At least she should look up and acknowledge his presence. She should be trying to make the patient feel comfortable. Finally, the three women have their backs to each other. This makes teamwork difficult. For the thousands of doctors burned in the stock-market crash of FPA Medical Management, there was no possibility of uncovering poor accounting procedures and misinformation from FPA directors.
Every business deal poses risk.
Any group considering amalgamation with a PPMC should negotiate an escape clause that protects against bankruptcy, fraud or failure to deliver on the business plan. The best bet is to sell only for cash, avoid any stock transaction and take out an insurance policy that prevents the individual physicians from losing a practice that was built with blood, sweat and tears. If physicians can't figure this out, our profession is in trouble. Especially considering the number of patients who are uninsured, self-pay patients should be the basis of the practice, not the exception. We are our own worst enemies.