I don’t sell vitamins. You want a facial? Or eyelash extensions? Maybe a nice massage? Don’t come to my office.
My secretary is a scheduling wizard, but she’s not going to arrange your flight to Miami or dry-cleaning pick-up.
I don’t understand the number of doctors getting into these services, especially when they’re far outside their field of training. Selling vitamins? Okay, it’s innocuous, but I don’t think I could, with a straight face, convince a patient that the bottle I’m pushing for $40 is better than the one he could get at Costco for a lot cheaper.
Some may claim that this is the problem with American doctors. We don’t "think outside the box" or "embrace new business models." The people who say that are likely making far more money than I ever will.
But I trained to be a neurologist. I think I’m good at it, and I stick with what I know. You have a tremor? Epilepsy? Migraines? I will do my best to help you. This will not involve me trying to sell you a spa membership, bottle of energy tablets, hair extensions, or a "Platinum Package" of pretty much anything. I can only promise to care for you to the best of my ability.
I have nothing against making money. I’m trying to do that, too. But adding on seemingly harmless "services," at least to me, is only going to get in the way of the primary goal in a practice: providing good patient care.
Maybe I’m old fashioned, but I tend to believe doctors do best when they stick to what they know, not what will make the most money.
Dr. Block has a solo neurology private practice in Scottsdale, Ariz. E-mail him at clinicalneurologynews@elsevier.com.