What Questions Should I Ask?

[Angie]

Hello everyone its been a very long time sice I have posted...I love the new look of the board.

I got a call today from a foot/ankel surgin with his own pratice. He told me of a mutual client we both have who had given him my name and number. He is looking for a massage therapist to work out of his office and work on some of his clients! Im very excited about this opportunity because I see it as a possable advance in my career. :

Anyway I have never been approched by someone like this and dont know what kind of questions to ask...or what might be some red flags to look out for. I would Greatly Appreshiate any feed back and as soon as possable as I am meeting with him on Friday.

Thank you!!!

 

[jenny_lynn_23]

t009

HandsonHealth,
Well I'd say that nobody has had time to sit down and ask you a lot of questions about this "potential" job.
Sorry I've never spoken with a foot and ankle surgeon so I can't suggest any questions off the top of my head.
Other than, WHY was he looking for a MT to work out of his office? Has he had one work from his office before? Would you be considered an employee? Or will you be an I.C., and if so, who does the billing for your services? What will he be paying you?
Sorry, but that's really all that comes to mind... but then again... it's been a long day. LOL

 

[YaroOsh]

First, Welcome back!

Second, What an exciting opportunity! Congratulations!

I don't see a whole lot of difference between working with say a chiro or a surgeon. Regardless of the professional, you would be working out of their office and bound by their office policies. There are many threads about working for chiro's which would be worth your reading.

My biggest questions would be about what his expectations are of you in his office.

Just off the top of my head, I would want to know:

Will you remain independent or become his employee?
If you are an employee, how do raises happen and how often?
If you are an employee, what benefits come with this position?
Is he willing to sign a contract?

Who will be booking your appointments?
How much control will you have over your schedule?
How many patients will you be expected to see in a day/week?
What type of breaks can you expect and will they be respected?

Does he understand the nature of your work?
Does he understand that you spend time with your clients and not just quick 15-20 minute intervals?

Will he treat you as an office tech or a specialist in your field?
Will he allow you autonomy or expect you to work on just what he tells you to work on?
Will you be encouraged to take part in planning a patients treatment plan?

How would he feel if his patients see you outside his office?
Does he expect you to be exclusive to him/his office?

Who is responsible for providing equipment and supplies?
Who is responsible for linens and laundry?

When you aren't seeing patients will you be expected to do office work?

What $$ amount is he expecting to bring into his office by bringing in a massage therapist?
Will he expect this all to come via insurance billing?
If so, who is responsible for the billing and follow-up?
How does he handle "no shows" and late cancellations?
Who is responsible for tracking down payments of these things?

Best of luck with this opportunity. Please come back and tell us how it works out.

 

[SillyRabit]

What Questions Should I Ask?

I got a call today from a foot/ankel surgin with his own pratice. He told me of a mutual client we both have who had given him my name and number. He is looking for a massage therapist to work out of his office and work on some of his clients! Im very excited about this opportunity because I see it as a possable advance in my career. :

Anyway I have never been approched by someone like this and dont know what kind of questions to ask...or what might be some red flags to look out for. I would Greatly Appreshiate any feed back and as soon as possable as I am meeting with him on Friday.

Thank you!!!

Hi. I am going to answer this independently of reading anyone elses post, so it may be that I say some of the same things. Maybe it will be better for you this way. At least that is what I am hoping.

I would want to know first, if he is actually wanting you to practice "within" his office.

Will he have a room provided for you, or will you be working more like a PT as in a lot of light and in some "hustle and bustle".

Will he be wanting to pay you a salary? Will it be full time or part-time. Either way, will there be a way for you to be eligible for benefits?

Will this be a permanent job, or is this a "test-run" to see how it works?

Will he be taking care of the "insurance" billing?

How frequently will you be paid? 1st and 15th?

I would definitely start off with trying to get this as a part-time job with enough hours to get benefits, a salary of a pretty good figure and let him do all the work.

If that doesn't work, then I would make sure to only come in on certain days, which leaves you the ability to get work elsewhere, and you get paid a perceneforum.xxxe of what is coming in on the insurance payments. There aren't going to be many people there who are coming in with the idea to pay cash for your services, though you may be able to work that out.... it will take a little fanagling.

So, let's say the salary thing isn't good. Let's say you are going to take a perceneforum.xxxe of the insurance re-imbursement. Well, this is going to be a while before they start getting money back from the insurance company. At least 8-10 weeks. So you need to make sure you can keep yourself covered for that. The insurance dept. at the docs office needs to make sure the client will be pre-certified and you WILL get re-imbursed for treatment. And, you may want to express that in order for you to start, you are going to need some kind of money to get you "going" so to say. Something that can be given up front and taken off of the insurances when they come through. You will also need to have access to the insurance dept records, so that you can see when things are coming in to make sure you are getting paid correctly. I hate talking money, but they are things you have to at least think about.

You don't have to address them all, but at least have these things rolling around in your mind when going into the meeting.

Likely, if you can get on as a salary, take a high number. The MD is going to be charging in "incriments" of probably 15 mins. through the billing dept. You need to know what they bill for those 15 mins., so you can ask for at least 40%.

Hope that helps.

If you are going to rent from him. Then look at it like a regular rental opportunity. You come and go and make the appointments, or you let them know yuor hours and have his staff book the appointments for you.

 

[misscara]

What Questions Should I Ask?

I would Greatly Appreshiate any feed back and as soon as possable as I am meeting with him on Friday.

Thank you!!!

I work side by side with surgeons, many ortho and podiatrists....pm me, I can call you or whatever.

I only wish my guys were in my state. I live and do massage in NJ but work in a NY hospital.

First remember that they are REGULAR people, really.

I'm all over them with how I could help this, or what i could do with that.... etc.
Especially when I see us doing a plantar fasciaotomy....which is barbaric in my opinion unless my hands have gotten on a patient with a T bar and deep stripping...and leg work.

I'm always talking about golf balls and warm soaks, stretches, and my T bar....

He may have specific protocols for you. He may ask what you would do.

I imagine he would send people to you for aftercare &/or in conjunction with a PT(everyone knows we can and do spend more time on a client).
Many cases you would be dealing with if he is a joint guy too are hardware issues and fractures.

Our foot guys do a lot of bunionectomies, arthroplasty/osteoplasty of the phalanges, Mortons neuromas, Hammer toes tib/fib fractures, achilles lengthening, plantar fasciotomy, osteotomies, amputations(phalanges), pinning, fixations.

Do some reading on some of the procedures there.
Again, PM me, I can tell you what they entail.