The Prosperous Doc

Creating a positive organizational culture is crucial for the success of a medical or dental practice. Tom Loeblein, President and CEO of Healthcare Management Consultants and The Dental CFO, dedicates his career to building a strong culture within practices. He shares his insights on this episode of Prosperous Doc®, including why skills aren’t the only thing to look for when hiring. Creating a positive work environment that motivates and engages employees is crucial to delivering world-class care and providing positive patient experiences — investing in your team’s well-being is an investment in your patients (and your practice). By implementing Tom’s strategies, practice owners can attract and retain top talent and achieve long-term success. 💡 Featured Guest 💡 Name: Thomas (Tom) R. Loeblein, CHBC, CFP®️ What he does: While his official title at The Dental CFO is President and CEO, Tom’s real title is “Visionary.” Tom sets the organization’s vision, creates and maintains the company’s culture, and builds relationships with clients and stakeholders. In addition to his work with The Dental CFO, Tom serves as President/CEO of Healthcare Management Consultants, Inc. Tom is a Certified Healthcare Business Consultant, a Charter Member of the National Society of Certified Healthcare Business Consultants, a Kolbe Certified Consultant, and a Certified Financial Planner Professional. He is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and a retired Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve. Companies: Healthcare Management Consultants | The Dental CFO Connect: LinkedIn ⚡ Prosperous Insights ⚡ [00:32] Don’t discount company culture: Tom discusses the importance of company culture in medical and dental practices and how it impacts their success. [03:58] Smart v. healthy organizations: An unhealthy culture can lead to turnover and a decline in success. [11:21] Visioning: Shane and Tom discuss the importance of having a vision for your practice and how it can help engage team members and attract top talent. [14:45] Enabling growth: Putting team members in the right seats and helping them grow professionally keeps them engaged and motivated. [22:13] The Three Parts of the Mind in Hiring: Tom explains the three parts of the mind that are important to consider when hiring: cognitive, affective, and how the individual goes about working. [25:54] Know yourself (and your practice): Core values that are unique — and truly represent your organization — make leadership and culture-building easier. [28:37] Your team needs a good fight: Organizations need to understand the essence of fighting fair. [33:22] Learn to fight fair: Tom suggests reading work by

As a healthcare attorney and practice consultant at Knowledgeable Aging, Anu Murthy, Esq. is no stranger to contractual language and logistics. Anu previously joined host Shane Tenny to talk about healthcare workers making the most of their employment. Anu has expertise in medical employment contracts, partnership agreements, and other practice-related business matters — making her the perfect guest to discuss the FTC and potential changes to healthcare workers’ rights on this episode of Prosperous Doc. Earlier this year, the Federal Trade Commission proposed a new rule that would effectively ban employers from using noncompete clauses. If you're in the health care, dentistry, or medicine sector, you know that these noncompete clauses are part of many employment contracts, often accompanied by negotiated “restrictive covenants.” The FTC claims these non-compete clauses suppress wages, hinder innovation, and prevent entrepreneurs from starting new businesses. The ban aims to force wage increases in the industry and expand career opportunities. Tune in to this episode to hear Shane and Anu talk about all things noncompetes, as well as a ban’s potential impact. 💡 Featured Guest 💡 Name: Anu Murthy, Esq. What she does: Anu is a healthcare attorney and practice consultant who exclusively focuses on physician, dentist, and advanced care practitioner employment contracts, partnership agreements, and other practice-related business matters. Company: Knowledgeable Aging Words of wisdom: “I am telling my clients to disregard the proposed rule for the time being. It is not going to give you any clout or any power in negotiating at the moment [...] I would recommend that they seek legal counsel just to make sure that the employer is following the rule to the letter.” Connect: LinkedIn | Website ⚡ Prosperous Insights ⚡ [03:27] The proposition: Anu takes listeners through a brief history of the FTC’s proposed ban, with a focus on the impact this has had, and will continue to have, on healthcare providers. [05:36] A long way back: Anu discusses how noncompetes came into existence, which dates all the way back to England in 1440. [07:26] Independents included: The proposed rule not only includes W2 workers but independent contractors on 1099s, as well. [13:41] Different perspectives: Anu discusses the ban from the perspective of several groups — including providers, the American Hospitals Association (AHA) and the American Medical Association (AMA). [18:47] Advice: Currently, Anu advises an employee negotiating a new contract to ignore the proposed rule and instead seek legal counsel to ensure employers are following all current rules. [21:20] The outlook: This new rule proposed by the FTC is something that has never been done before. If it were to pass, it would affect more than 30 million Americans with non-competes clauses in their employment contracts. Disclaimer: Prosperous Doc podcast by Spaugh Dameron Tenny highlights real-life stories from doctors and dentists to encourage and inspire listeners through discussions of professional successes and failures in addition to personal stories...

In a 2014 survey, the medical network Doximity found that over 72% of residents had negative feelings about negotiating their compensation, including feeling stressed, concerned, anxious, or lost. 31% of physicians felt prepared to network, while only 9% felt ready to negotiate. It wasn’t just first-time attending doctors who felt that way — doctors seeking raises were also affected. It’s no wonder so many doctors feel anxious when few receive any training in contract negotiations. But physicians shouldn't settle for less, says Ethan A. Nkana, Principle at the Rocky Mountain Physician Agency (RMPA), which advocates for doctors seeking fair contracts and compensation. Having an advocate like Ethan helps in certain high-level situations, but you don’t necessarily have to hire an advocate to get what you want. In this episode of Prosperous Doc, Ethan talks with host Shane Tenny about everything you need to know about contract negotiations, whether you’re a graduating resident or an experienced physician. 💡 Featured Guest 💡 Name: Ethan A. Nkana, J.D., MBA What he does: Ethan began his hospital administration journey as a Human Resources intern later expanding his skill set to hospital finance, physician contracting and compensation, hospital operations, and healthcare strategy. While working in physician contracting, Ethan observed that physicians frequently leave money and value on the table during their contract and salary negotiations. Company: Rocky Mountain Physician Agency Words of wisdom: “If I could give one piece of advice to first-time attendings that would really help give them the best chance for success: get more than one offer.” Connect: LinkedIn | Instagram ⚡ Prosperous Insights ⚡ [02:21] Doctors need an advocate: Most people tend to think of doctors as high earners, but in reality, not all of them are. [04:14] Get more than one offer: Ethan offers an important piece of advice for first-time attending physicians: getting more than one offer improves your negotiating position by giving you more control. [09:55] Everything is negotiable: Health insurance packages might not be negotiable, but most other things are. He discusses the three negotiable parts of compensation. [13:39] Student loan forgiveness: Student loan debt is a top concern for new physicians, some of whom have six figures worth of debt. [17:34] Get the numbers: It’s important for doctors to understand how salary ranges differ according to region and care setting. Some websites you can find this data are Medscape, Doximity, Physicians Thrive, and Merritt Hawkins. Data can also be purchased through Sullivan Cotter and

Many years ago, Beth Lachance realized that there was an opening for virtual professionals in medical and dental practices. She began working on her business plan and fine tuning what would become REVA Global Medical. In this episode of the Prosperous Doc®, our host Shane Tenny, CFP® welcomes Beth Lachance, CEO of REVA Global Medical, to discuss how she became one of the leaders in the virtual professional evolution in medicine. From front desk and clerical work to back-end insurance dealings and accounting needs, the medical virtual professionals at REVA are alleviating the stress caused by a low supply of healthcare employees. REVA prioritizes forming true partnerships with practices and physicians. Their interest is not in replacing existing personnel nor outsourcing jobs, but in creating the capacity to do more and better work. 💡 Featured Guest 💡 Name: Beth Lachance What she does: Beth is leading REVA Global Medical in vision and the day-to-day business operations securing the functionality of the business to drive extensive and sustainable growth. Combining her strong leadership and determination with her 16 years of experience as a business owner specializing in real estate project management and investing with Hat Trick Holding, LLC, and over 22 years of corporate experience in the private and public sector of surgical device, pharmaceutical, and specialty pharmacy industries — she keeps the company moving forward with high-level strategy while understanding the details of day-to-day execution to ensure steadfast success. Company: REVA Global Medical Words of wisdom: “We are an enhancement to the practice and to the medical staff that's already there in place, because they're overwhelmed and they need to figure out a way of trying to get some of the heavy lifting off of their plates, so that they can be more present with the patients that are there in the practice.” Connect: LinkedIn ⚡ Prosperous Insights ⚡ [02:28] Defining a new role: A medical virtual assistant can do any number of tasks, including front desk triage, new patient intakes, insurance verifications, prior authorizations, background billing, fax review, and data entry into the EMR. [13:19] High quality: All medical virtual assistants must be HIPAA-certified, have a background in healthcare — whether they graduated with a four-year degree in nursing or worked at an insurance company — and know and truly understand how insurance works in the United States. [24:42] A good fit: REVA Global looks for partner practices that know what their pain points are, where their needs are, and how they can support a virtual staff. The practice should also have basic use of technology. [27:19] The big 3: REVA Global is most commonly asked to staff three main departments with medical virtual professionals — the front desk, insurance prior authorizations, and the accounts receivable and billing department. [34:29] A solid team: Beth credits much of the company’s success to her incredible team at REVA Global Medical, both domestically and abroad. Disclaimer: Prosperous Doc podcast by Spaugh Dameron Tenny highlights real-life stories from doctors and dentists to encourage and inspire listeners through discussions of professional successes and failures in addition to personal stories and financial wellness advice. Spaugh Dameron Tenny is a comprehensive financial planning firm serving doctors and dentists in Charlotte, NC. To find out more...

Dr. Orman spent 21 years working in clinical community emergency medicine. In the first 10 years of his practice, he experienced three severe burnouts. Without much guidance, he thought the solution was to work harder - grit it out. Soon after his third major bout of burnout, Dr. Orman realized that his current way of life wasn’t sustainable. So, he switched gears to work in medical education, and that became a salvation for him, giving him a new purpose. This led him to start his podcast, Stimulus, and spend a year getting his certification from a coaching academy. Dr. Orman is now a certified executive coach, and he dedicates his time to helping physicians develop strategies to live and work with intent, creatively solve problems, and practice self-compassion. Tune in to this episode of the Prosperous Doc® to hear our host Shane Tenny, CFP®, chat with Dr. Orman about the true meaning of grit and how physicians can still have it while being gentler with themselves. 💡 Featured Guest 💡 Name: Dr. Rob Orman, MD What he does: As a certified executive coach, Dr. Orman helps physicians build resilience within their medical practices. He worked as a community emergency physician for 20 years and now works as a physician coach. Dr. Orman is a multiple award-winning lecturer, the former chief editor of EM:RAP, and creator of the Stimulus and ERcast podcasts. Company: Orman Physician Coaching Connect: Website | Twitter | LinkedIn | Podcast ⚡ Prosperous Insights ⚡ [02:34] The great burnout: Dr. Orman recounts the multiple burnouts he experienced while practicing medicine and how they led him to pursue a different career. [10:48] No longer drowning: Finding purpose and meaning in his work, saved Dr. Orman from feeling defeated and as if he was drowning in his profession. [16:20] Pivot and adjust: Facing defeat and failure can open up unforeseen or unconsidered problem-solving strategies. [26:20] Relearning to think: Dr. Orman discusses the power in learning how to think and process stress and self-awareness differently and learning to process anxiety and burnout differently. [30:14] Silence that inner critic: When things might not be going according to plan or living up to certain standards, that inner critic might get louder. [34:38] More listening: Shane and Dr. Orman share their admiration for an episode of the Prosperous Doc podcast with Dr. Joseph Stern, who talked about self-compassion. [35:17] Big players: Dr. Orman acknowledges a family friend Lenny Wineglass, for taking him under his wing; his late mentor at Emory, Ken Walker; an attending Dr. Lee Shockley; his brother, Rich Orman; and his coaching partner...

“We have 1,440 minutes a day. We tend to be pretty careful thinking about our finances or our money, but ironically, we can always make more money, but we can never make more time,” says Dr. Christina Shenvi, MD, Ph.D.,MBA. Dr. Shenvi is no stranger to the challenge of time management. Having earned a PhD, MD and executive MBA, she was using timeboxing and other techniques before there was a name for them. After coaching medical students for their exams, Dr. Shenvi realized that much of that success came down to how students manage their time. She then spent several years deep diving into psychology literature on procrastination, goal setting, and motivation and began incorporating this knowledge into her lectures. After working with students for a number of years, Dr. Shenvi started to speak on this topic to her colleagues - the medical school faculty. And she would get an overwhelming response that it really resonated with people. In this episode of the Prosperous Doc®, our host Shane Tenny, CFP®, chats with Dr. Shenvi about how practicing better time management can lead to more fulfilling lives for busy professionals. 💡 Featured Guest 💡 Name: Dr. Christina Shenvi, MD, Ph.D., MBA What she does: Dr. Shenvi is a practicing emergency physician, educator, keynote speaker, and leader. She created Time for Your Life in hopes of helping busy professionals reduce their stress levels and feel more fulfilled by better managing their time. Company: Time for Your Life Words of wisdom: “How you manage your time is really about how you manage your own mind.” Connect: Website | Twitter | LinkedIn ⚡ Prosperous Insights ⚡ [02:03] A nonrenewable resource: Unlike money, which can be earned, spent, and reacquired, you can never get your time back. [04:39] Time and effort: Dr. Shenvi compares making life changes to making bread. “You really need the time, the energy, the effort — yourself, or with a coach, or within a structure — to work that yeast into the dough.” [15:35] Your true self: One of the key elements to mastering time management is looking inward and evaluating your priorities and values. [21:04] Life’s what you make it: As with most things in life, time will not just be handed to you. [23:00] Psychology literature: When she first became interested in the topic of time management, Dr. Shenvi did a deep dive into psychology literature, such as Cal Newport’s Deep Work and A World Without Email, as well as the book

For those working in medicine and dentistry, having a great team is key to being able to support their patients. Today’s guest wants to help practitioners attract, develop, and retain the right team so they can see their businesses thrive. Ben Shaver is a certified leadership coach and a business consultant working with medical and dental practices on organizational development, recruiting, and branding. In this episode of the Prosperous Doc®, host Shane Tenny, CFP®, asks the questions you want answers to if you’re considering buying your own practice or struggling with attracting the type of team you need to be successful. 💡 Featured Guest 💡 Name: Ben Shaver What he does: Ben Shaver is a certified leadership coach and business consultant. He works primarily with medical and dental practices helping them with organizational development, recruiting, and branding. His core program The Leader Brand™ helps clients turn from managers to leaders by flipping the organizational chart and focusing on the consumer first. Company: Venture Practices Words of wisdom: “If you really create a brand people want to be a part of, then you're going to win because they're going to see that and engage with it.” Connect: Website | LinkedIn | YouTube ⚡ Prosperous Insights ⚡ [02:29] Flip the org chart upside down: Ben explains how he approaches leadership training from the consumer or patient first. [06:07] Look, act and feel: Consistency is key. If you want to look professional, act organized, and feel trusted, then you need to model those behaviors every single day. [08:31] Cynics, contributors, committed, and champions: There are four different types of team members you might find in your organization. [14:32] A proficient and passionate team: Ben uses task filters from leadership professional Michael Hyatt to find holes in systems and processes that need addressing. [21:28] Using DiSC assessments: Ben reviews how different personality types can complement each other and cause conflict. [24:50] You have to be unique in your approach: Helping people identify what they are drawn to is an important part of creating a path for their training and company processes. [31:10] Everyone needs a business coach: Ben gives a shout-out to his business coach, Harvey Smith, for everything he has done for him over the years. Disclaimer: Prosperous Doc podcast by Spaugh Dameron Tenny highlights real-life stories from doctors and dentists to encourage and inspire listeners through discussions of professional successes and failures in addition to personal stories and financial wellness advice. Spaugh Dameron Tenny is a comprehensive financial planning firm serving doctors and dentists in Charlotte, NC. To find out more about Spaugh Dameron Tenny, visit our website at www.sdtplanning.com. You can also connect with our host, Shane Tenny, CFP at shane@whitecoatwell.com or on Twitter. Compliance code: CRN202512-3477621

Dr. Cindy Tsai considers herself a recovering perfectionist. Having been motivated by extremely high standards for much of her life, Dr. Tsai found that her perfectionist tendencies were actually holding her back, impacting her relationships, and causing her to overwork herself. In this episode of the Prosperous Doc®, our host Shane Tenny, CFP® talks to Dr. Cindy Tsai about the root of perfectionism, the connection between perfectionist-induced stress and physical symptoms, and how to overcome this chronic belief system. Dr. Tsai discusses her own experiences with illness as a result of perfectionism’s toll on her body, as well as the work she has done to overcome it. In her self-help book “So Much Better,” Dr. Tsai outlines the key three pillars to overcome perfectionism: calm, confidence and curiosity. “It’s a resource and guide that I wish I had years ago, because in my own journey, I realized that there were so many other modalities and techniques and practices that can be very helpful and transformative,” says Dr. Tsai of her book. “These are skills that anyone can learn and master. And so that's really the intention behind it.” 💡 Featured Guest 💡 Name: Dr. Cindy Tsai What she does: Dr. Cindy Tsai is a board-certified internal medicine physician in San Diego, CA. She is also a life coach, a TEDx and keynote speaker, and the author of the self-help book “So Much Better.” Words of wisdom: “It is so important and helpful to reframe that perspective, so that you're not thinking that if you don't get it right or perfect, you're not good enough.” Connect: Website | LinkedIn | Twitter | Instagram ⚡ Prosperous Insights ⚡ [03:08] Defining the enemy: According to Dr. Tsai, perfectionism can be defined as the unwillingness to accept anything less than extremely high levels of standards and performance. It’s the need to be the best in all areas of life. [04:42] Practice makes perfect(tionism): This unhealthy ideal is lauded in society as a way of life. Perfectionism is bred from the fear of failure, inadequacy, and disappointing others. [08:17] Physical symptoms of stress: Dr. Tsai came to develop physical symptoms, such as blurred vision, from the stress of her perfectionist tendencies while in her medical training. It made her pause and consider the deeper cause for her symptoms. [17:25] Redefining self care: Dr. Tsai’s book “So Much Better,” which is based in mindfulness, provides different tools and techniques for readers to master calm, confidence, and curiosity to overcome debilitating perfectionism. [24:24] Looking within: In order to successfully become a “recovering perfectionist,” Dr. Tsai urges listeners and readers to really do the work within. [26:41] Other self-help leaders: Thought leader Brené Brown’s “Gifts of Imperfection” and Kristin Neff’s books on self-compassion influenced Dr. Tsai and showed her the value of vulnerability and...

From an early stage in her medical education and training, Dr. Zed Zha knew she wanted to do primary care family medicine. The urban market of highly specialized care wasn’t the place for Dr. Zha, given her love for delivering babies, geriatric care, and an interest in dermatology, all of which led to work in rural areas where she could practice a variety of medicinal care. In this episode of the Prosperous Doc®, our host Shane Tenny, CFP® talks to Dr. Zed Zha, MD about her work in a rural eastern Washington State farming community of 8,500, where the predominant population is made up of Spanish-speaking and Indigenous-speaking residents. Dr. Zha talks about building trust with her patients, who are mostly immigrants and/or undocumented workers. Her own experiences as an immigrant prepared her empathy toward and understanding of the population she serves. 💡 Featured Guest 💡 Name: Dr. Zed Zha, MD What he does: Dr. Zed Zha is a board-certified primary care physician offering obstetrics and hospital medicine in rural Washington state, where she is also a clinical instructor for the University of Washington School of Medicine. Company: Columbia Basin Health Association Connect: Website | LinkedIn | Twitter ⚡ Prosperous Insights ⚡ [07:40] Bilingual business: Nearly all of the medical assistants and staff at Dr. Zha’s rural Washington clinic are bilingual. [11:19] A dying breed: Current trends indicate a coming physician shortage over the next couple of decades, which will particularly affect country doctors. Dr. Zha argues for the importance of more rotations in medical school and residencies and reversing misconceptions about primary and rural care. [18:27] COVID-19 task force: Dr. Zha hails from Beijing, China and always kept a close watch on current events there, which allowed her to be privy to COVID-19 and its spread before the pandemic spread to America. [22:34] Outreach: Dr. Zha, along with her colleague Dr. Jude Alsarraj, took action to inform non-English-speaking community members about the risks and safety measures of COVID-19 by creating accessible media in their own native languages. [26:22] Work in progress: Along with co-author Chloe Ackerman, PsyD (and the helpful guidance of her literary agent, Kathryn Willms), Dr. Zha is currently working on her first book, “Essential: A Chinese Doctor on Rural America’s Pandemic Frontline,” which chronicles Dr. Zha’s work as a full-scope family doctor in rural America during the pandemic. [29:53] Social justice: Without health equity, there is little to say about health care, as it is a human right that is unequally allocated in America. [37:08] Shout-outs: Dr. Zha gives thanks and credit to the many people who helped her achieve her goals: Dr. Cathleen E. Morrow, MD, Dr. James Withers, MD,...

Melissa McClung, M.S. didn’t have any plans to be a career coach when she began working at the career center at the University of Kansas Medical Center. But while there, Melissa fell in love with career coaching, and 12 years later, she’s established a niche helping doctors get into residencies and scientists decide whether they want to work in the field or academia. In this episode of the Prosperous Doc®, our host Shane Tenny, CFP®, talks to Melissa about her work as a career coach, specifically in the realm of healthcare, medical, and science professionals. Melissa says that what draws her to this work is her ardent belief that everyone deserves to be in a job that uses their best and favorite skills, compensates them well, and gives them the time and energy to enjoy life outside of work. 💡 Featured Guest 💡 Name: Melissa McClung, M.S. What he does: Melissa is a Professional Career Advisor and Owner at Life by Design Careers. She specializes in career coaching for healthcare, medicine, and science professionals, helping them figure out the next step on their career paths. Company: Life by Design Careers Words of wisdom: “Ultimately, what we have to realize is that, as human beings, we have to grow in competency over time, and we need to look for ways to build that into our career journey so that we can stay fulfilled and stay true to that mission [that is] uniquely for ourselves.” Connect: Email | LinkedIn ⚡ Prosperous Insights ⚡ [06:26] Fatigue to fulfill: Shane discusses Melissa’s book, Mind Your Career: Job Search Like an Entrepreneur Without Becoming One, which talks about the reality of burnout and shifting from career fatigue to finding fulfillment. [08:29] Grow and change: Melissa believes it is part of human nature to yearn for growth and change. Her line of work allows her to help people find work that challenges them and keeps them engaged. [10:40] Common denominator: When healthcare professionals come to Melissa seeking a career change despite the years of schooling and training they’ve put into their career, it is often because they feel they can no longer give enough time and attention to important things outside of work, such as family, health and passions. [12:32] Telling stories: Researcher Brené Brown talks about the “stories we tell ourselves,” which Melissa references in her book and her work. She asks clients who feel stuck or like they could never find a new job to rewrite their own story. [20:34] Start with the basics: One of the most common mistakes Melissa sees in her line of work is people thinking they need to hire someone to rewrite their resume when they haven’t decided on a specific job they are trying to target. [25:04] No burnt bridges: Melissa reassures her clients that searching for and starting a new career doesn’t damage the path they have already forged. She is not in the business of burning bridges but rather creating new ones for professionals to more openly navigate their own career. Disclaimer: Prosperous Doc podcast by Spaugh Dameron Tenny highlights real-life stories from doctors and dentists to encourage and inspire listeners through discussions of...

Burnout is one of the greatest challenges with which healthcare providers struggle today. As Dr. Dael Waxman explains, “Burnout happens when there’s a mismatch between the individual factors that a person brings to the system they work in and the system factors of that system.” This dissonance often creates long-term emotional distress. To counteract this, Dr. Dael Waxman focuses on improving physician well-being. In this episode of the Prosperous Doc®, our host Shane Tenny, CFP® invites Dr. Waxman to discuss the importance of physician well-being and his journey from clinician to physician well-being coach. Dr. Waxman gives strategies for improving physicians’ quality of life. Additionally, he reveals that an accidental presentation sparked his passion for burnout prevention while strangers’ stories strengthened it. 💡 Featured Guest 💡 Name: Dr. Dael Waxman What he does: A physician and educator for over 35 years, Dr. Waxman is a recently retired professor of family medicine at Atrium Health and founder of Dael Waxman, MD Coaching and Consulting, and an Executive Coach at MD Coaches. Since 2010, he has focused on promoting physician well-being and preventing physician burnout. Company: Dael Waxman, MD Coaching and Consulting Connect: LinkedIn ⚡ Prosperous Insights ⚡ [04:02] Finding passion through interaction: Dr. Waxman’s passion for preventing physician burnout began with conversations with other healthcare providers after his presentations on burnout. [05:05] Wellness vs. well-being: As Dr. Waxman explains, although wellness and well-being are often used interchangeably, there is a difference between the two. [10:42] Your well-being matters, so nurture it: Dr. Waxman often uses the PERMA positive psychology model to help his clients improve their well-being. PERMA stands for positive emotions, engagement, relationships, meaning, and achievements. [14:44] Clarity from COVID-19: COVID-19 has had a devastating effect on medical providers and has worsened burnout. However, now people are beginning to recognize that working constantly is unsustainable because people got cut off from each other and cut off from the things that give them a sense of joy, meaning, and purpose,” explains Dr. Waxman. [17:56] Take time for yourself: You have to be able to enjoy your own life to help others. Set time aside for what is important to you and communicate your needs with your team. [22:28] Driven by the system: When burnout was first recognized, Dr. Christina Maslach found that most causes of burnout were individual but now problems are mostly systematic. To learn more about the frustrations of burnout, listen to Podcast Episode 12 | Behind Physician Burnout with Dr. Dike Drummond. [26:00] Fixing the system: Burnout on the organizational level is often caused by a lack of flexibility, lack of community, and lack of recognition and other root causes as focused on in Podcast Episode 49 | Rethinking Burnout and Why it is Important to Address it at the Organizational Level with Dr. Paula Davis. Dr. Waxman cites Dr. Tait Shanafelt, who says that organizations...

It is something we need to survive, but the more we try to obtain it, the more it can evade us: sleep. Looking at the clock throughout the night, scrolling on smart phones until our eyes shut, or sleeping with televisions on, many Americans do not create ideal, sleep-conducive settings for themselves, which can cause harm. In this episode of the Prosperous Doc®, our host Shane Tenny, CFP® welcomes Dr. Fariha Abbasi-Feinberg, one of the foremost experts on sleep and the Medical Director of Sleep Medicine for Millennium Physician Group, to discuss how sleep impacts health, memory, and how COVID has impacted an entire country’s sleep habits. Dr. Abbasi-Feinberg breaks down sleep’s impact on the lymphatic system, metabolism, cognitive abilities, and more. She even discusses the benefits and harms of taking naps. 💡 Featured Guest 💡 Name: Dr. Fariha Abbasi-Feinberg, M.D., FAASM, FAAN What she does: As a Board-certified Sleep Medicine Physician, Dr. Abbasi-Feinberg serves on the Board of Directors for the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and is the Medical Director of Sleep Medicine for Millennium Physician Group. She has been interviewed for numerous publications including the Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Newsweek, and US World Report. Company: Millennium Physician Connect: Website | LinkedIn | Twitter ⚡ Prosperous Insights ⚡ [07:00] Steady pace rather than sprint: Dr. Abassi-Feinberg talks about the body’s natural “circadian rhythm.” While naps can sometimes be beneficial, particularly depending on a person’s work schedule, it is still best to aim for long, patterned stretches of sleep rather than short spurts. [12:00] COVID-somnia: In July of 2020, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, conducted a survey that found more than 20% of adults felt their quantity and quality of sleep was less. COVID-somnia is the bucket term used for talking about the negative effects of COVID on sleep. [16:53] The dream team: Dr. Abbasi-Feinberg says, in order to feel truly refreshed, a combination of both deep sleep and REM sleep is needed. Cycling through the different sleep patterns is essential to waking up feeling rested. [18:52] Don’t look: According to Dr. Abbasi-Feinberg, waking up during the night is normal but looking at the clock is what causes issues. Consistently looking at the clock when you wake up actually trains yourself to make that a pattern each night. [24:36] Limit light exposure: While light in the morning is great for waking up, limiting light exposure in the evening, especially when winding down, is crucial leading up to a good night’s sleep. [25:33] Big picture thinking: Some people like to enjoy a night cap or snack before bed. According to Dr. Abbasi-Feinberg, however, both can be disruptive to sleep and cause more awakenings and poorer sleep quality. [29:45] Getting help: If you are unsure if you need professional help with your sleep, Dr. Abbasi-Feinberg suggests going to SleepEducation.org to assess your needs and find a sleep center near you. [31:28] Big thanks:...

Estate planning is a topic most people don’t want to think about, but it shouldn’t be avoided. While it may seem daunting, it’s a crucial step for you and your loved ones. “Appropriate estate planning is truly planning for your estate, meaning planning for the management and disposition of your property, both during your lifetime and upon your passing,” explains Christian Perrin. In this episode of the Prosperous Doc®, our host Shane Tenny, CFP® welcomes esteemed attorneys Christian Perrin of Perrin Legal and Pete Benenati of Benenati Law Firm, P.C. The three discuss estate planning — what it means, why it is so important, and everything in between. The two attorneys also dive into the benefits of prenups beyond divorce preparation, the differences between executors and powers of attorney, and how to find the best help for you. “Everybody thinks that just because they have kids or a surviving spouse, it's easy,” Pete explains about the need for estate planning. “It's not really, because there's something known as the termination of heirship. You have to actually prove who the heirs are. A court-appointed attorney has to do the history on the family to confirm what you're telling them. It adds cost, it adds time, it adds expense. And it adds a lot of frustration for people, even in the smaller, simple estates.” 💡 Featured Guests 💡 Name: Christian Perrin, JD What he does: As an attorney and owner at Perrin Legal in Charlotte, NC, Christian specializes in estate planning, asset protection, and litigating trust and estate disputes. He attributes much of his successful career and long-standing relationships to his passion for advocacy, honesty, and responsiveness to clients. Company: Perrin Legal Words of wisdom: “Estate planning is important. And once you start the process, it's important to stay focused on it because the alternative is really messy.” Connect: LinkedIn Name: Pete Benenati, JD What he does: As an attorney and owner at Benenati Law in Dallas, Texas, Pete mainly focuses on business, tax, and estate planning. Pete is passionate about community involvement and educating local groups on current and pending legal changes that might affect them. Company: Benenati Law Words of Wisdom: “Anytime you get a chance to avoid probate, to make the people you leave behind, their lives easier, you should do it. At least do a will.” Connect: Pete Benenati -- Benenati Law Firm, P.C. 💰 On the Money 💰 Top takeaways from this episode ★ Preparing now can make things so much simpler. Estate planning is something nobody wants to talk about. No one wants to think about their own mortality or negatively life-changing events. However, making a plan now will make things so much easier for the client and their loved ones in the event of a bad accident or death. ★ Cover all your bases. The terminology can be confusing and overwhelming. Hiring an estate planner can make the entire process easier to understand and less foreboding. Ensuring you have everything from a will to a financial power of attorney to a healthcare power of attorney is crucial in making everything flow as smoothly as possible. ★ Third party...

Dr. Stacy Goldbaum’s move to Charlotte, North Carolina was a bigger transition than she’d anticipated. She missed having her friends and extended family near. Recognizing the importance of having a sense of community, Dr. Goldbaum decided to find a way to create connections in her new city. Historically, making new friends isn’t difficult for Dr. Goldbaum. However, with this move, she knew putting herself out there would be key to finding her people. “I think we all are very aware, just as with training, you can't always pick [your city]. Sometimes when you're trying to find your first job out of training, you can't always have the choice of location or hospital system you want.” Dr. Goldbaum says. “We just picked up, moved, and hoped for the best. Charlotte is a bigger city compared to some, and it had access to airports, so we knew we could get to family quickly if we were having that itch to go visit them.” In this episode of the Prosperous Doc®, our host Shane Tenny, CFP®, invites Dr. Goldbaum to explore the important topic of making friends in adulthood. They discuss how to cultivate a professional community for yourself while balancing the needs of a demanding career. Dr. Goldbaum also discusses how the idea and need for the Cultivating Resilience Conference first began and shares details for the upcoming event on Saturday, May 14th, 2022 in Charlotte. The conference is the only Charlotte wellness retreat for local women physicians by local women physicians. “The goal of this conference is to find out what's meaningful to you, who are the people who are going to support you, and how do you make friends out of this conference too," she says. "I'm telling you, once you find your people, it is such a life-changing experience, and every day just gets easier.” 💡 Featured Expert 💡 Name: Dr. Stacy Goldbaum What she does: As a board-certified Internal Medicine physician specializing in Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism, Dr. Goldbaum serves as an assistant professor in the Department of Medicine at Atrium Health and as the site-based medical director for her office. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Goldbaum also hosted monthly get-togethers for local women physicians through the “Women in White Coats: Charlotte” meetup group. She is a contributing writer in the SheMD.org virtual community. Company: Atrium Health Words of wisdom: Stacy Goldbaum: “Once you find your people, it is such a life-changing experience and every day just gets easier.” Connect: LinkedIn | Twitter 💰 On the Money 💰 Top takeaways from this episode ★ Creating your community. As an adult, you won’t always find that your community of friends and family will naturally appear. Dr. Goldbaum found that, after moving to a new city, she had to put herself out there to meet new people. This led her to create a meetup group for women physicians where she could connect with new people monthly. ★ Discovering the power of coaching. Dr. Goldbaum first discovered coaching through an online course during the pandemic. After she...

Dr. Beena Nagappala has done a lot in her career as a family physician and a public health expert — and she’s still going. As a practicing medical doctor as well as a leader in school-based community healthcare in Detroit, Michigan region, Dr. Nagappala knows how important public health is for everyone. Part of Dr. Nagappala’s mission has always been to provide healthcare for people who wouldn’t otherwise be able to access it. But unfortunately, in Detroit in particular, there are people who simply aren’t able to get quality healthcare in the area where they live. To Dr. Nagappala, this is unacceptable. “I always feel the need to provide care for the indigent,” she tells our host Shane Tenny, CFP® in this episode of the Prosperous Doc ®. “Some of the school-based clinics [that I oversee] are in communities where there is a lack of access to care, in terms of transportation and doctors. They have to travel outside of where they live to access these types of services. There is a distinct level of care that they lack.” The COVID-19 pandemic has further proved the importance of ensuring everyone has access to healthcare and accurate information about science and medicine. Working within the school system has allowed Dr. Nagappala to reach more people. Dr. Nagappala joins Shane to discuss her experience juggling a part-time family practice with working as a public health policy expert and overseeing dozens of school-based clinics. She also shares her thoughts on what makes public health so important, especially during a pandemic, and what keeps her going in this field even when things get tough. 💡 Featured Expert 💡 Name: Dr. Beena Nagappala, MD, MPH What she does: Dr. Nagappala is the Medical Director of Community Health for Ascension Southeast Michigan, overseeing nurse practitioners and medical staff at dozens of school-based clinics in the Detroit area. She is also a family medicine physician with Cornerstone Medical Group. Companies: Ascension, Cornerstone Medical Group Words of wisdom: “In the last year, [we] have realized how important public health is to our communities. We have to take care of each other so we can serve our community.” Connect: Website 💰 On the Money 💰 Top takeaways from this episode ★ Having quality healthcare in schools can help improve healthcare equity for all. School-based health clinics provide people with opportunities to access quality healthcare they wouldn’t be able to get otherwise. Dr. Nagappala makes it clear that the care that kids are able to get in school — the place they go every day — can change their lives and make waves in their communities. ★ The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the public health game. Dr. Nagappala shares her thoughts on why community health has been so important during the pandemic: We need to work together to keep each other safe and healthy. ★ Public health policy is on the rise. Dr. Nagappala believes that increasing awareness of these public health issues will lead to more government response. She explains what kinds of public health policies and laws she wants to see implemented in the future. ★ Find passion in your work. Despite the difficulties, Dr. Nagappala still finds meaning in the work she does. She stresses the importance of going after the things you’re passionate about in order to make real...

Dr. Joseph Stern was accustomed to helping patients face some of the toughest times of their lives. But when his sister was diagnosed with advanced leukemia, he realized what it was like to be on the other side of the doctor-patient relationship — and gained some crucial insights along the way. To Dr. Stern, grief is a part of life that everyone will experience at some point. This begs the question: why don’t we take an honest and community-oriented approach to dealing with it? Too often, he says, doctors gloss over the intense emotional aspects of their job. Ultimately, that avoidance leads to problems. “I think a lot of times doctors burn out, not because of the intensity of the emotions, but because of all the effort that they put into avoiding them,” Dr. Stern says. On this episode of the Prosperous Doc ®, our host Shane Tenny, CFP® welcomes Dr. Stern to talk about how his experience of personal loss has helped him become a more compassionate and empathetic doctor who can help more people. Dr. Stern talks about how he is working to change the medical field to be more compassionate, focusing less on procedures and more on relationships and quality of life. After his experience grieving the loss of his sister after being with her through such a tough illness, his outlook has shifted toward one of empathy and compassion — and this is something he says everyone can do without much effort. “Empathy actually doesn't take much time, it's not like you have to devote more time. I think it’s a common myth: people think, well, if I'm going to be empathic, that means I have to see fewer patients, and I have to spend more time (with each of them),” Dr. Stern says. “No: it means making eye contact, it means listening — not just blurting things out. It means being more of a partner and less of a position of authority.” 💡 Featured Expert 💡 Name: Dr. Joseph Stern What he does: Dr. Stern is a board-certified neurosurgeon and author. He is also the co-director of the Cone Health Brain Tumor Program, specializing in brain tumor surgery, stereotactic radiosurgery, spinal surgery, and functional neurosurgery. His memoir “Grief Connects Us: A Neurosurgeon’s Lessons on Love, Loss, and Compassion,” explores how grief and loss helped him break down the emotional armor that can hinder incorporating compassion and empathy in a doctor-patient relationship. Words of wisdom: “An important take-home message is that grief does connect us all. We are all linked together.” Connect: Website | Linkedin | Instagram | Twitter 💰 On the Money 💰 Top takeaways from this episode ★ Learn from your personal experience. Dr. Stern had a really impactful experience on the other side of the curtain in the medical industry when he was helping care for his sister with terminal leukemia. This experience ultimately changed his ethos as a doctor and has made his career more meaningful. ★ Don’t shy away from vulnerability. As the COVID-19 pandemic has shown us, we’ll all come into contact with death and sickness at some point, and supporting each other through those experiences is...

Becoming a lawyer made Paula Davis realize that she’d always been destined for one kind of job: teaching! She just took a less-than-typical route to make it happen. After earning her undergraduate degree in psychology, Paula graduated from law school. Working for corporate America eventually burned her out. That’s when she returned to her plans to teach. She went back to school, graduating from the University of Pennsylvania’s Applied Positive Psychology program. As part of the university’s Resiliency Program, she taught Army personnel coping skills for depression. Based on this education, Paula was able to finally become a teacher. Of her time in the program, Paula says, “It taught me about how to teach adults and how to learn these types of skills, because I was a lawyer — I had no clue how to do that.” She credits the program with giving her the tools she needed to start the Stress and Resilience Institute (SRI). She’s also the author of the book “Beating Burnout at Work: Why Teams Hold the Secret to Well-Being and Resilience.” In this episode of the Prosperous Doc, our host Shane Tenny, CFP, welcomes Paula Davis to discuss the work taking place at the SRI. The institute’s areas of research include the effects of stress and burnout in industries including tech, the military and healthcare, and strategies to help individuals and leaders better manage their working environments. Paula also discusses what she calls the Core Six causes of burnout, and a strategy called PRIME. “Each letter stands for a really important competency or set of skills that a team, individuals and leaders can implement to create this great environment and slow burnout,” she says. 💡 Featured Expert 💡 Name: Paula Davis What she does: As the founder and CEO of the Stress and Resilience Institute, Paula Davis has taught programs to thousands of professionals, leaders, and teams on the topics of stress, burnout prevention, and building resilience. Company: Stress and Resilience Institute Book: Bearing Burnout at Work: Why Teams Hold the Secret to Well-Being and Resilience Words of wisdom: “[Resilience] is largely misunderstood, because we equate resilience with making me tougher … It was [really[ about helping them recognize and understand how to navigate everyday challenges and significant challenges.” Connect: LinkedIn | Twitter | Email 💰 On the Money 💰 Top takeaways from this episode ★ Stress and burnout are not the same. Everyone feels fluctuating levels of stress at work. Maybe it’s up one day because you have a deadline, and down the next when your workload has decreased comfortably. Burnout is the result of chronic stress, and often manifests in small ways. The challenge, Paula says, is determining whether you’re experiencing normal levels of work-related stress, or if you’re reaching the burnout stage. ★ Address burnout at the organizational level. Burnout isn’t just an individual issue: It’s usually caused by problems that are present throughout the organization. Unfortunately, managers and supervisors often don’t notice the true extent of these issues, and the impact on workers, until it’s too...

In this special episode of the Prosperous Doc Podcast, Will Koster, a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ at Spaugh Dameron Tenny, is here to walk you through student loans and recent updates to the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. He helps make sense of how the recent changes might apply to you, this is an episode you don’t want to miss if you have outstanding student loans. The announcement from the Department of Education in early October that they will be easing some of the requirements for Public Service Loan Forgiveness likely left many people feeling a mix of emotions. From confusion over how this affects them, the excitement that they may now qualify, and stress over missing a crucial detail that might mean money spent unnecessarily. Throughout this episode, Will reviews how the new special waiver allows Federal Family Education Loans (FFEL) to be consolidated into the Direct Loan Program and become eligible for Public Service Loan Forgiveness and the changes to what repayment plans are qualified as part of the program. Will also addresses next steps if you believe you qualify for the Student Loan Forgiveness program, including: Step 1: Verify your employment. To verify that you have worked for a qualifying employer for the duration of your 120 payments, you need to submit an Employment Certification Form for each of your employers over the 10 years. Step 2: Consolidate your FFEL and Perkins Loans. After confirming that your employment is eligible, request a Direct Consolidation Loan before the October 31, 2022 deadline. This only needs to be done if your loans are not direct loans. You can complete this step for free by visiting Gov Federal Student Aid. You do not need to pay for assistance in consolidating your loans. Step 3: You’re now ready to apply for PSLF & TEPSLF (Temporary Expanded PSLF). You can complete this by using the online PSLF Help Tool found at studentaid.gov. “Depending on if you have FFEL loans, depending on if you've certified your employer before, depending on who your servicer is, all of those factors will maybe change your path just a little bit,” explains Will. “But the same rules, the same criteria, and the same application process pretty much apply to everyone. Whether you've completed them or not is probably personal or unique to your situation.” ➜For further reading, Will shares more about this topic in this blog post: Federal Student Loan News: Temporary Public Service Loan Forgiveness. ➜If you’re a physician or a dentist and you need help navigating the Public Service Loan Forgiveness programs, Will Koster’s firm is here to help, you can find them online at www.sdtplanning.com. 💡 Featured Expert 💡 Name: Will Koster, CFP What he does: Will is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional and a Certified Student Loan Professional. He also has his FINRA Series 7 and 66 licenses, life and health insurance licenses, and is an...

From the start, Dr. Michael Williams knew he wanted to run his own business. He liked the independence of working for himself and deciding on his own path. After finishing his dental residency, Dr. Williams worked as an associate in a private practice for about four years before starting his first practice. “Growing up, we had a few family friends that were dentists and watching them own their own business, talk about the autonomy, talk about work-life balance … that seemed admirable, that seemed exciting,” Dr. Williams says. On this episode of the Prosperous Doc, our host Shane Tenny, CFP, welcomes Dr. Williams to discuss his path toward independence and the hurdles that come with business ownership. “After practicing for a few years, after a good education, great residency experience, I was very confident and capable clinically ... But when it came to being a business owner, being a leader in the practice, I felt I hadn't had enough formal training, but also just not enough hands-on experience to be able to tackle that on my own,” Dr. Williams explains about those early stages. Dr. Williams and another dentist entrepreneur in the Charlotte, NC area bought a practice together. His partner had more experience with the business-side of things, having previously purchased a few practices. After working there for some time, Dr. Williams felt he had outgrown his role and wanted to step into a leadership position, inspiring him to branch out and buy a practice on his own. “I just got serious about embracing my role as a leader in the practice that I was in, in my partnership, honing in on the skills to become a better leader,” Dr. Williams says. 💡 Featured Expert 💡 Name: Dr. Michael T. Williams, DMD, FAGD What he does: Dr. Williams has been in private practice in Charlotte since 2010. He is an active member of the American Dental Association, the North Carolina Dental Society, the Academy of General Dentistry and is the president of the Charlotte Dental Society. Dr. Williams was awarded a Fellowship in the Academy of General Dentistry achieved by only 6% of dentists. Company: Williams Dental | Facebook Words of wisdom: “I learned through this journey that nothing really has to be permanent.” Connect: LinkedIn | Email 💰 On the Money 💰 Top takeaways from this episode ★ Understanding the business-side of operations is crucial. Dr. Williams says dentists spend so much time honing their clinical and patient skills that learning about business practices falls to the wayside. Gaining an understanding of the behind-the-scenes operations is a crucial step before starting practice. ★ Financial and business coaches can make a big difference. Hiring someone to help with marketing or improving the business model can greatly impact a practice’s success. ★ Be willing to make changes. As a dentist’s career aspirations change, so does the big picture. Life changes. Be willing to take steps in the direction of larger payoffs and happier careers. ⚡ Prosperous Insights ⚡ [03:51] Hone clinical and patient skills: Dr. Michael Williams, immediately following his residency, worked as a private practice associate for 3 to 4

After spending the first part of her career in political and governmental affairs for healthcare companies, Shelly O’Donovan noticed that there was a pattern to effective communication. These patterns separated the strong communicators who could accomplish agendas and climb corporate ladders from the communicators who didn’t achieve their goals. That observation sparked a passion for decoding communication and understanding what makes others tick. “I started to be interested in what those patterns were and started to do some research on my own ... and eventually got trained in nonverbal communication by a behavioral research lab,” Shelly says of her journey to becoming a body language and communication expert. On this episode of the Prosperous Doc, our host Shane Tenny, CFP welcomes Shelly to discuss her work and research about better communication — particularly with doctor-patient communication. Shelly, who delivers training programs to help executives and teams use authentic communication to deliver a message, shares how important strong communication and nonverbal cues are for building trust between doctors and patients. “If the physician walks in and really takes a moment to look at the patient, make some eye contact, be open, also be front-facing … that's going to make a big difference in opening up that trust,” Shelly says of the all-important nonverbal communication skills that encourage trust between two people. Shelly also discusses how this trust is vital to the physician’s practice as it encourages patients to be more open and communicative about their current health, ailments, or whatever may be bringing them into the office. 💡 Featured Expert 💡 Name: Shelly O’Donovan What she does: As the CEO of the Authentic Influence Group, ITM LLP and a Persuasive Speaking Lecturer at the Wharton School, Shelly helps healthcare executives and teams learn and apply effective and authentic forms of communication. Company: Authentic Influence Group Words of wisdom: “We build our first impression of someone within 20 seconds of seeing them. It actually has nothing to do with hearing them speak — but 20 seconds of seeing someone.” Connect: LinkedIn | Twitter 💰 On the Money 💰 Top takeaways from this episode ★ Nonverbal cues carry weight. Three nonverbal cues — hand gestures, facial expressions, and vocal tone — can greatly enhance communication. A study conducted revealed that doctors whose tone was perceived as friendlier and more trustworthy had fewer malpractice suits filed against them. ★ Building trust encourages more honesty from patients. The more trust a patient has in their physician, the more likely they will be honest about what they are feeling or experiencing. Shelly believes strong doctor-patient communication can lead to better and more accurate treatments for patients. ★ Apply communication skills for the digital age. Despite the rise in telemedicine, physicians should not forget the power of strong communication skills and nonverbal cues. During a virtual consultation, looking directly into the camera and facing the patient head-on is a great way to earn their trust. ⚡ Prosperous Insights ⚡ [05:49] Gestures (aka suggestors) tell a...