"Healthcare - it's like any other business," says Dr. Peter Sallay, Orthopedic Surgeon specializing in the knee and shoulder with Forté Sports Medicine and Orthopedics. "The bigger the entity that controls the decision-making, and the more removed that entity is from the person those decisions are affecting, the less involved with the care the owners are going to be. An independent practice is a more efficient and patient-centric way of practicing medicine.”
Forté has been an independent practice since inception, nearly 40 years ago, explains CEO Marty Rosenberg. Starting as three solo practices, Forté became a group practice when these three founding surgeons joined forces to form a Sports Medicine group. Following the expansion with other orthopedic groups and growth, Forté morphed into a large comprehensive orthopedic group covering central Indiana. All of the owners are surgeon partners of the group. "What that means," Rosenberg emphasizes, "is that our doctors truly have control to decide the best treatment for our patients."
There are a lot of sacrifices physicians in independent practices make – not only is quality time spent with patients, it also takes time to run the business. It's like having two full-time jobs. “As CEO,” says Rosenberg, “I work side by side with the doctors. This way, we have a deep content knowledge on the business side of medicine, as well as of orthopedic surgery. This combination of unique skill sets brings our practice to a high level that’s respected on all counts."
Dr. Sallay agrees. "In our own practice," he says, "I can direct care in a way that is most efficient and in the best interest of the patient. I’m not told whom to hire. I don’t have to ask permission to make a change I think will improve care for the patient. If we have someone who isn’t providing the type of care we want, we have the ability to change personnel. Because there are fewer hands involved in your care, fewer mistakes are made."
It's a mindset, says Rosenberg - taking care of patients as owner and physician.
