine: Track Your Outcomes
NBA Hall-of-Famer Kareem Abdul Jabbar: What He's Learned On and Off the Court