Clinicians think a lot about organ systems, but far fewer think systematically about their own practices. That’s unfortunate, because well-designed practice systems can greatly improve clinical outcomes and fiscal health, say consultants Gail Sophia Edgell & Traci Brosman.
As companies like 23andMe take sophisticated genomic testing directly to the consumer market, a growing number of people are seeking guidance on how to respond to the test results. According to Dr. Deanna Minich, that spells major opportunity for holistically-minded clinicians.
Holistic physicians often start out by trying to cram things like nutrition counseling, stress management or herbal medicine into conventional care frameworks–with limited success. Erin Martin, DO, a physician profiled in the popular film, Escape Fire, took the opposite route. At her new clinic she made lifestyle-based medicine the core and gradually adds conventional primary care services.
Shilpa Saxena, MD, has tailored the basic group visit model–increasingly popular in family practice–to fit the principles of functional medicine. The result is a big win for patients, for the doctor herself, and even for the insurers.
More than anything else, it is fear that keeps many doctors from building the kinds of practices they really want to have. Heal Thy Practice conference chairman Jeff Gladd, MD, who’s built a thriving cash-pay practice in Ft. Wayne, IN, has the remedies for those fears.
A five-step method called the PEACE Process, developed by Heal Thy Practice speaker, Miriam Zacharias, can help clinicians develop thriving integrative practices, “without losing your shirt, your sanity, or your soul!”
The concierge model is a great option for physicians seeking more control over their personal and professional lives. But it won’t cure financial woes overnight, says Marcela Dominguez, MD, a featured speaker at HPC’s upcoming Heal Thy Practice conference.
Many health care practitioners have no clue how vulnerable their assets may be. But a few simple, inexpensive steps can make a world of difference in terms of asset protection, according to Michael Gaeta, LAc, a featured speaker at HPC’s upcoming Heal Thy Practice conference.
Integrative medicine in an independent private practice can still fly, even in a difficult economy, as Dr. Jeff Gladd of Ft. Wayne, IN has effectively proven. The key, says Dr. Gladd, is to develop new income streams and to get paid for currently uncompensated practice time.
In a world where free Wi-Fi and portable handheld devices give us access to a technologically enabled collective-consciousness, practitioners and patients alike are able to tap an unprecedented amount of published research, expert opinion, and anecdotal experience. There’s no doubt that the social media revolution is influencing healthcare—for better and for worse!
Copyright © 2025 Holistic Primary Care. All Rights Reserved.
