Why Young Doctors Resist Advice
May 20th 2011The young, and especially young doctors, are sometimes full of bravado with freshly minted degrees in hand. Thankfully, some wisdom comes with age, and lessons get learned the hard way. But there are some new, systemic reasons why younger doctors -- the people who can benefit the most from financial advice -- are reluctant to hear it, let alone take.
Real Estate: Buy, Sell or Hold?
May 19th 2011Some economists say the housing market isn't just diving off a 10-ft. board into a swimming pool, it may be about to plunge off a 100-ft. cliff into the ocean. Another wave of foreclosures looms, which could further drag down home values. So should you sell now, or wait to buy? Hold on.
Why Passive Investors Usually Win
May 18th 2011When patients see physicians, they want advice from a trusted expert because they know that a doctor's knowledge and experience is far greater than their own. Similarly, when they go to a financial advisor, they trust that he or she will be able to pick the winning stocks, mutual funds, or money managers, and beat the market. After all, they are pros, right? Not so fast.
Investor Flight to Safety Lifts Healthcare, Utilities Stocks
May 16th 2011Concerns about the health of the economy prompted exits from the more economically sensitive corners of the stock market last week. Benefiting from this flight from risk were the more defensive stocks, such as healthcare, staples and utilities.
Saved Enough for Retirement? That's Only Half the Battle
May 16th 2011So, you've saved carefully and consistently throughout your career, and the fruits of your labor have produced a nice retirement nest egg. Congratulations … but that's only one half of the equation. Now it's important to ensure that your nest egg provides you with retirement income for the rest of your life.
Physicians Charging Annual Fees? Stop the Presses!
May 13th 2011For many years, the only headlines involving medicine would cover the occasional scientific breakthrough or pandemic. Increasingly, the business of medicine has become the most pressing subject in the media. The case in point was a recent page one headline which proclaimed "More Family Doctors Charging Patients Annual Fees." It sounds ominous, and the implications are ominous.
When It Makes Sense to Buy a Home to Rent
May 12th 2011On the face of it, selling some stocks with big gains now seems reasonable. The stock market is toppy. Housing, on the other hand, just seems to be going lower. For some, this begs the question: Should I sell some stock, buy a depreciated house and rent it out? Here's a great calculator that does the math for you.
Jaguar Hybrid Joins Ranks of World's Most Expensive Cars
May 12th 2011Jaguar just introduced the latest entrant into the world of ultra-luxury supercars – a hybrid vehicle, the C-X75. Its starting price? A cool $1 million, though it's nowhere near the most expensive set of wheels ever sold. Here are the Top 5.
Social Media 101: A Crash Course for Physicians
May 12th 2011Join HCPLive for a free one-hour webinar, "#SocialMedia in Medicine," and see how you can market your practice and build your caseload via social media, learn how to follow a medical conference on Twitter and use hash tags to find real-time information on any topic, and more!
Preparing for a Financial Disaster
May 12th 2011I guess it's natural for me to think about disasters since I trained in emergency medicine. I've seen so many examples of people who've suffered tragic, and expensive, events for which they weren't prepared. So it got me thinking about how to go about creating your own financial disaster plan.
Homework Is Key to Physician's Entrepreneurial Success
May 10th 2011How long does one have to be a practicing physician before it becomes obvious that a clinical career isn't the right line of work? It depends. Hear how one plastic surgeon explored his passion for writing by investigating the field of medical communications ... and a new, non-clinical career was born.
Medical Liability Reform Bill Seeks Cap on Damages
May 10th 2011A bill that would institute a $250,000 cap on non-economic medical liability damages in states without caps was approved by a House committee this week. Trial lawyer groups have been heavily lobbying Republicans in the House against the legislation.
Book Excerpt: Are the Rich Smarter Than You?
May 10th 2011Is there a secret to being rich, or are they just smarter than everyone else? An excerpt from Alexander Green's new book "Beyond Wealth: The Road Map to a Rich Life," explores the intersection between wealth, personal fulfillment and successful living.
Top 10 Medical Schools for Primary Care Physicians
May 9th 2011The University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences graduates the largest percentage of primary care physicians, according to the AAFP. Here are the Top 10 schools for graduating primary care physicians, including what the physicians face financially to attend.
Staff Meetings Improve Communication, Enhance Efficiency
May 9th 2011If you're looking to improve communication within your practice, perhaps even increase efficiencies among staff, regular meetings are a good place to start. The key is to begin scheduling the meetings for positive reasons, not negative ones -- too often meetings are a knee-jerk reaction to a problem in the office.