Dr. Alexander Palma works as a locum tenens doctor and has nearly two decades of medical experience without any malpractice claims. He has found ways to make fantastic experiences for both the hospitals and the patients he serves.

In this episode, Larson Hicks and Dr. Palma give practical tips on how to be an excellent locum tenens doctor and give some classic blunders that doctors make.

Since 1997, Dr. Keith Smith has been pushing back against the status quo by creating America’s first free market surgery center (The Surgery Center of Oklahoma) and founding the Free Market Medical Association, with more than 30 chapters throughout the country.

Dr. Smith’s convictions for transparency and integrity caused him to thoroughly examine the “system” he was a part of and make changes where he could – even if that meant leaving modern medical practice to pursue a different ideal.

Join us for this episode of Branch Out, as Dr. Smith and Larson (possibly Dr. Smith’s biggest fan) discuss the important ideologies behind direct care and physician independence.

Top things to learn:

• The golden rule in an economic exchange
• The options doctors have in regards to accepting government money
• What it takes to start/run a free market medical center

Top things from his story:

• Former concert pianist turned anesthesiologist
• Strong philosophical, ethical convictions led to changing the way he approached medicine

Links:

• Find the video version of this episode on Youtube! https://youtu.be/k1hm-l9YZCk
• Dr. Smith's Website surgerycenterok.com

Books Mentioned:

• Power of the Powerless by Václav Havel
• Principles of Economics by Carl Menger

In this episode of Branch Out, Dr. Patten and Larson Hicks discuss how to be in good standing with hospitals. They go over the ideal number of hospitals to partner with, good relationships, and long term strategies to make sure you’re a dependable doctor.