PAs - Ever considered owning your own practice???

In this video, PA Kris Pyles-Sweet, talks about owning her own practice as a PA. She gives a high level overview of how to do it and discusses the pros and cons. Become your own boss, choose your preferred patient population, work the hours you want to work, and most importantly, control how much time you spend with each patient. If you've ever been curious about doing this, watch this video to learn more.
Disclaimer: This purpose of this interview is to share the experiences of a particular PA. This video is not intended to be legal advise. If you are looking to open your own practice, then it is your responsibility to make sure you understand and follow the laws in your state/county and you are encouraged to seek professional legal advice.
Timestamps:
00:00 Intro
01:40 Opening a practice in TX
03:15 Finding patients
04:30 Hiring a supervising physician
06:40 Opening a practice in NC
07:29 House calls vs clinic visits
08:15 Pros of owning a practice
09:00 Let's talk money!
09:55 Cons of owning a practice
10:50 Offering labs and CLIA certification
12:11 State Medical Board and Licenses
13:20 Malpractice insurance
14:52 Spending more time with patients
16:04 Hiring employees and other providers
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[@TheMedicineCouch]

Would you consider owning your own practice?

[@AA-nl5bl]

Absolutely! Does PA Chris provide consult service to other aspiring PA’s?

[@TheMedicineCouch]

@@AA-nl5bl As far as I know, she does not. I think she has just helped people she has encountered along the way. If I find anyone that does this, I will let you know.

[@AA-nl5bl]

@@TheMedicineCouch thanks. I’ve been in practice a long time (almost 20 yrs) and would be great if I can own my own clinic.

[@sumitpandey8604]

You probably opened a whole new sphere for PAs by this interview who otherwise had no idea if it was possible to work independently. Very Informative.

[@TheMedicineCouch]

I’m glad you liked it! There are actually quite a few PAs around the country who own their own practice. I hope to have more videos about this in the future, so stay tuned!

[@pasforwomenempowerment5861]

Kris! The best!

[@TheMedicineCouch]

Wow! I thought I replied to this, but I guess I missed it. I agree, Kris is great and I am so thankful that she was kind enough to share her knowledge with us.

[@shaunschofield7024]

Thank you for the video. I am currently in medical school and am still trying to figure out an opinion on this topic. In one regard I believe PA's do a great job and I have worked for some PA's in a family medicine and urgent care setting. They were able to treat the patient just as well as their DO and MD counterparts. I have also seen a urologist work with a PA in the OR and clinic where the PA would assist in surgery and then help see patients in the office. On the other hand I can see some problems with allowing PA's to open their own practice in the fact that they don't have as much training or schooling as doctors. Most PA programs have two years of school after an undergraduate degree. I understand that getting into PA school most people have over 2000 clinical hours. That being said I believe they are well trained, but not as much as doctors get with 4 years of medical school plus 3-7 years of residency. I believe practicing in the clinic is where most of the skills needed to work in the medical field are grown and perfected. That being said I believe PAs that have been practicing for around 5 years after they graduate more than likely are qualified to open their own practice and work on their own in certain specialties, but they ones that worry me are coming straight out of PA school, opening their practice and treating patients when they have only had two years of postgraduate schooling. I would love to hear your point of view on this. Thank you again for your video and I look forward to working closely with PAs in the future.

[@TheMedicineCouch]

Thank you for the thoughtful and respectful comment and question. Firstly, I agree with you that, from what I've seen, most PAs deliver care that is comparable to MD's. I've even worked with a PA that the MDs came to for help! But your question about PAs opening their own practice is important and a different matter. I agree with you that a PA, or any provider, should obtain years of experience before opening their own clinic. However, you must realize a few things. One is that, in most states still, a PA must have a supervising physician, even if they open their own clinic. Those SPs likely won't actually be working in the clinic, just reviewing charts and be available by phone, but I really don't see how this is any different from the thousands of PAs who are currently practicing around the country in a variety of settings.. Pretty much every outpatient job I've had since PA school, I've had my own patients and make 100% of the medical decisions, starting with the first job out of PA school. Of course, if I have questions, I ask my colleagues. In places where I am the solo provider, that happens over the phone. That would happen exactly the same way if I owned my clinic. Also, regardless of the practice I work in, I still have to answer to the medical board and my patients for the care I give. So, while it may seem like a big, extreme thing for PAs to own their own practices, the reality is that it's not. PAs are solid medical providers and will still ask for help when they need it, no matter the setting. It's no different than MDs or any other medical professional who practice to their level of comfort and then refer patients to a higher level of care, or asks for help, or researches the problem when we don't know the answer. Could there be "bad" PAs out their operating their own clinics giving sub-standard care to patients? Sure. Just like there are some MD's out there going rogue and practicing bad medicine. However, 99% of all clinicians care about their patients, wouldn't open a clinic if they didn't feel qualified, and would ask for help when they needed it. And all are subject to a license governing board. So, overall, I don't think it's something that is very troubling.

[@AA-nl5bl]

Love your content. Gained a subscriber. Are u a member of AAPA ?

[@TheMedicineCouch]

Thanks so much! Yes, I am a member of AAPA. Honestly, I let my membership lapse for several years, but I now realize the importance of supporting our profession, so I joined again last year.

[@pasforwomenempowerment5861]

@@TheMedicineCouch agree must join AAPA

[@tademehrabian7322]

Can a PA has his own practice in california if he or she brings it to court?

[@TheMedicineCouch]

Sorry Tade. I don't know what the laws are in California. If the laws don't allow it, I don't think going to court will matter it. The courts are obligated to uphold the law. You would need to get the laws changed and the best way to do that is by joining your state organization and contributing to their PAC!

[@dereksavage7569]

✋ ???????

[@TheMedicineCouch]

Ummm.....can you be a bit more specific?!?

[@ofroaddude5859]

I am in California. Are you able to do consult for more details?

[@TheMedicineCouch]

Are you asking if I can consult on you starting your own practice as a PA? If so, I am not the person to ask. I am simply on this journey of discovery like other PAs and I interview people to learn from. You could try reaching out to the lady I interviewed in the video to see if she has more help for you. or, I can refer you to a PA who has a consulting business that actually helps people start their own practices. You can email me at [e-mail] for more information about that. Thank you for watching.