In this episode of the Healthy Careers Podcast, host Maddie Traylor sits down with Dr. Ankur Patel, Founder and Interventional Pain Management Physician at Southern Pain and Spine in the Atlanta area. Dr. Patel shares a powerful and honest look at what it really takes to launch, scale, and sustain a thriving private practice in today’s post-COVID healthcare landscape. From his roots in a family business to working as a pharmacist and ultimately building a rapidly growing, multi-location medical practice, Dr. Patel’s journey is a masterclass in entrepreneurship, leadership, and clinical-business balance.

This episode dives into the business mechanics of private practice, the impact of exceptional patient experience, navigating the opioid epidemic, and why strategic partnerships and community relationships are foundational to long-term success in healthcare.

If you're a healthcare recruiter, practice owner, clinician exploring private practice, or a medical professional with entrepreneurial aspirations, this episode delivers clear, actionable insight on what it takes to build—and grow—a successful practice in today’s competitive medical environment.

Key Takeaways:

• Customer service is a competitive advantage in modern healthcare—patients expect hospitality, clarity, and efficiency.

• Private practice growth depends heavily on networking, local engagement, and authentic relationship-building.

• Launching a practice post-COVID requires adaptability, financial resilience, and operational discipline.

• Clinical skills alone are not enough—successful physicians must understand business, marketing, and team leadership.

• Partnerships accelerate scalability, especially when aligned around shared values and patient-centric care.

• The opioid epidemic has reshaped pain management, requiring responsible prescribing and patient education.

• Entrepreneurs in healthcare must expect uncertainty, stay disciplined, and focus on long-term goals over short-term gains.

Episode Highlights:

00:34 Meet Dr. Patel: His background in pharmacy and family business
01:26 Dr. Patel’s entrepreneurial origin story
03:21 Why networking and community relationships drive practice growth
07:04 Bringing “Southern hospitality” to the patient experience
10:37 Dr. Patel’s transition from pharmacist to physician
16:34 Rapid growth of Southern Pain and Spine post-launch
18:27 The value of strategic partnerships in a private practice
22:51 Dr. Patel’s advice for healthcare entrepreneurs
26:27 Closing thoughts and final insights

Keywords:

Private practice management,
How to start a medical practice,
Healthcare entrepreneurship,
Pain management physician business,
Growing a medical practice,
Healthcare leadership podcast,
Medical business strategy,
Post-COVID healthcare operations,
Physician entrepreneurship,
Scaling a private practice,
Patient experience in healthcare,
Opioid epidemic and pain management,
Medical recruiting insights,
Community-driven healthcare,
Atlanta medical practices,
Physician career development,
Healthcare business growth,
Healthcare recruiting agency,
Flat fee healthcare recruiter,
Nurse practitioner and physician assistant recruiter,
Surgeon and orthopedic staffing agency,
Medical office and billing staff recruitment,

Connect with Ankur Patel:

LinkedIn: Ankur Patel
Visit Southern Pain & Spine