The business of medicine is no easy task: family docs place greater value on lifestyle.

• Author: Larmour, Adelle
• Position: SMALL BUSINESS

The practice of medicine is an art but managing a business is a skill that requires training, said Sudbury dermatologist Lyne Giroux.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

She knows all too well the growing pains of starting a practice with next to no business training, but as a specialist and the only dermatologist in the city, she didn't have the luxury of walking into a turnkey pre-managed facility or joining a group practice with shared overhead costs.

In 2005, Giroux set up shop in Sudbury and blazed her own trail through trial and error, armed with only a one-day practice solutions course and manual offered by the Canadian Medical Association, an evening course with a staff dermatologist during medical school, and colleagues' advice.

Even the process to acquire the appropriate credentials before putting out her shingle became a "confusing trail of paperwork" and hoops through which to jump before obtaining a billing number.

Few people realize what is involved in running a business, yet hiring staff, purchasing and financing equipment, extensive overhead, signing a lease, learning the billing process, and determining the number of patients seen per hour are business-related skills required at the outset.

"There was a lot of thinking and planning, and sleepless nights," she said, explaining that she would have liked to have been given a specialty-driven "to do" list, more time, and access to an expert to answer questions. Giroux also would have liked to have been taught proper billing procedures during residency

"I lost a lot of money the first year, because of errors in billing," she said. "It's kept a secret until the very end, it seems, in some training centres."

Other professionally trained doctors like naturopaths and even dentists have said their business start-ups also became a process of "learn as you go."

Northern Ontario School of Medicine's founding dean Dr. Roger Strasser said it isn't until doctors are in their second stage of training as residents that the business aspects of being a physician and running a medical practice start becoming important.

At that time, specialty courses in business management are offered during residency, often as part of a larger course presented in half or full-day sessions. As well, the Canadian Medical Association and Ontario Medical Association also provide comprehensive courses.

"I think timing is everything," Strasser said. "As residency comes closer to completion and they may be interested in going out...