Ten Things You Need for a Successful Practice:

Ten Things You Need for a Successful Practice:

Every one of us involved in medical practice forms a certain Dos and Don’ts in his professional life. After working for 25 years, with some personal experiences, some rules told by the seniors and some by even juniors, I have come to formulate few set of laws of natural success. I have trialed & calculates mentally and physically with the success & failures of so many colleagues in last few years and feel that they will be definitely useful for most of us.


1. Regularity: It means attending the OPD timings as painted on our notice boards. Commitment to attend patients admitted in the hospitals & following the schedule of time of daily routine in the clinic along with accepting the home visit calls and observing the exact time we have committed. The appointment system for consulting the patient will be the highest achievement if one can follow it with the discipline.


2. Art of Conversation: It does not mean only to speak in very sweet language but to say proper things with a perfect & proper timing. It also means saying ‘NO’ when you do not want to say yes to so many requests like asking for a false medical bill, a false absentee certificate, attending some family function of a patient etc. It requires a great strength and art to say a sweet no to a request for keeping the bill balance (UDHAR).


3. Right time referrals: So many times, we GPs are blamed for not referring the patients at proper time during the progress of a life threatening condition. It is not a great achievement when you refer a patient dying condition, like Infarcts, shock, burns, head injuries etc. A successful GP scores over by recognisng a serious condition of an apparently simple looking complaint. It is true in diagnosing cancers, tumours, abdominal conditions etc.


4. Keeping patients at closed distance: In Munnabhai MBBS, a pyarki Zappi got very popular. The dean saying, ‘I treat the diseases not the patients and my hands do not shake!’ was criticized. However, in practice we should follow the dean with externally showing the façade of Munnabhai’s zappi. As professionals, we should not be too close to the patients so as they observe and criticize our professional work and at the same time; they should not feel that the doctor is very ‘Akhdoo’.


5. Updating scientific knowledge: I hope we need not stress this point to the GPA members. Nevertheless, it is a good habit of writing down the clinical difficulties, difficult cases faced in the practice and seeking their solutions, answers in books & journals, by internet, by discussing them with the specialists and seniors and off course by following the critical and unsolved mysteries in the hospitals and institutes. It is worth mentioning that updating the patient’s knowledge is also a great thing than happening it vice a versa.


6. Case papers & History maintenance: Our observation tells us that 8 out of 10 GPs do not maintain case records properly. Apart from medico legal problems, this record keeping guides us how regular the patient is in his follow up, what are his usual complaints and with which medicine he feels better. When he was investigated, what were his previous ailments, what are his long time prescriptions etc. are the things, which enlightens us by a mere look, even before the patient enters in the consulting room.


7. Accounts maintenance & financial planning: We never learn this practical aspect in the Medical College. A primary knowledge in accounts is must now a days. We should take help of a good C.A. about maintaining the books of accounts, keeping the bills and payment vouchers, investments made etc. Now a day hiding your income to save the taxes is not a good policy, but to show the full income, investing it properly and enjoying depreciations and tax deductions and paying the similar tax is a wise thing. There are so many avenues to invest with the financial planning; like real estate, mutual funds and shares, gold-silver like commodities, PPF, Govt. bonds, bank deposits and so many others. .They give you a great pleasure of tasting the sweet fruits of your success


8. Taxes & Duties: It is an utmost important thing for a good citizen to pay all the taxes. A successful doctor has to be a good citizen. These days there are several types of taxes & duties. The examples being Income Tax, Professional Tax, PMC Tax, Shop act registration, Biomedical waste payments etc. etc. All these are deductible from the income (except Income Tax), and you cannot avoid them. The taxmen are very sharp and their net is very elusive.


9. Healthy Habits: I think it is not necessary to stress, the significance of this virtue. Good diet, good rest, regular exercise, avoiding over indulgence in vices are the points of healthy living we keep on telling our patients. It is a worthwhile proposition we should also live by example.


10. Recreation & Hobbies: All professional should plan their leisure time during the active career and the time after they retire. We must retire early to have the charming side of the life. We must have some hobbies, some involvement in both the outdoor & indoor games, and a good circle of friends comprising not only medical but non-medical group, a happy link of relatives, habit of going on vacation every year to recharge your batteries.


The list may include so many things from person to person. The success is a relative thing. One should not compete with the success of others around you, but I feel to become successful we must compete with your own achievements. We must feel and desire to surpass our own achievements every day and to improve in the large store of our wealth.