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[feedme]

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[Reality Check 2]

Have never seen it work.

 

Home comes to work, vice versa.

 

Never equal, always moments of power play.

 

I say move on to next opportunity.

[Boatswain2PA]

Run away.

[mmiller3]

Don't bother--it's just not worth it. Every time I have seen this, the office manager is a power-hungry, pedantic, PITA. Every time.

[feedme]

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[mmiller3]

Wait the office manager tries to control the husband wife duo?

 

Can anyone relay specific stories ?

I had two rotations in school that had this set-up, one in Peds and the other in IM. In both cases, the wife (non-medical background) was the office manager, and used her marriage as a license to make medical decisions she had no authority making, as well as to make relationships with employees and the physician very difficult (especially female employees). Several employees quit over the 1.5 years I was in the area from both practices, and the ones who did not were typically very unhappy with the situation.

 

I also had a FP physician at my previous hospital who employed his wife as the practice manager (seeing a trend?), and they were universally despised for the favoritism shown to "practice manager" when it came to any disputes, even when the practice decisions were clearly wrong.  She ended up being fired when the practice was bought by the hospital.

 

Maybe there are people who can tell you stories of where this has worked, but I have yet to meet them.

[BruceBanner]

Never heard a good story in this scenario. I dont care what their roles are. Run away fast.

[Reality Check 2]

Even if they are BOTH medical MD/MD, MD/PA, DO/DO - whatever - there is no peace.

 

An office manager is likely a referee and will try to run them both or feel as the tie breaker, power broker.

 

Office managers can be a problem regardless but whether married to the physician/PA or a 2 doc married practice - bad juju.

 

RUN

[Croooz]

As a patient of one of these duo roles it was horrible.  The spouse (non-medical) was the office manager and she was horrible.  I had an issue with an appointment that they charged me for as a "no show/no call."  I didn't have an appointment and she told me that I was supposed to but they didn't set it up till the last minute.  I asked her why should I pay for an appointment I didn't even know about.  "Well we have to make something from your no show!"  I asked to speak to the doctor she refused so I drove out to the clinic.  He and I met but only after she threatened to call the police if I didn't leave.  "Call them AND I will call my insurance company about the fraud being committed here.  I'm sure I'm not the only one being charged for phantom appointments."  When the physician heard he had the nerve to say "Yeah we've had that happen quite a bit lately...I'll have to talk to my office manager so we can setup a repayment plan for you..."?!?!?!?!  I got on the phone and called my insurance company and they spoke on the phone and apparently he was dropped an an in-network provider.  DOn't know, don't care because I left them.  Now before I go to a practice I ask if anyone is related.  I will never work for a married couple.

[feedme]

While I appreciate the stories, I'm only looking for MD-MD duos not MD-office manager duo (as I think we all know that's a definite no situation because of the power imbalance).

 

Any stories of positive experiences? I may move forward with this practice. I heard from another PA that she had a bad experience but she did not attribute it to the fact that they were married but that rather they were disorganized. I know a MD who has been working for the duo for a month and he's happy. His friend who is a fellow who was there for a year was happy (but this may be because he's on a fellow salary...). Another MD gave them a good recommendation but has only known them personally and has never worked for them

[Reality Check 2]

I WAS speaking from both spouses being MD/MD or some combo.

 

In all my years it has not been a good experience.

 

Follow your gut perhaps but I think everyone here is speaking to the MD/MD combo and it really doesn't work well the majority of the time.

 

Keeping home and work separate is best for most couples I know - I find the non medical spouse to be awesome in my case.

 

Take what you are given here and contemplate all the variables.

[feedme]

I WAS speaking from both spouses being MD/MD or some combo.

 

In all my years it has not been a good experience.

 

Follow your gut perhaps but I think everyone here is speaking to the MD/MD combo and it really doesn't work well the majority of the time.

 

Keeping home and work separate is best for most couples I know - I find the non medical spouse to be awesome in my case.

 

Take what you are given here and contemplate all the variables.

Thanks for the advice. My other option right now is a hospital-associated practice, but I am getting games from them whereas the MD-MD practice has yet to play games. I want to say that when I'm actually working in the hospital-associated practice, I'll be protected but I don't know as I think they don't want a contract. My gut says hospital, but my friends are saying don't work for a hospital if they're playing games and that the MD-MD practice will at least be forced to follow the contract. MD-MD practice I can start right away with an incentive. Hospital, I would have to wait however long for credentialing with no incentive.

[ventana]

MD-MD doesn't need to be "forced" to follow contract - they just abuse you and the only recourse is quit or get attorney.... yuck

 

the hospital is likely a much better idea to avoid all the hub bub and garbage that is likely to occur in the MD-MD practice...

[Reality Check 2]

Contracts are only enforceable if you are willing to go there - lawyers, money, notoriety. Good Will and doing the right thing only sound good but are not common business practice and the docs likely don't know much about running a business but have hired good people to do so.

 

Do you want to be "that guy/girl"?

 

NEVER assume that an office has done all the needed paperwork for licensure, practice plans, credentials etc. 

 

Hospitals don't play games usually - they just have too many layers of admins who don't communicate and re-do over-do each others' work.

 

Hospitals likely have too many people involved in the hiring process and too many committees and levels of approval, etc etc. A machine with too many moving parts. No one knows who has the authority to do what or have something signed and then 14 people have to approve and sign and paperwork go from office to office and HR and payroll, ad nauseum.

 

You will have to have credentialing and a license to work with MD/MD as well - it is not start day one seeing patients and billing. You will likely face credentialing with over 15 insurance companies, medicare, medicaid and state insurance plans as well as workers comp and anyone else they bill. Not plug and play.

 

One of my credentials with an insurance company I had been credentialed with for 15 YEARS took 10 MONTHS when I switched jobs. I couldn't see patients with that insurance for nearly a YEAR.

 

So, the easy way is not the best in most cases.

[feedme]

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[Reality Check 2]

I really hate corporate medicine - see other threads. I think it is evil when they eat up all the independent practices in a town. Cookie cutter medicine with too many admins and managers to support and too many cooks in the kitchen.

 

However, I am currently in a solo doc practice where he has no idea what he is doing. Awful office manager, suboptimal billing and we are likely hemorrhaging money on a daily basis due to these factors. 

 

Being a doc doesn't mean you know anything about running a business.

 

My favorite practices are multi doc/provider with a management group but not a corporate behemoth. Providers should have a say in what happens but people with actual business acumen should be guiding the boat.

 

I still vote NO on the husband/wife deal. Bad juju.

 

Previous credentials can or cannot make future credentials easier. It is really hit and miss. There is no guarantee and it all depends on who is filling out the paperwork.

 

I do not believe it is realistic at all to land day one and see patients and bill. Even as a locums you have responsibilities, licensure, practice plans, etc.

 

If the docs bill you under their names then they better be following the law and be in the building (for some) and follow the rules or YOUR LICENSE is at risk. And no one will defend you if caught and you say you didn't know. 

 

ASK everything. Demand transparency. Make sure they have had a PA and know what to do to be kosher with the state and with insurance.

 

You need a lot more info in my mind.

 

Just being honest...

[PitouPAC]

I have worked for a MD/MD husband/wife combo before and it was not a bad experience at all. 

My SP was the husband who was the Medical Director and his wife was another MD, both Family Medicine.  

 

My SP had the final say so with everything and he did not take his wife's side just because she was the wife.  

Example: I had an issue with the wife transferring patients from her schedule to mine at the last minute (either 10 min before lunch or closing) without telling me either because she did not want to so that particular patient or she wanted to leave early.  I noticed a pattern and notified my SP.  He spoke with her about it and told her not to do that and she apologized to me and she never did it again without asking me. 

 

Now the other employees (MAs, techs, front desk staff) did not have the same experience.  The wife always won if it was her against them or vice versa.  I was the first and only PA there. and it was privately owned. 

[feedme]

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[CAAdmission]

[DizzyJ]

Live this nightmare everyday.  The wife is the "executive director" who really should just be called an "amazon prime box opener" as she is shopping constantly, yet we are always out of supplies.  She refuses to give up access to our voicemail system, hand over basic supply ordering to the office manager, and does not actually spend any energy directing the office.  I asked her about OSHA protocols and blood borne pathogens and she had this blank look on her face like what is that.  The MD husband has told me he wants to get her out of the office, but she holds all the power and makes him believe only she can get an insurance company to approve anything because of her "relationship with insurance".  Together they are an awful business combination......did I mention my last day is coming up this week?