Why Cutting Costs Won’t Save Your Independent Practice

Illustration of a hamster in a labcoat, running on a wheel. It is surrounded by coins and bills.

Medicare reimbursement rates have declined 33% over the last 20 years while practice costs have skyrocketed. Every year, financial challenges further squeeze independent practices. It’s only natural that managing partners and practice administrators start scrutinizing expenses and slashing costs. But cost-cutting alone won’t protect a practice.

Pulmonary Associates of Fredericksburg

For over 30 years, Pulmonary Associates of Fredericksburg (PAF) has served families in Fredericksburg, VA — as a proudly independent pulmonology practice with physicians who are free to make the best decisions for their patients. CCM helped PAF improve patient access, deliver proactive care to 1300 patients, drive $840k in annualized revenue at a 58% margin, and earn patient satisfaction scores of 9.6 out of 10.

Thriving Independently: Entrepreneurial Opportunities for Physician-Led Practices

How can independent practices navigate financial pressures, regulatory burdens, staffing challenges, and reimbursement complexities—all while preserving clinical autonomy? Managing partner Rohit Goyal, MD of Pulmonary Associates of Fredericksburg takes an entrepreneurial approach to practice leadership that helped him increase annual revenue by 15%—without increasing his workload.