Dermatologic Clinics

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

Practicing medicine is not easy. In this article the author talks about why he is still practicing medicine. He shares some general thoughts regarding the "continue to work" versus the "retire early" dilemma.

This is the story of author's life from high school through retirement. The author took early retirement after 25 years of practice in a multispecialty clinic then founded a free clinic in Mexico that the author ran for 15 years.

Cosmetic procedures can be a nice addition to many different types of dermatology practices. It is part of our specialty, and the author would encourage anyone interested to pursue adding a few procedures to their current practice. Why perform cosmetic procedures? It can be esthetically pleasing for many dermatologists, there is a growing demand for esthetic procedures, and it is a source of additional increased revenue not tied to Medicare.

Successful businesswomen in dermatology know what type of practice they want and create a plan to make it happen. They align their business with their life and surround themselves with people who support their goals. They accept support but know how to delegate. They do the hard work required to be successful, gaining knowledge and strength from the experience. When they make mistakes, they learn from them. They try to make the most of each patient's experience, while acknowledging that relationships with family, friends, and colleagues, as well as personal growth, are of utmost significance outside of their practices...

The practice of medicine is governed by legislation and regulation at the state and national level. It is crucial, therefore, that dermatologists become and remain involved in the process to advocate for their patients, their practices, and the specialty itself. Maintaining a relationship with one's state and federal senators and representatives is critical for physicians to have a voice in the shaping of health care policy. Local, state, and national medical and specialty societies are a tremendous resource for physicians to remain abreast of policies affecting the practice of medicine...

This biographical article takes the reader on the unlikely journey of a small-town dermatologist, Robert T. Brodell MD, from private practice to academics. It is designed to demonstrate that the road less traveled may be of interest to many other "regular" dermatologists in private practice… particularly those who enjoy teaching. The themes of hard work, dedication, overcoming failure, optimism, and passion are apparent. Life experiences are the basis for recommendations that may help others develop and then reach their academic goals...

Guided by experiences learned over 50 years of guiding a solo practice to an independent private practice with 28 providers and 7 practice locations in southeastern Virginia, the author describes some of the pros and cons as well as pearls and pitfalls and gives practical advice on how to evolve from a small practice to a large group while maintaining independence in today's ever-changing medical marketplace.

The reality of dermatology practice in the 21st century includes the potential for lawsuits and liability. While medical malpractice may be top-of-mind, there are a host of liability risks beyond malpractice-from employee claims and fiduciary liability for the practice retirement plan to premises liability and HIPAA violations-as well as potential personal liability for rental properties, car accidents (for self and children), outside businesses, personal guarantees and more. This article outlines the leading tools dermatologists can utilize to better shield their assets from potential liability-including exempt assets, co-ownership forms, and legal tools, such as limited liability companies and trusts...

Dermatology referral utilization is increasing, with 15% of dermatology-related visits by primary care resulting in a dermatology referral. Given this, both strengthening an expanding a referral is a key component of a successful dermatology practice. In particular, effective communication is essential for efficient patient-oriented coordinated care. Written and/or verbal communication can help build a strong communication network and, in some instances, can be applied toward Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) reporting and billing for coding families that incorporate the coordination of care...

The retirement process is an individualized endeavor. Both financial and social aspects are important to consider when making plans for retirement. In this article, we discuss details of retirement planning, including the need to save, how much and when to start saving, and types of retirement plans. We also review key considerations for deciding when to retire as well as aspects of retirement outside of financial planning, such as redefining one's purpose and finding meaningful activities to fill the void of work...

Private equity's (PE) presence has grown within dermatology over the last decade, creating a new landscape for dermatologists to navigate. Although dermatology PE-backed groups (DPEGs) claim to partner with physicians and improve health care delivery, their actions show that investment returns and profits are prioritized. The history of PE in medicine, the corporate practice of medicine, maturation of the dermatology market, monopolistic practices, overleveraging of nonphysician practitioners, dependence on debt, training under PE, and professional and lifestyle considerations are discussed...

There are a variety of practice models to select from as we establish the framework that optimizes our practice of medicine. Work satisfaction is closely connected to the right fit of the model selected. A model of increasing popularity is the private equity backed dermatology practice management (DPM) company. The objective of this chapter is to describe this model and how it can provide a meaningful pathway.

Understanding the economics behind any medical practice comes down to one basic concept: Profit = Revenue - Expenses. This article aims to demystify the details that underlie this simple formula and to provide the budding dermatologist the information and the tools needed to determine their own profitability in the "real world."

The thrill of starting a dermatology practice can be intoxicating. Starting up a business allows the physician to have their own practice by themselves or with other key individuals to launch the brand and ideas. This article provides guidance on the steps a dermatologist should consider when starting a new practice or adding a new partner. In addition, this article details the tools a physician can use to evaluate the various types of "entities," which are sole proprietorship, general partnership, corporations, and limited liability companies, and examines the 4 primary areas that tend to determine whether the parties are sufficiently aligned for success...

Opening a small private dermatology practice can be a rewarding experience. It may seem like a lot of trouble, but in no other setting will you have so much freedom, control, and directly be able to see the consequences of your efforts. Economically, you must realize that in other settings, all these "chores" you must do in a solo practice are paid for by you out of overhead, which can greatly exceed what it costs if you do it yourself in a small practice. That is, a small private practice can be economically more rewarding and flexible than working for a dermatology group, particularly a multispecialty group...

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

Skin of color in dermatology encompasses individuals of various ethnic backgrounds including Black or those of African descent, Hispanic or Latino, Asian, Native American, Pacific Islander, and those of mixed ethnicities. Because these populations continue to expand, more patients of color (POC) are seeking out cosmetic enhancements and treatments. Aside from cosmeceuticals, nonsurgical cosmetic rejuvenation options, such laser and light-based treatments, neurotoxins, soft tissue augmentation, and more recently body contouring and skin tightening, are becoming increasingly popular worldwide...

Tinea capitis, folliculitis, seborrheic dermatitis, and pediculosis capitis are four common scalp conditions. Although tinea capitis and seborrheic dermatitis are found more commonly in patients with skin of color and highly textured hair, all of these conditions have special diagnostic or management considerations in these populations. This article reviews the diagnosis and management of these common scalp conditions.

African hair shaft and pigmented scalp have unique features that challenge diagnosis in scarring alopecia. In addition, Black patients may associate 2 or more types of hair disorders. Therefore, it is imperative to understand their findings thoroughly to establish a good diagnosis. Differential diagnosis on the frontal scalp includes traction alopecia and frontal fibrosing alopecia. Disorders such as central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia, fibrosing alopecia in a pattern distribution, discoid lupus erythematosus, and lichen planopilaris usually affect the middle scalp...