A successful model of setting up a bariatric practice.

Vital for any surgeon choosing to perform bariatric surgery is to be financially savvy. Establishing a practice is not a simple matter. This article will describe how physicians can establish their practice in weight loss medicine. To better insure success, wisdom dictates that one perform a geographical study with respect to (1) obesity in the population, (2) number of bariatric surgeons in the area, (3) the nature of the insurance companies, (4) the type of insurance (health maintenance organization, HMO versus private pay versus Medicare, Medicaid, etc.), and (5) the leverage that the practice might be able to acquire (what is not being done by your competitors). To improve the financial strength of your practice, (1) learn what must be improved within your practice; (2) increase the ratio of time in the operating room to time in the office; (3) increase the number of patients referred to you. Most important is flexibility; the only people who really survive are chameleons because only chameleons adapt to different situations. Setting up a bariatric practice can be quite difficult, especially in the academic setting, but it is not impossible. A team approach is essential, whether one is speaking of a team of characteristics that make an office suitable, a team of experts within the office to appropriately evaluate patients, a team of professionals in the office to ensure efficient insurance approval, or a team of persons in the operating room to ensure that the surgery is optimized. The local environment must always be kept in mind.