I’M HERE TO SEE THE DOCTOR Putting professionals in touch with physicians Table of Contents

1 Crisis = Danger + Opportunity

2 Program Overview

3 Getting Started

4 Your Optimized Company Profile

5 Blogging

6 The Advisor E-Newsletter

7 The MD Preferred Resident/Fellow Database

8 Networking

9 Designing & Distributing An Effective Press Release

10 Building A Healthcare Facility Prospect Database

11 A Healthcare Primer

12 How Doctors Become Doctors

13 Medical Specialties Defined

14 Compensation Survey

15 Doctors on Call

16 Gatekeepers

17 Who Is Recruiting Now? A Good Place to Start 1 Crisis = Danger + Opportunity

There is some question that the Chinese word for “crisis” is actually composed of elements that signify “danger” and “opportunity.” But in difficult economic times it is an engaging way of encouraging business managers to “think outside the box” and search for growth at a time when many are retrenching.

To paraphrase Charles Dickens, these are the worst of times and the best of times. For business professionals who lack the imagination to explore new markets and new strategies, this has been one of the worst economic downturns in memory. Ethical scandals have added to an environment of uncertainty and suspicion. Stubbornly high unemployment and plunging home values have cast a pall over the American economy.

In many markets professionals despair of generating enough business to keep the lights on. And yet, there are companies and individuals that are growing, grabbing market share and attracting new clients. The difference between the two is often as simple as trying new techniques and programs until they find some that work.

There are few that would dispute the fact that physicians comprise a very desirable demographic of well educated, sophisticated, high income, high net worth professionals. But most would also agree that the healthcare industry is large, complex and extremely insular. Hospital and medical practice gate keepers are ferocious and highly trained.

Yet the demands of the profession leave physicians with little time to invest in their own business and personal lives. With healthcare reform, a growing physician shortage and volatile markets there has never been a greater need for reliable access to qualified, ethical “doctor friendly” professional services.

With the physician shortage, hospitals are finding themselves in competition with each other for a dwindling supply of talented doctors. At the same time, an aging population and increased access to insurance coverage are swelling the patient base of medical practices. In a fiercely competitive environment, hospital recruiters and practice managers are looking to their colleagues in the professions to join them in showcasing not just a superior clinical opportunity but a community with all of the amenities and services that a talented physician demands.

Read on, and you will learn how joining the MD Preferred program will position you and your company as the go to provider of specialized professional services for physicians. 2 Program Overview

MD Preferred Physician Services is an online resource center for physicians and healthcare professionals. The resource center is populated with national networks of professionals from a wide range of business disciplines including: Real Estate, Insurance, Banking, Accounting, Finance and Legal. MD Preferred helps each member effectively position themselves within the healthcare arena both on the internet and in their community. Program features include: A FULLY OPTIMIZED ONLINE BUSINESS PROFILE – To compete in today’s internet era, business professionals must host a website that has been search engine optimized to reach each and every demographic that they serve. But SEO can be very expensive…running into the thousands of dollars. MD Preferred offers a sensible alternative. Each MD Preferred member receives a detailed company profile page created by our IT engineers using content, logos, graphics and pictures provided by the member. This “mini-website” is then fully optimized with key industry search words, phrases, title tags and meta-tags. The profile is then pointed at the member’s own website. HEALTHCARE BLOGGING – One of the most effective and cost efficient ways of positioning one’s company as a specialist is by launching and maintaining a blog that speaks to your target demographic. With rich, timely content, a company can establish a reputation as an authority. If well written and properly optimized, some articles can even be picked up by internet browsers and the national media. But a blog is can demand a considerable amount of time and requires a flare for effective composition. And finally a blog can be expensive to launch and maintain. MD Preferred offers a sensible alternative. Each MD Preferred member can use our blog, The Advisor, which appears on the MD Preferred site. All blog posts come from MD Preferred members who are in fact experts in their field. A POWERFUL CREDENTIAL – The healthcare industry is large, complex and highly insular. Anyone who has made cold calls to a medical practice or hospital knows how fierce the gatekeepers can be. As a member of MD Preferred a business professional can point with pride to the selection process that has in many cases identified them as the sole recipient of the designation in their service area. An announcement of their new credential in the form of a press release/marketing piece sent to a local medical facility can make a follow-up call more credible. The credential is a talking point, a story to tell, a recognizable industry specific brand promising a quality service experience. It can set your company apart from the competition and make your contact more than just another cold call. INDUSTRY RESEARCH – Each month MD Preferred does industry research designed to identify America’s top young physicians who are preparing to complete their medical training and by definition accept their first medical practice posting. Over 75% of these new physicians will relocate from the city in which they have been training to a new location. In a password protected area of the website members are introduced to over 250 of these young professionals. With contact information that includes a personal email address and a geographic preference identified, members can reach out to doctors contemplating a move to their service area. SALES TOOLS, TIPS AND STRATEGIES – Each new MD Preferred member receives a copy of the MD Preferred Sales & Marketing Guide, a comprehensive manual focusing exclusively on selling to doctors. In its pages a member can find a detailed press kit and template, strategies for getting past healthcare gatekeepers, a dictionary of medical specialties, a physician compensation survey, web based research tools for building a medical database and much more. NETWORKING - There are over 2,500 communities in the U.S. with at least one major medical center. MD Preferred is committed to building networking teams in each of these cities comprised of at least one member from each business discipline that we support. These teams are encouraged to share information and resources as they reach out to the medical facilities in their communities. The team is designed to act as a recruiting partner with area practices and medical facilities. Hospital executives should view the community service team as a valuable resource as they compete for a dwindling supply of physicians. 3 MD PREFERRED PHYSICAIN SERVICES GETTING STARTED

1. Read the MD Preferred Sales & Marketing Guide cover to cover You will find a great deal of useful information about the program and its features and about doctors. It is designed to help you understand the basics of selling to doctors and medical facilities.

2. Help us create an effective, comprehensive, fully optimized company profile for the MD Preferred website Re-engineering your own website to speak to the healthcare demographic could cost you hundreds if not thousands of dollars. Our website designers will build it for you, optimize it for you and maintain it for you as part of your annual $100 admin fee. Our software supports logos, graphics, pictures, profiles, bullet points and general content. All you have to do is send it to us by email. We will launch the page for you, point it back at your own website and give you the opportunity to update it as often as you wish.

3. Create a powerful one page Press Release and a One Page Marketing Piece Chapter Eight of the Sales & Marketing Guide goes into considerable detail in the art of creating a press release. Its primary focus is getting your company noticed by your local media. A template is included as a starting point. But keep in mind that a press release can serve a second more important purpose. And that purpose is getting your company noticed by prospective healthcare clients. Hospital and private practice “gatekeepers” are notoriously ferocious. There purpose in life seems to be to keep professionals from reaching their doctors and executives. Our recommended strategy is to use an announcement of your new credential and an offer of professional assistance in attracting and keeping talented physicians. Direct this press release at practice managers and then follow-up with a phone call requesting an opportunity to visit with the practice manager in person. A follow-up call to a press release stands a much better chance of making it past the gate keeper. And remember, everyone has a personal physician. Send your announcement to your current clients, friends and associates. They will be impressed with your credential and may refer their doctor!

4. Display your MDP Medallion on your website and in your marketing materials. We are sending you the electronic versions of the MD Preferred Medallion for your use. Our IT department is always available to help you position the medallion and assist with any coding questions you may have.

5. Send us a blog post for The Advisor Blogging is a very effective way to position your firm as a specialist serving the healthcare industry. But running your own medical blog can be time consuming and costly. We encourage you to become a regular contributor to our online blog, The Advisor, which runs daily on our website. It reaches thousands of physicians every month. Most posts are less than 700 words long. And your post should deal with issues within your area of expertise. And don’t worry about medical relevance. Remember that doctors have the same interests and concerns as other high income, high net worth professionals. Speak to them through your articles as you would to your current clients. And remember that we take the posts from The Advisor Blog and summarize them in our monthly e-newsletter of the same name which is sent to every residency and fellowship in the country serving over 20,000 young physicians.

6. Get active in the social media arena. Join our LinkedIn group, “Networking for Healthcare Professionals” Business social networking is a powerful and growing means of reaching thousands of professionals. We take the work out of using LinkedIn. We manage the group and keep strings of lively communication going. We invite all of our MD Preferred members to join and participate. We already have nearly 1000 members.

7. Visit our member’s area where we maintain a database of young graduating physicians As a new member you will receive a log-in password to use our member’s area. This is where we maintain our database of graduating physicians. This database is generated by our research department which serves our medical recruiting division. Many of our healthcare facility clients pay thousands of dollars for this valuable information. MD Preferred members are given free access. Although we are not a list company, the information in the database identifies young, graduating physicians with their current location, medical program and personal email address. We also provide their geographic plans upon graduation. If you find doctors that are currently in your area or are planning to move to your area on graduation, we suggest that you send a brief email of introduction offering to assist them at their convenience.

8. Help us build a powerful professional networking group in your community We are committed to building an MD Preferred Community Networking Group in every community in America that is served by at least one major medical center (over 2,500 communities). These networking teams will be comprised of professionals from each of the business disciplines that we support. Help us build such a team around you by referring professionals with whom you already have a working relationship. A common commitment to serving the healthcare community and a common credential can be the basis for lead sharing and joint marketing programs. We will also introduce you to MD Preferred members who may already be serving your community. 4 Your Optimized Company Profile

Does your website shout to doctors…”HERE WE ARE.” Does it whisper? Or is it mute? It has been said that most business web pages are nothing more than electronic brochures rather than traffic generating calls to action. Sadly, most business professionals have neither the expertise nor the resources to optimize their web presence for every demographic they serve. But if you are serious about marketing to physicians and medical professionals, MD Preferred will help you enhance your position in the healthcare internet arena.

Most website engineers won’t even answer their phone for $100. But your modest annual investment in MD Preferred will secure the services of our IT team. They will create and optimize a business profile page as part of your network listing. This profile will ultimately serve as your web page for doctors. As a first step, our designers will harvest content from your web site and format it, optimize it and insert it in the directory.

After your review you can forward additional content. The profile page will support logos, graphics, pictures and specialized scripts. Our designers will create the key words, headers and bold script that search engines look for.

Next, we will create a powerful link from your profile page into your website. One of the key elements that search engines evaluate when setting page rankings is the value of your inbound links. When a mega site like MD Preferred links to your site your site is ranked higher by browsers.. And there are few sites larger than MD Preferred. Our indexed page count grows daily and presently is approaching 6000 pages!

Your profile page on MD Preferred is an annual investment that dramatically enhances your web presence in one of the most computer literate business demographics in the economy…all for a fraction of the annual cost of optimizing and refreshing your own site. And through the use of sophisticated software, MD Preferred is re-indexed by the major search engines daily…keeping you in the game 24/7/365. 5 Blogging

One of the most effective and cost efficient ways of positioning one’s company as a specialist is by launching and maintaining a blog that speaks to your target demographic. With rich, timely content, a company can establish a reputation as an authority. If well written and properly optimized, some articles can even be picked up by internet browsers and the national media.

But a blog is can demand a considerable amount of time and requires a flare for effective composition. And finally a blog can be expensive to launch and maintain. MD Preferred offers a sensible alternative. Each MD Preferred member can use our blog, The Advisor, which appears on the MD Preferred site. All blog posts come from MD Preferred members who are in fact experts in their field. Your can get started immediately. Just email us a post (500 – 1000 words) on a relevant topic with your contact info as author. We will upload it the same day.

To view The Advisor, visit www.MDPreferredServices.com and click on the Blog button at the top of the page. Listed below are recent articles submitted by MD Preferred Members. Recent Advisor Articles

How To Protect Your Money From A Falling US Dollar Friday, August 19, 2011 By Carina Oghoorian, ACap Asset Management, Inc.

Buying Foreclosures: Are They Bargains Or Headaches? Friday, August 12, 2011 By Dale McGeehon, Sales Associate, Realty Force, Inc., Bethesda, MD,

Don’t Slip Over The Medicare Cliff By: Geordie Crossan CFP. NBS Financial Services, Inc.

Better Practice And Lifestyle Management Monday, June 27, 2011 By Arnold C. Friedman, MD, FACR 6 The Advisor E-Newsletter

Every day MD Preferred posts articles, commentary, surveys and business tips on its online blog, The Advisor. Each month, a synopsis of the best articles from the blog is placed in an e-newsletter which is distributed to every Residency and Fellowship program in the country. The articles that appear in the Advisor are authored by MD Preferred members and offer information, advice and comment on issues of interest to young physicians.

As an MD Preferred member you are encouraged to submit relevant articles to our editorial staff. Each article that appears is credited to the originating company with contact information.

7 The MD Preferred Resident/Fellow Database

As a division of US Medical Specialties, Inc., MD Preferred has access to the enormous resources of one of the healthcare industries leading recruiting firms. Each month, US Medical sources young graduating physicians who are completing their medical training and preparing to enter the work force. By definition they are entering a new financial and professional phase of their lives. And over 75% of them will relocate to a new community to begin their career.

For the first in over two decades, US Medical is making their physician research available to professionals outside of their healthcare client circle. As a new MD Preferred member you will receive a Members-Only area password. Within the Members area you will find a growing physician data base reflecting the monthly research done by our parent company.

Using the search tool provided, you can seek out young physicians from the current graduating class who are completing their medical training in your area and who may chose to stay. Or you can access others who are completing their training elsewhere but who have indicated plans to relocate to your area.

In each case, you can use the personal email address included for each physician in the database to send a brief email introduction. Something along the lines of:

“Hi, I understand that you will soon be completing your medical training and may stay in /relocating to California. We are one of the states leading financial advisors (or Realtors or attorneys etc) and would be happy to share with you some of the issues you will be facing when you begin your medical practice in our service area.”

We are proud to be one of the few MD Preferred designated service providers in the state. We specialize in assisting young physicians. We are available to answer any questions you may have and would be delighted to meet with you if you find yourself in our area. My contact information is listed below. Congratulations on the pending completion of your medical training and the very best of luck in your new career.”

Obviously, you will limit your outreach to only those physicians who have a link to your service area. There is no telling how this introductory process may play out. In many cases the young doctor may share your information with a colleague, or more importantly with the senior physicians of the practice he or she ultimately joins. As time goes by and the archived information grows, members may reach out to physicians who have been in practice for years and who have maintained the same email address.

The MD Preferred physician database is a free business tool available only to MD Preferred members. 8 Networking

MD Preferred is committed to building a nation wide network of business professionals dedicated to helping physicians manage there business and personal lives. Each year MD Preferred identifies a growing number of qualified financial advisors, Realtors®, attorneys, insurance agents, personal bankers, mortgage providers, and CPA’s who are committed to meeting the unique needs of physicians. There are over 3000 cities in America served by at least one major medical center. It is the goal of the MD Preferred program to bring together local service providers in each of these markets; help them establish networking teams; recognize their combined expertise with the MD Preferred designation; and help them meet and serve their medical community.

As a member of the MD Preferred Program we would like you to play an active role in the selection process for your community networking team. A referral network works best amongst business executives who know and respect each other. We would welcome your referrals for each member of the team.

With a growing physician shortage, many hospitals are reaching out to their community for assistance in attracting and retaining talented physicians. The MD Preferred community team provides an incredibly valuable resource for medical practices and hospitals.

The MD Preferred Service Medallion is designed to provide a new credential that will open doors and provide access to you and your team members. The sales and marketing guide is designed to increase an understanding of the medical industry and to provide insight into the art of marketing to healthcare professionals. From press releases to marketing pieces, from building a medical database to forging referral networks, MD Preferred is committed to helping network members sell to the healthcare demographic.

9 Designing & Distributing an Effective Press Release

1. Write your headline. It should be brief, clear and to the point: an ultra-compact version of the press release’s key point.

 News release headlines should have a "grabber" to attract readers, i.e., journalists, just as a newspaper headline is meant to grab readers. It may describe the latest achievement of an organization, a recent newsworthy event, a new product or service. For example, "XYZ Co. enters strategic partnership with ABC Co. in India & United States."  Headlines are written in bold and are typically larger than the press release text. Conventional press release headlines are present-tense and exclude "a" and "the" as well as forms of the verb "to be" in certain contexts.  The first word in the press release headline should be capitalized, as should all proper nouns. Most headline words appear in lower-case letters, although adding a stylized "small caps" style can create a more graphically news-attractive look and feel. Do not capitalize every word.  The simplest method to arrive at the press release headline is to extract the most important keywords from your press release. Now from these keywords, try to frame a logical and attention- getting statement. Using keywords will give you better visibility in search engines, and it will be simpler for journalists and readers to get the idea of the press release content.

2. Write the press release body copy. The press release should be written as you want it to appear in a news story.

 Start with the date and city in which the press release is originated. The city may be omitted if it will be confusing, for example if the release is written in New York about events in the company's Chicago division.  The lead, or first sentence, should grab the reader and say concisely what is happening. The next 1-2 sentences then expand upon the lead.  The press release body copy should be compact. Avoid using very long sentences and paragraphs. Avoid repetition and over use of fancy language and jargon.  A first paragraph (two to three sentences) must actually sum up the press release and the further content must elaborate it. In a fast-paced world, neither journalists nor other readers would read the entire press release if the start of the article didn't generate interest.  Deal with actual facts - events, products, services, people, targets, goals, plans, projects. Try to provide maximum use of concrete facts. A simple method for writing an effective press release is to make a list of following things: 3. Communicate who, what, when, where, why, and how. Then consider the points below if pertinent:  What is the actual news?  Why this is news.  The people, products, items, dates and other things related with the news.  The purpose behind the news.  Your company - the source of this news. . Now from the points gathered, try to construct paragraphs and assemble them sequentially: The headline, the summary or introduction of the news event or achievements, product, people, again the concluding summary, the company. . The length of a press release should be no more than three pages. If you are sending a hard copy, text should be double-spaced.

. The more newsworthy you make the press release copy, the better the chances of it being selected by a journalist or reporting. Find out what "newsworthy" means to a given market and use it to hook the editor or reporter.

4. Include information about the company. When a journalist picks up your press release for a story, he/she would logically have to mention the company in the news article. Journalists can then get the company information from this section.

 The title for this section should be - About XYZ_COMPANY  After the title, use a paragraph or two to describe your company with 5/6 lines each. The text must describe your company, its core business and the business policy. Many businesses already have professionally written brochures, presentations, business plans, etc. - that introductory text can be put here.  At the end of this section, point to your website. The link should be the exact and complete URL without any embedding so that, even if this page is printed, the link will be printed as it is. For example: http://www.your_company_website.com. Companies which maintain a separate media page on their websites must point to that URL here. A media page typically has contact information and press kits.

5. Tie it together. Provide some extra information and links that support your press release.

6. Add contact information. If your press release is really newsworthy, journalists would surely like more information or would like to interview key people associated with it.  If you are comfortable with the idea of letting your key people being directly contacted by media, you can provide their contact details on the press release page itself. For example, in case of some innovation, you can provide the contact information of your engineering or research team for the media.  Otherwise, you must provide the details of your media/PR department in the "Contact" section. If you do not have dedicated team for this function, you must appoint somebody who will act as a link between the media and your people.

 The contact details must be limited and specific only to the current press release. The contact details must include: o The Company's Official Name o Media Department's official Name and Contact Person o Office Address o Telephone and fax Numbers with proper country/city codes and extension numbers o Mobile Phone Number (optional) o Timings of availability o E-mail Addresses o Web site Address 7. Signal the end of the press release with three # symbols, centered directly underneath the last line of the release. This is a journalistic standard.

8. Send Your News Release Direct to Journalists, Newsrooms & Prospects! There are dozens of companies on the internet that offer distribution services. Some are better than others. Here are links to just a couple of examples: www.vocus.com, Send Press Release, www.WiredPRNews.Com and others.

Tips

Include the company name in the headline, any subhead, and in the body of the first paragraph for better visibility via search engines and for news professionals and other readers. If you're mailing a hard copy, you may put it on company letterhead.

If the press release is for immediate release, you may write "IMMEDIATE RELEASE" in all caps on the left margin, directly above the headline. If the release is embargoed, put "EMBARGOED UNTIL..." with the date you want the story released. A release with no release date is presumed to be for immediate release.

Research actual press releases on the web to get the feel of the tone, the language, the structure and the format of a press release.

The timing of the press release is very important. It must be relevant and recent news, not too old and not too distant.

A follow-up call can help develop a press release into a full story.

Include a "call to action" in your release. This is information on what you want the public to do with the information that you are releasing. For example, do you want them to buy a product? If so, include information on where the product is available. Do you want them to visit your Web site to enter a contest or learn more about your organization? If so, include the Web address or a phone number.

Do not waste time writing the headline until the release is done. Copy editors write the real headlines in newspapers and magazines, but it is good to come up with a catchy title or "headline" for the release. This headline may be your only chance. Keep it concise and factual. But if you try to write it before you write the release, you waste time. You don't know yet exactly what you - or those you interview, will say. When you have finished a draft of the release, you may decide to revise your lead -- or not. Then, and only then, think about the headline.

Send your release by e-mail, and use formatting sparingly. Giant type and multiple colors don't enhance your news, they distract from it. Put the release in the body of the e-mail, not as an attachment. If you must use an attachment, make it a plain text or Rich Text Format file. Word documents are acceptable at most outlets, but if you are using the newest version (.docx), save down a version (.doc). Newspapers, especially, are on tight budgets now, and many have not upgraded. Use PDF files only if you are sending a full media kit with lots of graphics. Please don't type a release on letterhead, scan it, and e-mail a jpeg of the scan. That's a waste of your time and the editor's. Just type the release into the e-mail message.

Use your headline as the subject line of the e-mail. If you've written a good "grabber" headline, this will help your message stand out in the editor's e-mail inbox.

Craft each release to target a specific media outlet and send it to the specific reporter who covers that beat. This information can usually be found on the outlet's Web site. Blasting the identical press release to multiple outlets and multiple reporters at the same outlet is a sign that you are taking shortcuts rather than targeting a specific market. Avoid jargon or specialized technical terms. If accuracy requires the use of an industry-specific term, define it.

Warnings

Always remember that editors are overworked and understaffed. If you can make life easier for them, you're more likely to get coverage. If you write a press release that's close to the way the editor will actually publish it, it may see publication with minimal editing. But if you fill it with fluffy advertising copy, don't use proper AP style, etc., the editor must severely edit your piece to use it. That means he or she is more likely to just move on to the next press release--and there are plenty of them.

Avoid the temptation to clutter your lead with a glowing generalization about your company ("XYZ Corp, a global leader in the manufacture of high-end widgets for the royalty of Europe, today announced...") Many releases are written this way, despite the fact that editors delete this kind of fluff. Everybody says they're the leader. Don't waste the editor's time. The place to put a description is in the company information section of the release. But keep it accurate and factual.

When e-mailing a press release, do not make the subject line of your e-mail "press release." You will only blend into the crowd. Get the editor's attention by making the subject line your "grabber" headline, e.g. "Brand Co. wins $30 billion government contract."

For more information about creating a press release visit: http://www.wikihow.com http://www.wikihow.com/index.php?title=Write-a-Press-Release&printable=yes

Recreated with permission. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.5/. SAMPLE PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Local Financial Advisor Receives National Health Care Recognition

John Olson, of XYZ Financial Services, recognized for excellence in service to area medical professionals

CHICAGO, IL (June 1, 2010) – According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are approximately 700,000 physicians in the United States who work in excess of 60 hours per week. While their earning potential is the highest among any profession in the U.S., pressure from government programs like Medicare and Medicaid, healthcare reform, malpractice insurance providers, swelling numbers of new patients, falling reimbursements and a host of clinical issues including on-call responsibilities and continuing medical education leave little time for a doctor to seek out and qualify providers of professional services.

In response, an elite group of professionals is emerging as specialists to the medical community. In recognition of his work with area health care executives and physicians, John Olson, of XYZ Financial Services, has been named a 2011 MD Preferred Service Provider.

Each year, US Medical Specialties, Inc., a national medical consulting firm, recognizes excellence in service to the medical community in a number of disciplines including financial advisory services, real estate, insurance and legal services. The goals of the MD Preferred Program for Financial Advisors include identifying, acknowledging and promoting service excellence to the medical community.

The program provides medical professionals with a recognizable national icon that assures specialized services and an understanding of the unique needs of physicians and their families. “Doctors are very busy professionals,” observed Michael O’Malley, Project Manager of MD Preferred Services. “When it comes to finding a service professional that specializes in serving physicians, they appreciate an organization that has done the research for them and has pulled a team together to make their lives easier.”

Every MD Preferred provider is selected for their commitment to serving the healthcare industry. Companies that have earned the MD Preferred designation are listed in an on-line directory available at www.MDPreferredServices.com. In addition to community based service providers, the directory recognizes national organizations that serve the health care industry and support the MD Preferred program. The online resource center is available at no cost to physicians and other medical professionals. MD Preferred also publishes a free monthly E-Newsletter that is distributed to over 26,000 graduating physicians providing them with advice and information compiled and written by MD Preferred Service providers.

“We are proud … Insert your quote here.”

ABOUT XYZ Financial Advisors

Insert a brief profile

ABOUT MD PREFERRED PHYSICIAN SERVICES

The MD Preferred designation is bestowed each year to a diverse group of professional service providers. MD Preferred providers can be found at an online resource center available at no cost to the medical community at www.MDPreferredServices.com. MD Preferred also manages a medical job board and publishes a daily medical blog and a monthly E-Newsletter, The Advisor. For additional information contact Mike O’Malley at 800-260-8366.

# # # 10 Building A Healthcare Facility Prospect Database

There are many sources of information that can be used to build a sales lead database: The medical arena is no exception. Some sources can be very expensive and others are free…if you know where to look.

In most industries, decision makers go to great lengths to maintain their anonymity. Gate keepers can be ferocious. Some companies don’t put names on office doors and refuse to produce a company directory for fear it will fall into the hands of recruiters or marketers. Spam filters are becoming increasingly aggressive. Government regulations restricting telemarketing have been on the books for years.

One of the attractive elements of marketing to doctors is that they are so accommodating in identifying themselves. The first thing a new doctor does after completing their medical training is to ‘hang out a shingle.’ To survive they must generate new patients. And to generate new patients they must get their name into the community. In pursuit of that objective, they publicize their name, address, phone number and, in some cases, even their email address.

One of the least cost effective ways to get the names of doctors in your service area is to use a list company. You can find these companies listed on line. Larger organizations may even choose to purchase the American Hospital Association Directory on CD. This is about a $500 investment but the information can be shared amongst company units. MD Preferred members now have access to a national hospital database that appears as an open directory on our website. And our Resident/Fellow database is available in the MEMBER’S ONLY area.

One thing to keep in mind is that you can build your own healthcare database through the wise use of under utilized labor. If your receptionist has a computer and internet access, he or she can build a useful database through the use of free online web sites. Keep in mind that many of the web sites from which you can harvest useful information are designed for potential patients not researchers. With that said, they are free and they are useful, especially when used in tandem. Three examples of commercial sites that maintain current databases of facilities and practioners are listed below. www.HealthGrades.com

At the top of the home page on the button bar you will find two important tools. The first is Physicians…which allows you to search by medical specialty, city and state. A great deal of information is listed about every doctor in your community. You will also find some useful information about each medical specialty.

The second button is Hospitals. The first screen asks you to select a state and city…ignore the city search box because it doesn’t work. The next screen asks you to select a medical condition. The reason for this is that the site is actually designed for citizens searching for a hospital. Select Heart Attack because every hospital is required by law to treat cardiac emergencies. The next screen is a list of hospitals in your state. These tools can help you create a community based healthcare database. www.WebMD.com

At the top of the home page just below the Search Bar are three links, Other Search Tools, Symptoms and Doctors. Select ‘Doctors.’ You will find yourself on the search page. You must select a specific city and state in part one and you must select a specific specialty in step two, and then click on ‘Find a Doctor.’ Input the security code and you will get a results page.

You will have a list of doctors sorted alphabetically. Although this is useful, what you really want is the name of their practice group and contact information. Above the first name is a box that allows you to modify your search. Sort the list by practice name. With the resulting list you will be able to tell if there is more than one physician at a group by the number of times it is listed. Click on the profile and you will have contact information at the bottom of the page the names of all doctors in the practice. Call and ask for the practice manager. www.zocdoc.com

Keeping in mind that ZocDoc is designed to help doctors attract new patients and for patients to schedule their own appointments with their doctor online, ZocDoc can help you find doctors and medical practices in your area. You can search by medical specialty, zip code or city.

One of the limitations of the site from a research perspective is that they do not list phone numbers or email addresses. The site is designed for patients to use electronically. With that said, the site does provide a good deal of information about the individual doctors and when used in concert with some of the other online websites cited above it can be useful. 11 A Healthcare Primer

The Medical Demographics

 831,000 board certified physicians  4,650 hospitals  315,000 private practice groups  26,000 residents and fellows complete their medical training each year  40,000 practicing physicians change jobs and relocate each year  In ten years the U.S. will experience an annual shortage of 40,000 primary care physicians  In less than seven years the physician shortage will reach 125,000  The average fee charged by a medical search firm is 25% or more of first years compensation  The interviewing and hiring costs related to the average physician search exceeds $45,000  The number one physician stated reason for turning down a job offer is not financial but rather “life style and community considerations”  The number one physician stated reason for changing practices is not financial but rather “life style and community considerations”  Less than 50% of practicing physicians have a financial advisor, personal banker, attorney or real estate agent  Less than 20% of graduating physicians have a financial advisor, personal banker, attorney or real estate agent

A Growing Physician Shortage

The United States has a growing shortage of primary care physicians in the U.S. that is reaching crisis levels. Healthcare reform will push 41 million new souls into the system.  The American Academy of Family Physicians predicts that, if current trends continue, the shortage of family doctors will reach 40,000 in a little more than 10 years  Residency and fellowship programs are largely funded by Medicare  Healthcare reform will result in half a trillion dollars in cuts to Medicare  Healthcare reform will put over 41 million new patients into the system  50 years ago 50% of our physicians were primary care providers.  By 2000 14% of U.S. medical school graduates were entering primary care  By 2005 the figure was 8%  A recent survey of students interested in internal medicine showed that 98% wanted to become specialists  Within a few years over 50% of our medical students will be women and they are far more affected by lifestyle issues than their male colleagues.  The average wait to see a primary care physician can run up to 30 days in many cities  When Massachusetts added 340,000 citizens to their universal healthcare program the wait to see a primary care physician in Boston jumped to 61 days.

 The 3 categories of primary care, Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, and Pediatrics are the lowest paid averaging about $175,000 while medical specialties such as cardiology demand salaries over $400,000.  Medical education debt at graduation can exceed $200,000.  To the same degree that our general population is aging, our supply of practicing doctors is aging and approaching retirement. In fact the physician shortage would be far more severe if thousands of physicians had not delayed their retirement do to the recent economic calamity.

Hospital Facts

 Over 35 million people are admitted to the hospital each year.  Hospitals treat nearly 118 million people in their emergency departments (EDs) and provide care to 481 million other outpatients each year.  Hospitals deliver over 4 million babies each year.  In 2006, hospitals provided care to people in need at a cost of over $31 billion of care for which no payment was received.  Hospitals screen and, if an emergent condition is found, stabilize every patient who comes through the ED.  Hospitals employ more than 5 million people.  Behind restaurants, hospitals are the second largest private sector employer.  When also accounting for hospital purchases of goods and services from other businesses, hospitals support one of every 10 jobs in the U.S and $1.9 trillion dollars of economic activity.  One-third of hospitals lose money on operations.  Hospital operating margins were 4.0% in 2006, down from 4.6% in 1996  Together Medicare and Medicaid represent 55% of care provided by hospitals.  Medicare payment falls short of the cost of caring for Medicare patients .  Medicare pays only 91 cents for each dollar spent caring for Medicare patients. o 64% of hospitals are paid less than the costs of services provided to Medicare patients. o The Medicare funding shortfall for hospital care exceeds $18 billion dollars. o Medicaid payment falls short of the cost of caring for Medicaid patients. o Hospitals receive an average of 86 cents for each dollar spent caring for Medicaid patients. o 76% of hospitals are paid less than the costs of services to Medicaid patients. o The Medicaid funding shortfall for hospital care exceeds $11 billion dollars.  When Medicare and Medicaid fail to cover their share of hospital costs, hospitals are forced to make cutbacks that affect the whole community and/or look to the privately insured to make up the difference.  The actuarial firm Milliman Inc. found that Medicare and Medicaid shortfalls in hospital payments add $490 dollars to the annual cost of family coverage in Washington state.  RAND found that growing Medicare and Medicaid shortfalls accounted for 12% of the increase in rates paid to hospitals by private insurers in California between 1997 and 2001.

The Neck of the Bottle

Universal healthcare insurance is now the law of the land. Access to primary care is the issue that will dominate the ongoing dialog about health care in America.

In the coming decade this country will likely face a growing shortage of physicians. And there is little that our medical schools can do about the problem.

In the physician community, primary care is the least financially rewarding specialty. Medical students training to become primary care physicians pile up the same mountain of education debt as specialists but their income is a fraction of what their colleagues in glamorous sub specialties like spinal surgery earn. But even if the income and debt factors could be addressed there is a structural problem in the training pipe line that is going to be very difficult to solve.

In response to the growing shortage of physicians, four new medical schools opened last year and enrolled 190 new students. According to a Wall Street Journal article twelve existing medical schools increased 1st year enrollments by an additional 150 slots. If we accept the industry’s own numbers, we are going to need to increase the output of our medical schools by 45,000 by 2020. The math just doesn’t work.

And even if our medical schools were to some how expand dramatically and we were to open our shores to a flood of foreign trained physicians, there is still an immovable bottle neck in the system. After completing medical school, every doctor, whether American or foreign trained, must complete a three year residency program. And there is a fixed number of medical residency positions.

Most residency programs are funded primarily with Medicare money. And the same Congress that has opened the flood gates of universal health insurance has in place a cap on Residency and Fellowship program funding that dates back to 1997. As a result there are only about 110,000 residency slots in the U.S. We are not talking about small change here. Medicare provides over $9 billion dollars to teaching hospitals. And that is indeed a lot of money. But it is going to cost more to train more doctors. And again, in its infinite wisdom, Congress put no additional funding for residency slots in the new healthcare bill.

The shortages we are facing will be upon us in a matter of years. It will take at least ten years to affect the flow of new physicians entering the system even if everything that needed to be done gets done. Instead we are facing lower pay for physicians, heavier patient loads, longer hours, no tort reform, no additional funding for medical training, restrictive immigration laws barring foreign trained physicians and a medical community that does not even officially acknowledge a physician shortage and that opposes alternate forms of primary care such as nurse practioners. 12 How Doctors Become Doctors

Doctors who completed their medical training in June, 2010 decided to become doctors in 1995!

Physicians must spend a substantial number of years completing education and training requirements. The route to a job as a practicing physician includes:

4 years of undergraduate school leading to a bachelor degree in one of the sciences 4 years of medical school 3 to 8 years of residency 1 to 4 years of fellowship

Undergraduate students in premedical study are required to complete courses in physics, biology, mathematics, English, and inorganic and organic chemistry. They also complete courses in the humanities and social sciences and some volunteer at local hospitals or clinics to gain experience. Most applicants for medical school have a bachelor's degree, and many also have earned more advanced degrees. Competition for admission to medical school is very high.

The first 2 years of medical school cover basics from anatomy to microbiology, and the second 2 years are spent working in hospitals and clinics under the supervision of qualified physicians. After graduation from medical school, physicians begin paid, on-the-job training known as a residency. Most residencies are in hospitals and last between 2 and 6 years depending on the medical specialty selected by the physician.

All States require physicians to be licensed. Licenses are given to physicians who graduate from an accredited medical school, pass a licensing examination, and complete 1 to 7 years of graduate medical education. MDs and DOs may spend up to 7 years in residency training to qualify for board certification in a specialty. Board certification is granted after candidates pass a final examination in one of 24 board specialties. More than 80% of medical students borrow money to pay for their costly training.

A physician's training is costly. According to the Association of American Medical Colleges, in 2004 more than 80 percent of medical school graduates were in debt for educational expenses.

All States, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories license physicians. To be licensed, physicians must graduate from an accredited medical school, pass a licensing examination, and complete 1 to 7 years of graduate medical education.

A final examination immediately after residency or after 1 or 2 years of practice also is necessary for certification by a member board of the American Board of Medical Specialists (ABMS) or the American Osteopathic Association (AOA). The ABMS represents 24 boards related to medical specialties ranging from allergy and immunology to urology. The AOA has approved 18 specialty boards. For certification in a subspecialty, physicians usually need another 1 to 2 years of residency. 13 Medical Specialties Defined

Primary Care Physicians

FAMILY MEDICINE physicians diagnose and treat medical conditions for the entire family, from infants to elderly individuals. Family medicine doctors treat all ages of patients, from babies and young children to adults and geriatric patients; family doctors also treat pregnant women and deliver babies. Family medicine physicians are medical doctors, either an allopathic physician (MD) or osteopathic physicians (DO). These physicians complete a four year undergraduate program with premedical requirements, four years of medical school training, a one year internship, and two more years of postgraduate training in a family medicine residency. Family medicine doctors learn how to diagnose and treat diseases of both children and adults, and they also receive obstetrical training.

INTERNAL MEDICINE physicians are trained to treat the medical conditions of adults. The term "internal medicine" dates back to late nineteenth-century Germany, where it described doctors who combined diagnostic testing in a laboratory with providing patient care. Today's internal medicine doctors or internists are professionals who specialize in treating the medical conditions of adults. Internal medicine, primary care physicians are medical doctors, either an allopathic physician (MD) or osteopathic physicians (DO). These physicians complete a four year undergraduate program with premedical requirements, four years of medical school training, a one year internship, and two more years of postgraduate training in an internal medicine residency.

PEDIATRICS physicians treat diseases and total health care issues of newborns, infants, children and adolescents. Pediatricians are medical doctors, either an allopathic physician (MD) or osteopathic physicians (DO). These physicians complete a four year undergraduate program with premedical requirements, four years of medical school training, and three years of postgraduate training in a pediatrics residency program. Once board certified in pediatrics, physicians can choose fellowships to further sub-specialize. Medical Sub Specialties

ALLERGY AND IMMUNOLOGY physicians treat allergic and immunologic diseases and their respiratory complications (such as pollen, chemical and food allergies, asthma and AIDS). Allergy/Immunologists are medical doctors, either an allopathic physician (MD) or osteopathic physicians (DO). These physicians complete a four year undergraduate program with premedical requirements, four years of medical school training, a one year internship, and two years in an internal medicine residency. The internist or pediatrician who wishes to specialize in allergy/immunology then must complete at least 2 years of study (called a fellowship) in an allergy/immunology training program. To be certified by the American Board of Allergy and Immunology (ABAI), allergists/immunologists must successfully pass a certifying examination administered by ABAI following completion of their fellowship.

ANESTHESIA physicians deliver anesthesia or relief of pain during surgery and childbirth, and control or control of pain due to various causes. Anesthesiologists are medical doctors, either an allopathic physician (MD) or osteopathic physicians (DO). Anesthesiologists complete a four year undergraduate program with premedical requirements, four years of medical school training, a one year internship, and three or more years of postgraduate training in an anesthesiology residency. The internship year generally includes training in pediatrics, internal medicine, surgery and critical care. The three year residency training encompasses the full scope of perioperative medicine, including pre-operative medical evaluation, management of pre-existing disease in the surgical patient, intraoperative life support and pain control, post-operative recovery, ICU medicine, and chronic and acute pain management. Anesthesiology remains one of the only specialties which require written and oral board examinations.

CARDIOLOGY physicians specialize in treating diseases of the heart and blood vessels. Cardiologists are medical doctors, either an allopathic physician (MD) or osteopathic physicians (DO). These physicians complete a four year undergraduate program with premedical requirements, four years of medical school training, a one year internship, and two more years of postgraduate training in an internal medicine residency. Following IM residency physicians who plan to become board certified in cardiology will take a three year fellowship leading to certification as a non-invasive, invasive or interventional cardiologist. Some doctors may take a fourth year of fellowship to become certified in peripheral interventions.

DERMATOLOGY physicians focus on various disorders that affect the skin, nails and scalp in children and adults. This includes a variety of problems that may be cosmetic or non-cosmetic in nature. Dermatologists are medical doctors, either an allopathic physician (MD) or osteopathic physicians (DO). These physicians complete a four year undergraduate program with premedical requirements, four years of medical school training, a one year internship, and three more years of postgraduate training in a dermatology residency program. Once board certified in Dermatology, Dermatologists can choose fellowships to further sub-specialize.

ENDOCRINOLOGY physicians specialize in diagnosing and treating patients with medical conditions affecting the endocrine/gland system. The specialist focuses on restoring hormone imbalances and treating diabetes, thyroid, hypertension, cholesterol, infertility and obesity. Endocrinologists are medical doctors, either an allopathic physician (MD) or osteopathic physicians (DO). These physicians complete a four year undergraduate program with premedical requirements, four years of medical school training, a one year internship, and two more years of postgraduate training in an internal medicine residency. Following IM residency physicians who plan to become board certified in endocrinology will take a two to three year fellowship. EMERGENCY MEDICINE physicians provide primary care to the host of patients entering hospital ERs with illnesses and injuries covering a broad spectrum, from acute infections to life-threatening conditions. ER physicians may stabilize a patient and send him directly to an intensive care unit, may send a patient directly to a surgical team for emergency surgery and may send a patient directly to labor and delivery. An ER physician may occasionally deliver a baby himself. Emergency medicine physicians are medical doctors, either an allopathic physician (MD) or osteopathic physicians (DO). These physicians complete a four year undergraduate program with premedical requirements, four years of medical school training, a one year internship, and two more years of postgraduate training in an emergency medicine residency. The residency provides comprehensive training in cardiac intensive care, emergency obstetrics and gynecology care, emergency labor and delivery care, pediatric emergency medicine, trauma, surgical intensive care, medical intensive care, neonatal intensive care, anesthesiology and toxicology

GASTROENTEROLOGY physicians have specific knowledge and expertise in treating the digestive system. A gastroenterologist specializes in diagnosing and treating problems with the esophagus, intestines, gallbladder, stomach, liver and pancreas. Gastroenterologists are medical doctors, either an allopathic physician (MD) or osteopathic physicians (DO). These physicians complete a four year undergraduate program with premedical requirements, four years of medical school training, a one year internship, and two more years of postgraduate training in an internal medicine residency. Following IM residency physicians who plan to become board certified in gastroenterology will take a two to three year fellowship leading to certification.

HEMATOLOGY & ONCOLOGY are two medical specialties that are often combined. Doctors train in both specialties and receive a joint certification. Hematologist-oncologists deal not only with blood disorders that involve abnormalities of the blood cells, platelets, bone marrow and other organs involved in the production of healthy blood, but also solid cancerous tumors in other parts of the body. This area of study is complex. Hematology/Oncology physicians work with patients in diagnosis, therapy, prevention, screening, palliative care and continuing care after successful oncology treatment. Hematology/Oncology physicians are medical doctors, either an allopathic physician (MD) or osteopathic physicians (DO). These physicians complete a four year undergraduate program with premedical requirements, four years of medical school training, a one year internship, and two more years of postgraduate training in an internal medicine residency. Following IM residency physicians who plan to become double board certified in hematology/oncology will take three to four years of fellowship depending on sub-specialty.

NEPHROLOGY physicians diagnose and treat kidney-related illness or disease includes evaluating patients, performing kidney transplantation and administering dialysis treatments. Nephrologists are medical doctors, either an allopathic physician (MD) or osteopathic physicians (DO). These physicians complete a four year undergraduate program with premedical requirements, four years of medical school training, a one year internship, and two more years of postgraduate training in an internal medicine residency. Following IM residency physicians who plan to become board certified in nephrology will take a two to three year fellowship leading to certification.

NEUROLOGY physicians treat diseases of the brain, spinal cord, nervous system and related structures. Neurologists are medical doctors, either an allopathic physician (MD) or osteopathic physicians (DO). These physicians complete a four year undergraduate program with premedical requirements, four years of medical school training, a one year internship, and three more years of postgraduate training in a neurology residency program. Once board certified in Neurology, Neurologists can choose fellowships to further sub-specialize. OBSTETRICS AND GYNECOLOGY physicians deal with normal and abnormal pregnancy and treat diseases of the female reproductive system and fertility disorders. OBGYNs are medical doctors, either an allopathic physician (MD) or osteopathic physicians (DO). These physicians complete a four year undergraduate program with premedical requirements, four years of medical school training, a one year internship, and three more years of postgraduate training in an obstetrics and gynecology residency program. Once board certified in OBGYN, physicians can choose fellowships to further sub-specialize.

OPHTHALMOLOGY physicians treat diseases of the eye. An ophthalmologist is a medical doctor who has specialized in the care of the eyes. While ophthalmologists are able to perform routine eye exams, and prescribe corrective lenses, they also are licensed to treat diseases of the eye, and to perform eye surgery when required. These physicians complete a four year undergraduate program with premedical requirements, four years of medical school training, a one year internship, and three more years of postgraduate training in an opthalmology residency program.

OTOLARYNGOLOGY – (ENT – Ear, Nose & Throat) are physicians who treat diseases of the ears, nose, sinuses, throat and upper airway passages. Otolaryngologists are medical doctors, either an allopathic physician (MD) or osteopathic physicians (DO). These physicians complete a four year undergraduate program with premedical requirements, four years of medical school training, and five years of postgraduate training in an otolaryngology residency program.

PHYSICAL MEDICINE AND REHABILITATION are physicians who deal with major and minor disabilities requiring restoration of functional ability such as assistance, retraining and recondition of muscles, tendons and extremities for ambulation and other activities of daily living. Physical medicine and rehabilitation physicians are medical doctors, either an allopathic physician (MD) or osteopathic physicians (DO). These physicians complete a four year undergraduate program with premedical requirements, four years of medical school training, and four years of postgraduate training in a physical medicine and rehabilitation residency program.

PSYCHIATRY are physicians who treat diseases affecting mental health including diseases of the brain, nervous system and substance abuse of drugs or chemicals. Psychiatrists are medical doctors, either an allopathic physician (MD) or osteopathic physicians (DO). These physicians complete a four year undergraduate program with premedical requirements, four years of medical school training, and three years of postgraduate training in a general psychiatry residency program. Once board certified in psychiatry, physicians can choose one to two year fellowships to further sub-specialize in areas such as child adolescent, geriatric, and forensic.

PULMONOLGY/CRITICAL CARE are physicians with a double specialty generally working in a hospital Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Pulmonary Medicine offers the opportunity for continuity care in dealing with patients with chronic lung disease as well as certain diagnostic challenges. Pulmonary medicine also requires a sound understanding of physiology. Pulmonologists are likely to perform and interpret pulmonary function tests, cardiopulmonary exercise tests and sleep studies as part of practice. Critical Care physicians understand and deal with a wide variety of illness affecting multiple organ systems. Thus, training in critical care medicine really does represent an "Added Qualification," as it builds on the general training of Internal Medicine. The procedural aspect of ICU medicine is also appealing to many. Three years of medical school leading to an MD (Medical Doctor) or DO (Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine) degree, three years of residency and three years of fellowship training, with at least 18 months of clinical training (6 pulmonary, 6 critical care and 6 combined). Successful completion of an ACGME-accredited fellowship allows the physician to sit for both the Pulmonary Board exam and the certificate exam for added qualifications in Critical Care Medicine. RADIOLOGY physicians administer X-ray, ultrasound, and other imaging technologies such as Computerized Tomography (CT) and Magnetic Resonance imaging (MRI). Radiologists may also specialize in nuclear medicine, treating diseases requiring use of radioactive isotopes or as an aid in diagnosis and or therapy. They may also train to help in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer and other diseases with x-ray therapy, radioactive isotopes and linear accelerator particle radiation. Radiologists are medical doctors, either an allopathic physician (MD) or osteopathic physicians (DO). These physicians complete a four year undergraduate program with premedical requirements, four years of medical school training, a one year internship, and four years of radiology residency. After completion of residency, radiologists may choose to either practice or enter into a fellowship program in a radiologic subspecialty (such as abdominal CT, MRI, musculoskeletal imaging, interventional radiology, neuroradiology, pediatric radiology, etc.). Fellowship training programs typically last between one-to-two years.

RHEUMATOLOGY physicians treat diseases of the joints including arthritis and autoimmune diseases. Rheumatologists are medical doctors, either an allopathic physician (MD) or osteopathic physicians (DO). These physicians complete a four year undergraduate program with premedical requirements, four years of medical school training, a one year internship, and two years of residency in either internal medicine or pediatrics. Physicians next enter a rheumatology fellowship program. These fellowships train physicians in the aspects of medicine that are unique to the field of rheumatology. Expect the program to take two to four years to complete. A physician may choose to further specialize and become a pediatric rheumatologist, which may require an additional one to two years of fellowship.

SPORTS MEDICINE is often a sub-specialty of physical medicine and rehab, physicians in this specialty deal with diseases and injuries acquired in sports activities. Sports medicine physicians are medical doctors, either an allopathic physician (MD) or osteopathic physicians (DO). These physicians complete a four year undergraduate program with premedical requirements, four years of medical school training, a one year internship, and two years of internal medicine residency. Many sports doctors take one to two year fellowships specializing in orthopedics, but more and more are branching out into cardiac, respiratory, and other internal specialties. A residency might involve an internship at with a professional athletic team, a sports association, or a hospital where athletic medicine is a focus.

GENERAL SURGERY physicians are trained to treat diseases and injuries that require surgical operations for diagnosis or treatment. Surgeons are medical doctors, either an allopathic physician (MD) or osteopathic physicians (DO). These physicians complete a four year undergraduate program with premedical requirements, four years of medical school training and five to six years of a surgical residency.

NEUROSURGERY physicians are specially trained to treat diseases and injuries of the brain, spinal cord, nervous system and related structures requiring surgery. Neurosurgeons are medical doctors, either an allopathic physician (MD) or osteopathic physicians (DO). These physicians complete a four year undergraduate program with premedical requirements, four years of medical school training and six years of a neurosurgical residency. Many brain surgeons take an additional one to two years of advance training after residency.

ORTOPEDIC SURGERY physicians are specially trained to treat diseases and injuries of the bones, joints, muscles and tendons requiring surgery. Orthopedic surgeons are medical doctors, either an allopathic physician (MD) or osteopathic physicians (DO). These physicians complete a four year undergraduate program with premedical requirements, four years of medical school training, one year of general surgery residency and four years of orthopedic residency. PLASTIC SURGERY physicians are specially trained to treat diseases and conditions requiring surgical reconstruction for deformity or loss of a body part, or for cosmetic purposes to improve appearance or function. Plastic surgeons are medical doctors, either an allopathic physician (MD) or osteopathic physicians (DO). These physicians complete a four year undergraduate program with premedical requirements, four years of medical school training and six to seven years of an integrated surgical residency.

THORACIC SURGERY physicians are specially trained to treat diseases of the chest, including lungs, heart, blood vessels and chest wall that require surgical operation for diagnosis and or treatment. Thoracic surgeons are medical doctors, either an allopathic physician (MD) or osteopathic physicians (DO). These physicians complete a four year undergraduate program with premedical requirements, four years of medical school training, five years of general surgical residency and two to three years of thoracic surgery residency.

VASCULAR SURGERY physicians are specially trained to treat diseases of the blood vessels that require surgical operation for diagnosis or treatment. Vascular surgeons are medical doctors, either an allopathic physician (MD) or osteopathic physicians (DO). These physicians complete a four year undergraduate program with premedical requirements, four years of medical school training, five years of a surgical residency and one to two years of a vascular fellowship.

COLON & RECTAL SURGERY physicians are specially trained to treat diseases of the large intestine, rectum and anus that require surgical operation for diagnosis or treatment. Colorectal surgeons are medical doctors, either an allopathic physician (MD) or osteopathic physicians (DO). These physicians complete a four year undergraduate program with premedical requirements, four years of medical school training, a five year general surgery residency and one to two years of Colon & Rectal surgery residency.

UROLOGY physicians treat diseases of the kidneys, bladder and male reproductive tract. Urologists are medical doctors, either an allopathic physician (MD) or osteopathic physicians (DO). These physicians complete a four year undergraduate program with premedical requirements, four years of medical school training and five to six years of urology residency.

PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT / NURSE PRACTIONER - Physician assistants (PA) and nurse practitioners (NP) practice medicine under the supervision of physicians and surgeons. However, PAs or NPs may be the principal care providers in rural or inner-city clinics where a physician is present for only 1 or 2 days each week. PAs and NPs are formally trained to provide diagnostic, therapeutic, and preventive healthcare services, as delegated by a physician. Working as members of a healthcare team, they take medical histories, examine and treat patients, order and interpret laboratory tests and x rays, and make diagnoses. They also treat minor injuries by suturing, splinting, and casting. Pas and NPs record progress notes, instruct and counsel patients, and order or carry out therapy. Physician assistants also may prescribe certain medications. Pa and NP educational programs usually take at least 2 years to complete for full-time students. Most programs are at schools of allied health, academic health centers, medical schools, or 4- year colleges; a few are at community colleges, are part of the military, or are at hospitals. Many accredited PA/NP programs have clinical teaching affiliations with medical schools. Most applicants to PA/NP educational programs already have a college degree and some health-related work experience. Many Pas and NPs have prior experience as registered nurses, emergency medical technicians, and paramedics. 14 Physician Compensation Survey

All Specialty Starting Eastern Western Southern Northern Physicians Allergy and Immunology $233,894 $180,000 $234,148 $243,812 $223,366 $217,010 Anesthesiology $352,959 $260,400 $323,466 $360,195 $328,924 $363,381 Cardiac & Thoracic Surgery $497,307 $355,700 $442,097 $494,145 $456,255 $556,730 Cardiology $379,975 $270,700 $329,303 $375,827 $396,449 $389,581 Colon & Rectal Surgery $370,602 **** $352,000 $370,602 **** $380,782 Critical Care Medicine $256,514 $194,065 $241,096 $314,385 $177,917 $256,514 Dermatology $344,847 $230,000 $298,799 $364,232 $359,776 $306,392 Diagnostic Radiology - Interventional $463,219 $334,800 $405,544 $470,891 $571,715 $508,359 Diagnostic Radiology - Non-Interventional $420,858 $330,000 $375,000 $428,214 $393,000 $435,000 Emergency Care $256,879 $194,470 $239,587 $277,661 $229,155 $258,914 Endocrinology $205,497 $160,000 $185,200 $211,841 $198,052 $217,010 Family Medicine $190,182 $130,000 $160,985 $204,950 $194,733 $181,416 Family Medicine - with Obstetrics $200,565 $135,000 $191,203 $214,473 $159,004 $201,156 Gastroenterology $374,674 $270,000 $370,157 $385,129 $349,957 $362,606 General Surgery $337,595 $222,950 $295,500 $337,814 $309,476 $364,167 Geriatrics $179,344 **** $190,787 $179,694 $155,516 $179,992 Gynecological Oncology $393,486 **** $330,799 $406,023 **** $393,486 Gynecology $234,197 **** $218,750 $214,380 $229,618 $257,500 Gynecology & Obstetrics $283,110 $197,000 $254,426 $293,995 $273,245 $296,104 Hematology & Medical Oncology $301,809 $221,611 $264,556 $314,821 $361,374 $298,851 Hospitalist $205,445 $160,000 $183,200 $219,783 $213,625 $195,907 Hypertension & Nephrology $246,646 $176,960 $222,977 $279,828 $258,423 $231,375 Infectious Disease $220,601 $154,900 $189,762 $249,003 $203,035 $220,601 Intensivist $296,034 **** **** $245,254 **** **** Internal Medicine $199,886 $140,213 $173,406 $223,227 $192,732 $187,004 Neonatology $265,400 $195,000 $252,067 $296,052 $214,825 $250,856 Neurological Surgery $581,258 $395,000 $512,294 $603,315 $497,401 $614,046 Obstetrics $273,620 **** $262,486 **** **** $273,166 Occupational/Environmental Medicine $216,754 $145,498 **** $222,673 $198,775 $209,483 Ophthalmology $305,301 $211,000 $264,670 $302,394 $287,940 $333,716 Oral Surgery $367,532 **** **** **** **** $461,013 Orthopedic Surgery $450,000 $312,208 $382,561 $461,829 $358,801 $450,000 Orthopedic-Medical $209,000 **** **** $309,921 **** $186,129 Orthopedic Surgery - Joint Replacement $520,000 **** **** **** **** $531,259 Orthopedic Surgery - Hand $450,000 **** $378,286 $525,177 **** $450,000 Orthopedic Surg.-Pediatrics $360,466 **** $357,467 **** **** **** Orthopedic Surgery - Spine $611,670 **** $507,889 $635,675 **** $590,000 Otolaryngology $336,149 $220,000 $301,876 $340,010 $330,000 $354,249 Pathology (M.D. only) $252,685 **** $228,066 **** $183,475 $263,985 Pediatric Allergy **** **** **** **** **** **** Pediatric Cardiology $234,613 **** $217,115 $305,266 $195,000 $240,557 Pediatric Endocrinology $187,693 **** $168,097 $232,005 **** $172,719 Pediatric Gastroenterology $218,032 **** $244,103 $247,479 **** $180,647 Pediatric Hematology/Oncology $205,567 **** $170,464 $243,347 $180,118 $205,567 Pediatric Intensive Care $228,434 **** $223,622 **** $209,103 $240,000 Pediatric Nephrology $192,958 **** **** **** **** **** Pediatric Neurology $204,540 **** $192,000 $234,325 **** $211,921 Pediatric Pulmonary Disease $172,755 **** $163,525 **** **** **** Pediatric Surgery $363,955 **** $345,655 $397,983 $377,155 $364,400 Pediatrics & Adolescent $193,964 $130,000 $173,450 $204,454 $191,736 $187,400 Pediatric Infectious Disease $174,154 **** **** $257,470 **** $148,023 Perinatology $356,576 $256,838 $335,964 $388,795 **** $412,010 Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation $229,119 $175,000 $218,377 $243,086 $207,414 $229,118 Plastic & Reconstruction $359,637 $273,566 $342,420 $362,115 $321,647 $400,000 Psychiatry $206,431 $160,000 $184,189 $236,022 $170,000 $192,261 Psychiatry - Child $226,637 $157,500 $170,105 $257,125 **** $193,386 Pulmonary Disease $267,148 $185,800 $235,670 $277,447 $263,546 $299,680 Radiation Therapy (M.D. only) $395,166 $295,200 $353,211 $434,800 $354,385 $398,467 Reproductive Endocrinology $297,150 **** $286,573 $331,096 **** $249,517 Rheumatologic Disease $217,010 $160,000 $204,081 $234,559 $214,370 $217,010 Sports Medicine $205,026 **** **** **** **** $199,156 Surgical Sports Medicine $205,026 **** **** **** **** $199,156 Transplant Surgery - Kidney $386,750 **** **** **** **** $373,628 Transplant Surgery - Liver $415,428 **** **** **** **** **** Trauma Surgery $352,339 **** $294,331 **** $452,098 $369,402 Urgent Care $200,904 $140,000 $189,116 $208,455 $203,700 $197,684 Urology $383,029 $250,450 $330,225 $387,353 $400,161 $367,008 Vascular Surgery $377,964 $258,619 $331,661 $394,386 $368,710 $360,285

Source Profiles Database 15 Doctors on Call

People get sick at the damnedest times. Medicine is not a 9-5 Monday through Friday business. Some patients are even inconsiderate enough to fall ill on holidays. So most doctors eat, sleep and breathe with a pager or cell phone within reach. But what happens after the pager goes off or the cell phone rings has a great deal to do with how a doctor’s practice is structured and how the community hospital is staffed. The system in place can have a significant impact on where a doctor chooses to live and where he looks for the professionals who will serve him!

The On Call System A brief history…Hospitals began in the early 19th Century as charitable institutions. By the mid 20th Century they had rapidly grown into behemoths, employing nurses, pharmacists, respiratory therapists, administrators – but not physicians, who for the most part remained individual (or small group) entrepreneurs. Outpatient primary care physicians were generally the doctor of record when a patient was hospitalized and coordinated their care during their stay. They were “on call” when ever one of their patients fell ill.

In the 1960s and 1970s 2 medical specialties emerged around sites of care: emergency medicine and critical care medicine. In emergency rooms, patients were first seen by nurses, and primary care physicians were then called from their office practices to come into the ER to see them. As Intensive Care Units emerged around technologies like mechanical ventilation, specialized nurses were hired to staff them, but again, the outpatient physicians remained the care providers. In both cases, it was ultimately recognized that there needed to be a separate group of physicians who became expert in the care delivered in these complex settings. The specialties of emergency medicine and critical care medicine were born. And the demands on primary care physicians diminished.

Beginning in the early 1990s, particularly in large group practices in environments in which there was significant pressure to decrease hospital costs, some practices saw the need for a new kind of physician: a generalist analog to the primary care physician, but one who would spend all the day in the hospital, managing the patients, coordinating care, and returning patients back to their primary doctor at the time of discharge. The hospitalist concept was born. And the demands on primary care physicians diminished.

Today, the housing demands of a physician are often driven by the place where they spend the majority of their time practicing medicine. Many hospitals have erected huge doctors office towers on the hospital campus to bring practitioners closer to the site of both inpatient and outpatient facilities. While the emergence of EM, Intensivist and Hospitalist programs have helped keep doctors in the embrace of their families nights, weekends and holidays. Understanding these medical trends will help you understand the special demands that are placed on the doctor you are courting. Understanding where and how they work is the first step in understanding how you can help. Source Knol, a unit of knowledge 16 Gatekeepers

Knowing how to get past a gatekeeper often centers on knowing who you are trying to reach. If you don’t have a name your chances of success are vastly diminished. Even with a name, you are likely to be challenged if you don’t have a valid reason for meeting with or speaking to your prospect about something that is relevant, important and time sensitive. And finally, your chances of getting through the gate will boil down to who you are, who you believe you are, who the gatekeeper believes you are and how you handle yourself.

Let’s put this into a healthcare setting. You want to help physicians plan for their future. You want to help physicians put their kids through college. You are very good at what you do and with your specialized training and MD Preferred credential you are better at what you do than anyone else in town. It is in a doctor’s best interest to meet you and engage your services. You are doing them a favor by sharing your valuable professional time with them. You have nothing to be embarrassed or ashamed of.

So, how do you identify your target? Start with a phone call and a press release. Using the database building tools described later in this guide, get the phone number of the hospital or medical practice and give them a call. In the case of a medical practice you need to speak to the practice manager. Explain that you have just been named to a community based service team designed to help attract and retain physicians for your community. You are sending out a press release to all local medical practices and you would like to direct it to the practice manager. Ask for the name and email address. Send the press release.

Follow up the press release with a request to visit the practice and make a presentation to their doctors… perhaps at one of their partners meetings or over lunch. At a hospital or medical center the person you want to speak with is the hospital staff member that recruits physicians for the hospital or local practices. It might take a bit of doing to get the name but the investment will be worth while. A good starting point is the physician services department.

Believe it or not, the growing shortage of physicians in many communities have led many hospitals to empower community leaders to participate in the recruiting and staffing functions within the medical facility. They are coming to recognize that the importance of life style issues and community resources is on a par with clinical issues and facilities. The MD Preferred Community Service Team is designed to meet that need. 17 Who Is Recruiting Now? A Good Place to Start

There are two types of recruiters…In House Recruiters who work for a hiring authority such as a private practice group or hospital…and medical recruiting firms that charge a fee to identify physicians. In house recruiters are community based and are the best recruiting partners for a local real estate firm.

In house recruiters are found primarily at the hospital level. They often have educational background in human resources and practical experience in sourcing and recruiting physicians. They are very busy, generally underpaid and in many cases very cynical professionals who are suspicious of outside purveyors trying to sell them a product or service. The MD Preferred designation is designed to set you apart and give you access.

You can spend a good deal of time trying to find physician job listings online. In most cases you can simply type in a search word combination like “Physician jobs Baltimore” and get results. But as someone who has been in the recruiting game for over 25 years let me tell you that EVERY hospital in America is searching for physicians. There is a critical shortage of physicians and it is only going to get worse. Concentrate first on job listings that identify your local hospital and private practice in-house recruiters.

It makes little difference where a medical recruiting firm is based. They all work on a national or regional basis. Some specialize in a particular medical specialty but most recruit across a broad range of specialties. The largest and most professional agencies are members of either the National Association of Physician Recruiters, NAPR, www.NAPR.org, or the National Coalition of Healthcare Recruiters, http://www.nchcr.com/CoalitionDirectory.aspx. At some point in time their members will be working with a physician or healthcare facility in your community. I suggest you send a copy of your press release/marketing piece to each and every firm, announcing your new credential, your service specialty, your service area and contact information offering to assist them when working in your community.

Although your staff healthcare sales specialist can compile and reach out to a comprehensive medical database of local healthcare facilities, it makes sense to prioritize the list. Contacting hospital recruiters and practice managers first who are engaged in a current physician search is likely to provide the most sympathetic audience. Send your press release first and then follow-up with a phone call. Ask for an opportunity to drop by and discuss your special services and your desire to help the recruiter bring qualified talented physicians to your community.