Some days feel balanced; other days are simply about getting through.

This special edition and Season 5 finale brings an honest look at the realities behind the polished exterior of a surgical career: childcare logistics, single parenthood, training and pregnancy, mom guilt, support systems, self-care and the pressure to keep showing up at home and in practice.

Dr. Ashley Amalfi guest hosts this WPS-sponsored conversation with Wendy Gottlieb, MD, a board-certified plastic surgeon in Northern Virginia and mother of three, and Shweta Parakh, MD, a solo private practice plastic surgeon in Northern New Jersey and single mother to her daughter. Together, they share personal stories about building careers while raising children, finding help, protecting mental health, parenting during COVID-19 and learning that balance does not have to happen every day to be meaningful over time.

Topics Discussed

•  Balancing plastic surgery and motherhood 
•  Parenting during residency and early practice 
•  Single motherhood and support systems 
•  Childcare, nannies, family help and outsourcing 
•  Mom guilt and reconnecting with children after demanding work periods 
•  Protecting mental health and personal outlets 
•  Exercise, creativity and self-care during busy seasons 
•  Managing practice, parenting and school disruptions during COVID-19 
•  Talking with children about fear, illness and uncertainty 
•  Building community through WPS and women plastic surgeon networks 
•  Virtual meetings and expanded access for working parents 
•  Letting go of daily perfection and redefining balance 

Key Takeaway

There is no single version of balance for plastic surgeons who are also parents. The strongest support often comes from building a dependable team, outsourcing where possible, making room for personal well-being and accepting that some days will belong more to work while others can be fully devoted to family. Over time, grace, planning and community can help make a demanding career and meaningful family life coexist.

Bonus Resources

Women Plastic Surgeons Forum

WPS Symposium

ASPS Education Network

About Enhance Your Practice

Enhance Your Practice is the official practice management podcast from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), featuring conversations with leaders in plastic surgery on practice management, leadership, innovation, and professional development. Each episode delivers practical insights to help plastic surgeons build successful practices and thrive throughout their careers.

Explore more educational resources from ASPS at plasticsurgery.org.

Group practice can offer support, scale and shared responsibility, but it only works when partners know how to build trust and make decisions together.

Joining a group means stepping into an existing culture, business structure and set of relationships. The questions surgeons ask before signing on, and the expectations partners clarify from the start, can shape whether the arrangement becomes a durable professional home.

Dr. Ash Patel discusses group practice with Debra Johnson, MD, a clinical professor at UC Davis, director of the American Board of Plastic Surgery and past president of ASPS. Drawing from more than 30 years with the same Sacramento-based group, Dr. Johnson shares how surgeons can evaluate a practice before joining, what groups should consider when adding a new partner, and why transparency around responsibilities, compensation, buy-ins, buy-outs and long-term expectations matters from the beginning.

Topics Discussed

•  Evaluating whether a group practice is the right fit 
•  Building trust and collegiality among partners 
•  The advantages of shared expenses, facilities and equipment 
•  How groups decide when to add a new surgeon 
•  Balancing individual goals with group decision-making 
•  Handling disagreement, compromise and majority-rule decisions 
•  Addressing unprofessional or inappropriate partner behavior 
•  Qualities to look for in a future partner 
•  Work ethic, productivity and expectations for new associates 
•  Contract terms, benefits and partnership pathways 
•  Buy-ins, buy-outs and ownership of practice assets 
•  W-2 versus 1099 employment considerations 
•  ASPS, PRS and practice management education resources 

Key Takeaway

A successful group practice depends on shared trust, clear expectations and a willingness to put the health of the group alongside individual priorities. Surgeons entering or building a partnership should ask careful questions, understand the contract, clarify the path to partnership and make sure the culture supports open communication, fairness and long-term professional growth.

Bonus Resources

ASPS Education Network

The Business of Plastic Surgery: Navigating a Successful Career

The Business of Plastic Surgery: Employment Contracts

About Enhance Your Practice

Enhance Your Practice is the official practice management podcast from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), featuring conversations with leaders in plastic surgery on practice management, leadership, innovation, and professional development. Each episode delivers practical insights to help plastic surgeons build successful practices and thrive throughout their careers.

Explore more educational resources from ASPS at plasticsurgery.org.

A busy practice is not always an efficient one.

The right metrics can help plastic surgeons understand where time, staff effort, patient interest and revenue are actually going, then use that information to build a more sustainable practice.

Dr. Ash Patel talks with Joshua Korman, MD, about the numbers plastic surgeons should be monitoring in private practice. Drawing from a practice that includes surgery, a med spa and satellite locations, Dr. Korman explains why performance is about more than a full schedule. Their conversation moves from broad questions about productivity into the practical metrics that reveal whether a practice is running well: capacity, staffing, inventory, conversion rates, marketing performance, vendor value and the surgeon’s own time. 

Topics Discussed

•  Measuring productivity across multiple practice locations 
•  Time, capacity and efficiency as core practice metrics 
•  Understanding KPIs in plastic surgery practice 
•  Staff performance, payroll review and team meetings 
•  Inventory control in surgical and nonsurgical settings 
•  Tracking leads, consultations and conversion rates 
•  Matching metrics to career stage and practice goals 
•  Evaluating patient management systems and CRM tools 
•  Using financial platforms such as QuickBooks 
•  Measuring marketing performance and social media efforts 
•  Choosing website and digital marketing vendors carefully 
•  Prioritizing time, job satisfaction and long-term career sustainability 

Key Takeaway

Monitoring a practice is not just about watching revenue. Plastic surgeons should understand how time, staff, inventory, marketing, patient conversion and personal capacity affect the health of the practice. With the right systems and support, data can help surgeons make better decisions, scale more thoughtfully and protect the kind of career they want to build.

Bonus Resources

ASPS EdNet

The Business of Plastic Surgery: Navigating a Successful Career

About Enhance Your Practice

Enhance Your Practice is the official practice management podcast from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), featuring conversations with leaders in plastic surgery on practice management, leadership, innovation, and professional development. Each episode delivers practical insights to help plastic surgeons build successful practices and thrive throughout their careers.

Explore more educational resources from ASPS at plasticsurgery.org.

Telehealth can make care more convenient, but it also raises new questions about licensing, privacy, payment and liability.

As virtual care becomes a more familiar part of practice, surgeons need a clear framework for deciding which visits can be handled remotely, what safeguards should be in place and when the patient needs to be seen in person. 

 David Feldman, MD, CMO of The Doctors Company Group and Senior VP and CMO of Healthcare Risk Advisors, brings a risk-management lens to one of the most practical questions facing plastic surgery practices: how to use telehealth without losing sight of clinical judgment, documentation, patient privacy and professional responsibility. In conversation with Dr. Ash Patel, he explains how COVID-19 accelerated regulatory flexibility, why rules vary by state and payer, and what practices should consider when choosing platforms, obtaining consent, using chaperones, billing for care and managing postoperative follow-up. 

Topics Discussed

•  Licensing, privacy and payment considerations for telehealth 
•  State-by-state variation in telehealth rules 
•  Telehealth versus telemedicine terminology 
•  Synchronous and asynchronous virtual care 
•  Choosing a telehealth platform 
•  Integrating telehealth into existing practice workflow 
•  When virtual visits may or may not be appropriate 
•  Patient access, convenience and reducing in-office volume 
•  Liability coverage and malpractice considerations 
•  Documentation standards for telehealth visits 
•  HIPAA, privacy and platform security 
•  Webside manner, chaperones and patient environment 
•  Informed consent through telehealth 
•  Billing and reimbursement considerations 
•  Using clinical judgment when an in-person visit is needed 

Key Takeaway

Telehealth is likely to remain part of plastic surgery practice, but it should be implemented thoughtfully. Surgeons need to understand licensing, privacy and payment rules, choose secure and appropriate platforms, document carefully, and use clinical judgment to decide when virtual care is sufficient and when a patient needs to be seen in person.

Bonus Resources

• The Doctors Company
• The Doctors Company Telehealth: Frequently Asked Questions
• Telehealth Implementation and Consulting
• ASPS Statement on Telehealth

About Enhance Your Practice

Enhance Your Practice is the official practice management podcast from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), featuring conversations with leaders in plastic surgery on practice management, leadership, innovation, and professional development. Each episode delivers practical insights to help plastic surgeons build successful practices and thrive throughout their careers.

Explore more educational resources from ASPS at plasticsurgery.org.

Patient flow starts long before a patient reaches the exam room.

For plastic surgery practices, smoother workflow often depends on how well scheduling, intake, telehealth, documentation, payment and follow-up connect across the patient journey.

Dr. Ash Patel discusses patient flow with Andrew Rosenthal, MD, and Lindsay Pine of Modernizing Medicine. Dr. Rosenthal brings the perspective of both a practicing plastic surgeon and medical director of plastic surgery at Modernizing Medicine, while Pine shares operational insight from her work with practices using the company’s technology. The conversation focuses on how digital tools can reduce friction for patients and staff, from telehealth consults and virtual chaperones to online scheduling, automated reminders, secure messaging, in-room checkout and better use of practice data.

Topics Discussed

•  Defining patient flow in a modern plastic surgery practice 
•  Modernizing Medicine and specialty-specific EHR design 
•  Telehealth adoption during and beyond the COVID-19 pandemic 
•  Using virtual consults for screening, triage and postoperative care 
•  Privacy, chaperones and professionalism in telehealth visits 
•  Billing, coding and documentation considerations for telehealth 
•  Digital intake, kiosk tools and pre-visit patient information 
•  Mobile documentation and in-room checkout 
•  Online scheduling and automated appointment reminders 
•  Secure messaging and patient communication 
•  Using practice data to identify revenue opportunities 
•  Choosing vendors and improving workflow one step at a time 

Key Takeaway

Improving patient flow means rethinking every step of the patient experience, not just reducing time in the waiting room. Integrated tools for scheduling, intake, telehealth, documentation, payments and communication can help plastic surgery practices reduce repetitive staff work, improve convenience for patients and create a more efficient clinical workflow.

Bonus Resources

• Modernizing Medicine
• CareCredit
• ASPS Education Network

About Enhance Your Practice

Enhance Your Practice is the official practice management podcast from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), featuring conversations with leaders in plastic surgery on practice management, leadership, innovation, and professional development. Each episode delivers practical insights to help plastic surgeons build successful practices and thrive throughout their careers.

Explore more educational resources from ASPS at plasticsurgery.org.

A single click can put your practice’s data, finances and patient trust at risk.

Explore practical cybersecurity strategies that can help plastic surgeons understand their vulnerabilities, strengthen office systems and reduce the risk of breaches, ransomware and social engineering attacks.

Join Dr. Ash Patel as he speaks with James Nachbar, MD, about the importance of cybersecurity in private practice. Drawing on his background as a plastic surgeon, licensed attorney and developer of IntelliPract, Dr. Nachbar explains why protecting patient information begins with understanding risk. Their conversation covers HIPAA security considerations, staff education, password management, phishing, email attachments, cloud-based systems, two-factor authentication and the balance between security and usability in a busy medical office.

Topics Discussed

•  Understanding cybersecurity risks in private practice 
•  Protecting digital patient information 
•  HIPAA security reviews and covered entity considerations 
•  Federal and state privacy requirements 
•  Working with IT consultants and vendors 
•  Firewalls, proxy servers and outbound traffic controls 
•  Phishing, email attachments and social engineering 
•  Staff training and cybersecurity awareness 
•  Password management and encrypted communication 
•  Security considerations for laptops, tablets and mobile devices 
•  Cloud-based EMR risks and two-factor authentication 
•  Balancing convenience, usability and security 

Key Takeaway

Cybersecurity in private practice starts with understanding where your risks are and building practical safeguards around them. By combining staff education with technical protections, strong password management, careful vendor oversight and thoughtful system design, plastic surgeons can better protect patient information and reduce the risk of costly disruptions.

Bonus Resources

• Office Network Security
• HIPAA Security Rule
• HHS Covered Entities and Business Associates
• IntelliPract

About Enhance Your Practice

Enhance Your Practice is the official practice management podcast from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), featuring conversations with leaders in plastic surgery on practice management, leadership, innovation, and professional development. Each episode delivers practical insights to help plastic surgeons build successful practices and thrive throughout their careers.

Explore more educational resources from ASPS at plasticsurgery.org.

Designing a private practice means building systems that can support your patients, your staff and your career through both growth and disruption.

Explore the practical decisions that shape a resilient plastic surgery practice, from case mix and office flow to staffing, coverage, telehealth and crisis response.

Join Dr. Ash Patel as he speaks with Diana Yoon-Schwartz, MD, and Parag Butala, MD, about the real-world considerations that go into designing and managing a private practice. Dr. Yoon-Schwartz shares perspective from solo practice across Long Island and New York City, while Dr. Butala discusses the structure and decision-making process within a large physician-owned group practice in the Charlotte area.

Together, they explore what they wish they had known earlier in practice, how they developed their clinical offerings, and how location, hospital privileges, staffing and coverage arrangements affect day-to-day operations. They also discuss how COVID-19 changed patient flow, scheduling, office protocols, procedure room setup and telehealth use. Their conversation highlights the importance of building a practice with flexibility, clear systems and a diverse case mix that can adapt when circumstances change.

Topics Discussed

•  Designing a private practice model that fits your goals 
•  Solo practice versus large group practice decision-making 
•  Billing, coding and business skills early in practice 
•  Managing staff, delegation and practice operations 
•  Building a diverse reconstructive and cosmetic case mix 
•  Choosing and managing multiple office locations 
•  Hospital privileges, coverage and call responsibilities 
•  Adapting office flow and scheduling during COVID-19 
•  Using telehealth and remote photo review in practice 
•  Office-based procedure protocols and turnover time 
•  Staffing stability, exposure policies and return-to-work planning 
•  ASPS practice management and COVID-19 resources 

Key Takeaway

A successful private practice is built on more than clinical skill. By developing strong systems for staffing, patient flow, coverage, case mix and crisis response, plastic surgeons can create practices that are efficient, adaptable and better prepared to serve patients through changing circumstances.

Bonus Resources

ASPS Education Network 

ASPS EdNet Podcasts

PS² Practice Management 

ASPS Endorsed Practice Solutions

ASPS Statement on COVID-19: Considerations for the Resumption of Elective Surgery and Visits 

About Enhance Your Practice

Enhance Your Practice is the official practice management podcast from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), featuring conversations with leaders in plastic surgery on practice management, leadership, innovation, and professional development. Each episode delivers practical insights to help plastic surgeons build successful practices and thrive throughout their careers.

Explore more educational resources from ASPS at plasticsurgery.org.

"Running a business is something that we're not trained in at all," says Smita Ramanadham, MD—a challenge familiar to many plastic surgeons considering practice ownership. 

 As Enhance Your Practice returns for Season 5, we're continuing our focus on helping plastic surgeons navigate the business, leadership, and career decisions that shape a successful practice. We begin the season with an honest conversation about one of the biggest transitions a surgeon can make—opening an independent practice. 

Dr. Ash Patel sits down with Smita Ramanadham, MD, to discuss her journey from academic medicine to solo private practice. Drawing from her firsthand experience, Dr. Ramanadham shares the unexpected realities of building a business from the ground up, including financing, hiring, branding, marketing, and managing the inevitable challenges that come with entrepreneurship. Whether you're preparing to launch your own practice or considering your next career move, this episode offers practical insights to help you navigate the road ahead. 

Topics Discussed

•  Deciding when private practice is the right career move 
•  Preparing for the business realities of practice ownership 
•  Financing a new practice and managing startup costs 
•  Hiring staff and building a patient-centered team 
•  Growing a brand through networking and social media 
•  Navigating delays, setbacks, and unexpected challenges 
•  Staying focused on your long-term vision while building a practice 
•  Advice for surgeons considering opening their own practice 

Key Takeaway

Building a successful private practice requires far more than surgical expertise. Long-term success comes from combining thoughtful business planning, adaptability, mentorship, and a clear vision for the kind of practice you want to create. 

Bonus Resources

American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS)
https://www.plasticsurgery.org/for-medical-professionals 

Women Plastic Surgeons (WPS) Forum
https://www.plasticsurgery.org/for-medical-professionals/community/women-plastic-surgeons-forum 

Young Plastic Surgeons (YPS) Forum
https://www.plasticsurgery.org/for-medical-professionals/community/young-plastic-surgeons-forum 

CareCredit
https://www.carecredit.com/

About Enhance Your Practice

Enhance Your Practice is the official practice management podcast from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), featuring conversations with leaders in plastic surgery on practice management, leadership, innovation, and professional development. Each episode delivers practical insights to help plastic surgeons build successful practices and thrive throughout their careers.

Explore more educational resources from ASPS at plasticsurgery.org.

The best insurance policy is the one you never have to use—but the wrong coverage can become one of the most expensive mistakes of your career. 

Close out Season 4 by exploring the insurance strategies that help protect your income, your practice, and your family's financial future.

Dr. Ash Patel welcomes back Larry Keller, CFP®, CLU, to explain the insurance strategies every plastic surgeon should understand. Together, they discuss disability insurance, life insurance, business coverage, policy features to evaluate, and common mistakes physicians make when purchasing or reviewing their insurance plans. Whether you're a resident, employed surgeon, or private practice owner, this episode provides practical guidance for protecting both your livelihood and your financial future. 

Topics Discussed

•  The purpose of insurance and transferring financial risk 
•  Disability insurance fundamentals for physicians 
•  Own-occupation disability coverage 
•  Residual and partial disability benefits 
•  Employer-sponsored versus individual disability insurance 
•  Cost-of-living adjustment riders 
•  Term life insurance and permanent life insurance 
•  Laddering term life insurance coverage 
•  Insurance considerations for private practice owners 
•  Business overhead expense insurance 
•  Business interruption and cyber liability insurance 
•  Common insurance policy mistakes and red flags 
•  Guaranteed standard issue (GSI) disability insurance 

Key Takeaway

Insurance should protect against financial catastrophe—not everyday inconveniences. Selecting the appropriate disability, life, and business insurance early in your career, while understanding the details of each policy, can help preserve your income, protect your practice, and provide long-term financial security. 

Bonus Resources

Physician Financial Services
https://www.physicianfinancialservices.com/

About Enhance Your Practice

Enhance Your Practice is the official practice management podcast from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), featuring conversations with leaders in plastic surgery on practice management, leadership, innovation, and professional development. Each episode delivers practical insights to help plastic surgeons build successful practices and thrive throughout their careers.

Explore more educational resources from ASPS at plasticsurgery.org.

Choosing the wrong financial planner can cost you far more than their fees.

Learn how to evaluate financial advisors, ask the right questions, and build a financial planning strategy that supports both your personal goals and your plastic surgery career.

Financial planning specialist Larry Keller, CFP®, joins Dr. Ash Patel to share the principles he has used to help physicians navigate complex financial decisions with greater confidence. Drawing on decades of experience advising medical professionals, Larry explains what distinguishes a trusted advisor from a salesperson and offers practical guidance for building a long-term financial strategy that evolves throughout every stage of a surgeon's career.

Topics Discussed

• What a financial planner does beyond investment management 
• Choosing a financial planner with physician experience 
• Professional credentials and certifications 
• Fee-only, fee-based, and commission-based compensation models 
• Budgeting and goal-based financial planning 
• Balancing debt repayment and long-term investing 
•  Retirement planning throughout every career stage 
• Common financial planning mistakes 
• Coordinating financial, legal, and tax professionals 
• Questions to ask before hiring a financial planner 

Key Takeaway

A financial planner should serve as a long-term strategic partner—not simply an investment manager. Selecting an experienced advisor who understands the unique financial challenges physicians face can help you make informed decisions, avoid costly mistakes, and build a comprehensive financial plan that evolves throughout your career. 

Bonus Resources

Physician Financial Services
https://www.physicianfinancialservices.com/

About Enhance Your Practice

Enhance Your Practice is the official practice management podcast from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), featuring conversations with leaders in plastic surgery on practice management, leadership, innovation, and professional development. Each episode delivers practical insights to help plastic surgeons build successful practices and thrive throughout their careers.

Explore more educational resources from ASPS at plasticsurgery.org.