The limo driver said that he’d made some bad choices in life. Some things hadn’t worked out as planned. He said he’d call her.
There are still some doubters out there. They discount my advice on creating an Experience Monopoly™ for all of their customers: patients, referral sources, hospital staff, administrators, and so on.
Like some physicians, especially hospital based physicians, who think that being the best at what they do is enough in today’s market. That it’s somehow demeaning to them professionally to cater to their customers. That they are protected within academic practice. That advice on this from a “lawyer” is somehow tainted.
Maybe it is, because often I’m the guy your employer or group leader consults with before letting you go. Or, I’m the guy working to save your group’s contract with the hospital before it’s too late. Or, I’m the guy working with another group to take your contract away, in which case I implore you to keep your head in the sand, or up your, well, wherever it is.
One way or another the hospital controls who’s practicing there. Think the medical staff is totally independent? Despite what is supposed to be, let’s get real.
And that hospital runs on tight margins, very, very tight margins. If you or your group are causing disruption (rudeness, lateness, unwillingness for personal as opposed to medical reasons, etc.), or even if there’s the perception that that’s the case, and if it can’t be remedied quickly, then the writing is already on the wall: Your service might be put out to bid via RFP. Or maybe you’ll be replaced without an RFP. Or all of a sudden someone else gets all of the referrals. Or, you’re branded “disruptive” and subject to medical staff intervention. I’ve seen them all. And more.
We’ve all made mistakes. The key is whether we can learn the lesson and make the necessary correction before it’s too late.
The limo driver? I watched as he drove off, heading out of the airport. I wonder what he’ll really do?
