Goodwill in Family Practice Success

Goodwill is not just the name of a well known charity. Goodwill, in terms of valuing a medical facility or other business, is an important, intangible asset that can play a huge part in the success of a family practice.

We've all seen them. They're the person at the business that everyone enjoys seeing. The one person patients at a family practice may stop by to chat with even when they aren't ill. They are well liked, well respected and well known in the community. Sometimes they have enough personality and charisma to make up for the office crankpot or employees who tend to be rude. Often they are the principle force in the business as well as the driving force in the success of the business.

What is goodwill? Some professional appraisers define it as an overall talent, attitude or condition. It includes the ability to interact very well with people, to attract and hold clients and is usually part of the makeup of respected, well known members of a community.

Family practices can have practice goodwill attached to them. Practice goodwill is a term used to describe a professional entity that bears the same characteristics as someone with professional goodwill.

Practice goodwill is defined by several family practice characteristics including excellent location, a respected reputation, and often is applied to a business that has been operating for some time. Practice goodwill isn't created overnight. It takes time to build a relationship with the community, with patients and with other professionals. Once developed, practice goodwill is an excellent characteristic for a family practice to have and one that directly affects the bottom line.

If the family practice is one of goodwill, patients are more likely to tell others about the clinic in a good way, other physicians are more likely to refer patients and to speak well of the practice, as are general professionals. The location of the practice is good if not ideal. 

Professional goodwill is a characteristic demonstrated by one or more family practice staff members. Many different talents and skills and circumstances can affect professional goodwill. Most staff members who possess goodwill in a way that actually increases the value of the family practice get along well with everyone inside and outside the clinic. They have a good reputation and are considered trustworthy and reliable in the practice and in the community. 

Goodwill can rarely be measured in dollars and cents. It is measurable in that if it were to disappear, the family practice would suffer.  Family practice clinics that do their best to hire the type of employees who generate goodwill will go farther and last longer in the community.

Practice goodwill can be developed as can professional goodwill. Smart clinic administrators recognize the value of goodwill both in the practice and professionally in staff members. Hiring staff members who appear to be able to develop goodwill characteristics or who have already demonstrated them can be good for office morale and for the bottom line. 

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Recognizing and Accepting Family Practice

It has been a long time coming but family practice physicians are finally making the way to the front of the line. It has been a long struggle attempting to gain status quo. That was never really what they wanted, what they wanted was to make a difference and for it to be known that they care. 

Family practice doctors are unique in a manner that they can take care of boys and girls, men and women. They are very convenient and offer quality care without having to visit many different doctors. It can not be argued that family practice doctors specialize in the long term and quality care of their patients. They can recognize and treat your physical problems as well as your emotional problems and maybe better than someone else who does not have the special bond with you as your family practice doctor does. 

Advertisements have been everywhere, on billboards, in magazine, and in articles that chant about being smart and making sure that you see a specialist in regards to your physician. These are the types of statements that cause people to question the quality and performance of family practice physicians. The entire medical circle needs to recognize that family practice doctors went into this type of practice well aware of what they wee getting themselves into. They knew that they would never get rich, never be admired, or ever get the respect that they so deserve. They have the education and are by no means second rate doctors. Family practice doctors are some of the finest that medical school has ever put out but it was their passion and caring that brought them to where they are.

Family practice doctors get to know the real you and everything about you. Imagine calling the doctors office to ask a question, odds are that the nurse will tell you that the doctor will call you back after hours. But when he does call he actually remembers who he is talking to, he can put a face with the name and maybe even ask you some questions that a specialist would never ask. Why? Because to them, you are another patient, another file. Do not think about going to see them without your deductible or your checkbook. Family practice doctors are more likely to tell you not to let money or 
the lack of it stop you from coming in if you need him. There is a difference and it is so very huge. 

Family practice physicians need to be accepted as well as recognized as a specialist for that is truly special when you can deliver a baby, take out someone's tonsils, medicate a patient for depression, update a woman's diabetic medication, remove a wart, and stitch up a kid who fell off of his bike all in one day. This is the true meaning of specialty and the very reason that we count on our doctors. Family practice doctors fell off of the band wagon some time ago as the modern and savvy specialists came to the forefront but since, something very important has happened and that is that they have now resurfaced back into the front of the line again. 

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Women Are Changing Family Practice

Today more than ever women are helping to change the face of family practice. There have always been more men in family practice than there have been women. For many years, women were reluctant to enter family practice because there was gender stereotyping, sexism, and difficulties of mixing and balancing both family and work. Today, women are not only becoming doctors more and more they also fill some of the seats on the board of directors.

Women in family practice are rejecting the negative stereotypes and proving that they can not only balance both family and work, they can excel at it. There are many support groups, seminars, and literature available today that encourage women to pursue careers in family practice and how to come up with a harmonious balance between the two. These are only a small part of the changing attitudes that show that people are more accepting of women running family practices whereas years ago, it may not have been so acceptable. Further, there was no help available to women at all that assisted women and gave them a place to turn to. 

Until recently women have been the minority especially in family practice but as more people have showed an interest in female doctors, the demands are being filled. Many women feel much more comfortable speaking with not only a female doctor but one who has positioned herself in a family practice because there is no greater comfort zone. However, many men want to see a female doctor too, which is another reason that women and family practice fit together and are a perfect match. 

Many family practice doctors are actually offering partnerships that are geared towards women doctors because they have a tendency to attract new patients. It causes a lot of work for women when they attempt to manage a family practice, balance a family, and continue to work towards furthering their careers but are able to do it. Women are actually an asset to the world of family practice and with this constant growth; it is possible to reestablish the role of family medicine practice. 

Since family practice embraces health care, mainly preventative, and treats babies to seniors, many people also like the idea of having a woman ran family practice because children are more likely to take to women than men doctors. Family practices are a place that families as a whole can go for medical treatment and see the same doctor each time and continue with an ongoing medical relationship. 

Times have changed since back in the day and although women have not been able to bust the glass ceiling they surely have put a few cracks in it. If women keep going and not just in family practice in particular, the glass ceiling might just disappear altogether. There is no doubt that women are changing the way that people view family practice in general. They are an asset and are going to show that they can make changes, become leaders, and change the whole concept of what a family practice really is. 

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Making certain that your Family Practice doesn't grow out of Control

Word of mouth spreads the fastest. If a family practice doctor is good enough, people will wait sometimes for hours to see him. However, as word spreads about a doctor so do his patients. If he doe not have such a great bedside manner then he will likely lose patients but if he does he will likely gain patients which to an extent are a good thing but can also overwhelm the doctor, his staff and his patients. 

Family practice doctors have a reputation for wanting to help everyone. Those who call in for a same day appointment are served just as someone who scheduled their appointment a month ago. Sometimes it is impossible to move them to another day or to switch them to a new provider. However, family practice doctors do need to recognize that they can only take on so many patients effectively. 



If a family practice doctor is going to consider the numbers of patients that he can effectively manage then he will need to discuss with his patients what it is that they expect from him or her and what makes them happy and satisfied. The family practice doctor also needs to confirm his workload and see what hours he can put forth that works best for him and his family. Estimate in hours of surgery and hospital visits and so forth. Factor in the time allowance and see how time is humanly possible to complete the schedule. 


The average doctor/patient visit is or should be about 10-15 minutes. Some doctors or nurses have the habit of scheduling 3 or more patients for the same time block which simply will not work. Based on a 10-15 minute time interval, it does not take a rocket scientist to figure out that the doctor should schedule four appointments per hour but might be able to get in five. Anymore than that and he could easily get behind schedule. 


If a doctor with a family practice finds that he has taken on more than he can manage effectively then he will be left with no choice but to cut down on his list of patients. Annually, patients move away, pass away, and change insurance providers which naturally can cut the patient list. Doctors can also close their acceptance of new patients for a while. Another possibility is to remove patients who miss many scheduled appointments and do not see the doctor regularly. 


The absolute number of patients that a doctor should have is the largest amount that he or she can care for effectively. That number can vary with time and there is no way to put an exact count to it. If everyone involved is happy then the doctor has probably the right amount of patients. However, if he finds that patients are waiting too long, he is cutting their visits short or running back in forth between rooms, and then the number may have to be readjusted. He does not want to few or too many but with a quality staff and dedicated persistence it is likely that the doctor will find his happy medium. 

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When Your Family Practice Physician Retires

You may have had the same family practice doctor for a great number of years and just got news that he is about to retire. You are beside yourself and are in a panic mode trying to even fathom who will be able to take his place. Because of the fact that family practice doctors are considered somewhat old school, it is likely this will happen one day.

Your doctor will find someone to take over his family practice that he is confident in and believes has a good bedside manner. He will probably familiarize himself with the new doctor first and have him come to the office during business hours and watch how your doctor conducts business and possibly to see any interaction that the new doctor may have with the patients and staff. 

This process will probably begin months or maybe even as much as a year before your doctor's retirement. You will probably be notified first by a personal letter from your doctor announcing his retirement but it is possible that the first time you hear about it could be from rumor or gossip. You will have plenty of time to make at least one appointment with your doctor before he goes and he will value your opinion on your feelings toward the new doctor. 

The nurse staff will probably give you a good heads up too as to whether or not they like him, especially if they do not, as they will get a job somewhere else. If the staff stays it is a sign that you are probably in good shape. Remember, you have been dealing with the staff for a long time so they will at least give you an eye roll if they do not think you will care for him. Trust in your doctor, he is the one who picked him. 

Once more before your doctor retires, you should be able to have an opportunity to meet with your doctor while the new doctor is present and speak with both of them. This makes the transaction much smoother. After all, this is a huge transition for you and your doctor understands that.

When it is time to schedule an appointment with the new doctor, you will at least know what to expect. It is certain that the new doctor will do all he can to make your visit comfortable. He will want to go over your chart and see what your past medical history has been. He is now your new family practice doctor, of course he will want to know. Be confident and if you have any apprehension, tell him about it. It may even take a visit or two before you will get to know him and be certain of a choice between stating with the new doctor and perhaps checking out the competition of other family practices in your area. 

Chances are that your new doctor has had a chance to scope out any weaknesses that your old doctor had and maybe he corrected them to make the new family practice even better than ever. 

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Why People Love a Doctor with a Family Practice

Health care is the largest rising industry in the nation. With all of the specialists and various types of doctors, one still remains untouched and that is the General Practitioner who has a Family Practice. Why? People like to go to the doctor and see the same one on each visit. They have developed a relationship with the doctor rather than just another patient where the doctor refers from a stack of records or a chart. We want our family practice physician to ask us how are kids are doing and recall off of the top of his head why we were there last. 

The demand is evident for family practices and not just in rural areas; there is a high demand even in larger cities, maybe even more so. People like family practices because they are concerned with more than just your health. They try to provide care for your entire well being as a person. 

Doctors who work from family practices can offer many various types of care. They specialize in everything; they can treat you for a common cold, anxiety, or high blood pressure. They can treat babies, adults and the elderly. They are there each and every time that you visit the doctor. They are so predictable that you will even notice right away if he has a new nurse or receptionist working for him. 

The difference between doctors who run family practices and doctors who are part of a large practice or work from a hospital is that the family doctor may find out that you have cancer but he will give you a hug, hold your hand and tell you that everything will work out, even if it is likely that it will not. Other doctors state the facts so robotically and are on their way. 

A family doctor will send flowers to the funeral home when you have lost a loved one and some may even send you a Christmas card as well. They will remember when you come to see them that you are still having difficulties coping with the loss of your dog last year. They are real people and even with today's technology they can still bring back a Marcus Welby M.D. touch. They are not second class doctors nor are they last chance doctors that couldn't get into a different form of practice, they are great doctors who simply want to help people on a personal level but if something happens to come up and they believe that you need more help, they will refer you to a specialist, but you can bet that it would be one that they would take their family to. 

Family practices do generally require a longer waiting period than doctors with a larger practice but one good thing is that you can start a book while you are waiting and be assured that on your next visit you will be able to pick that very same book up and continue reading where you left off. 

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