This family physician, 77, sees private practice's value every day - American Medical Association
She started her physician career later than most—with four children, a husband and dog at home—just out of medical school at 43 and in her first physician employment at 46 in a closed model health maintenance organization. On her first day, more than 30 patients were waiting to see her, a veritable conveyer belt. That wasn't what Barbara Hummel, MD, had in mind when she pursued a career as a family physician. She imagined a family practice where she could get to know her patients and spend some time moving them in heathy directions. "It was herd them in, herd them out. Half the time, I wasn't seeing my own patients," she recalled. "I was doing urgent care for doctors who were doing urgent care for other doctors. I left there feeling that wasn't what I went back to school for." After a short stint with a small, multispecialty practice and a year working in urgent care, she made the big decision—she began preparing her own practice. Renting space...