23. Well-being in a small practice
Cash-pay founders Planned episode, the physician. The fourth aim of the quadruple aim.
Listener title: Autonomy, isolation and peers in a solo practice
Listener description: A solo physician talks about what autonomy gives and what it costs, how they handle the isolation of a small practice, and what peers provide that nothing else does. For physicians and advanced practice providers who have founded, or are weighing, a cash-pay practice.
Run of show (about 40 minutes)
| Time | Segment | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| 0:00 to 2:00 | Opening | The host introduces the episode and where it sits: the network assesses models of care against the quadruple aim of cost, quality, patient experience and clinician well-being, and this episode is about the fourth. The host restates the ground rules. |
| 2:00 to 5:00 | Guest and disclosures | The guest describes their solo practice, how long it has been open and what a typical week looks like, and discloses any industry relationships. |
| 5:00 to 15:00 | What autonomy gives, and what it costs | The host asks which decisions are now the guest's alone, what replaced the administrative work they left behind, and what autonomy costs in hours, income risk and being responsible for every task. |
| 15:00 to 24:00 | Isolation | The guest describes where isolation shows up: no colleague down the hall for a quick question, arranging coverage for time away, and carrying difficult cases alone. The host asks what the guest has tried, and what has and has not helped. |
| 24:00 to 33:00 | What peers provide | The guest explains what they get from peers that staff, family or a paid consultant don't provide, and in what form: a call, a group, a journal club. The host asks how the guest found those peers. |
| 33:00 to 37:00 | Noticing and adjusting | The guest describes the signs they watch for in themselves and what they change first. The host asks how a solo physician arranges coverage for illness or vacation. |
| 37:00 to 40:00 | Closing | One practical takeaway: set up a standing peer contact before it is needed, whether a colleague for clinical questions, a coverage arrangement or a monthly group. The network runs a monthly journal club and case support groups as members ask for them. Listeners can reach the network at hello@coloradocarenetwork.com, and physicians can use the interest form at coloradocarenetwork.com/join. |
Guest prep questions (sent to the guest a week ahead)
- What did autonomy give you that you did not have before, and what has it cost you in time, money or attention?
- What does a normal week look like for you, including the hours outside of visits?
- Where does isolation show up in your practice, clinically, administratively or personally, and what have you done about it?
- What do you get from peers that you cannot get from staff, family or a paid consultant, and how did you find those peers?
- What signs tell you your own well-being is slipping, what do you change first, and how do you arrange coverage when you need time away?
Show notes
A solo physician and the host talk about clinician well-being, the fourth aim in the quadruple aim the network uses to assess models of care. The guest describes what autonomy has given and what it has cost, where isolation shows up in a small practice, and what peers provide. The conversation is about one physician's experience; it does not review research on outcomes. The episode closes with a practical step for founders: arrange peer contact and coverage before they are needed.
- Sources: the guest supplies them before recording (PubMed, DOI, GeneReviews or guideline sources only).
- No patient information is discussed on this episode.
All planned episodes. To be the guest for this episode, email hello@coloradocarenetwork.com with the episode number.